Youthful energy and resiliency is the best way to describe the men’s basketball team so far this season for Robert Morris. Tonight was no different. Freshman Koby Thomas was the leading scorer tonight for the Colonials with 20 points as RMU handed the Rider Broncs a 78-75 loss.

The most complete game by a Colonial tonight was freshman Jon Williams. He scored 10 points, dished out eight assists and pulled down three rebounds. Charles Bain, another freshman, scored eight points.

The Colonials came into this game looking to avenge a loss to Siena and was seeking to get back to their winning ways.

The first half was a shootout. Both teams moved up and down the floor, trading buckets. At the end of the first half, the score was tied at 44.

“The first half was very much Rider basketball. Trading baskets. We don’t make eight threes in a week, let alone halves. We started feeling ourselves a little bit and told ourselves that we weren’t going to get into a shootout because that’s not who we are,” said RMU head coach Andy Toole.

Rider came out of the locker room and went on a 10-4 run. With a 56-48 lead, the Broncs took the foot off the pedal. That is all the Colonials needed to get back in the game.

A big three-ball from Chris Coleman cut the lead to five points. After a couple of made free throws, the Rider lead was back up to seven.

Dachon Burke drained a triple. Following another Rider basket, Koby Thomas added a three of his own. A Chris Coleman steal and score made it a one-point Rider lead.

The Colonials jumped out to a 68-60 lead. This change was led by Malik Petteway, Koby Thomas and Dachon Burke.

Burke provided the spark. After being blocked on the offensive end, he hustled back and swatted Jordan Allen’s three ball into the second row.

“Last year, he would’ve had a breakdown, talked to the officials, would’ve dropped his head. He would’ve done everything he’s not supposed to do. I’ll give Dachon credit,” Toole said.

When this game ended, just looking at the stats, it’s easy to see how one could think that Rider won this game. Rider had 19 second-chance points. The poise of the young players is what helped guide the Colonials to victory.