Emmitsburg, Md. - The Robert Morris University men's basketball team extended its winning streak to a season-high five games Saturday night with a 75-63 victory over Mount St. Mary's at Knott Arena. The Colonials improved to 17-6 overall and 8-2 in the Northeast Conference with the victory, while the Mount fell to 10-12 overall and 6-5 in league play.    

Thanks to the victory, RMU notched its sixth straight road win, tying the school record originally established in 1989-90. Robert Morris also improved to 10-2 in road contests, tying the school record for wins away from home set by the same 1989-90 club. The Colonials also matched their win total from last season with the victory and clinched their third straight winning season, just the third time in the program's 32-year history the occasion has occurred.     

In a physical game, RMU took control with a 16-2 run over the final 8:24 of the first half to take a 32-22 edge into the break. Senior forward A.J. Jackson (Monessen, Pa. / Monessen) propelled the run with five points, including a three-pointer that gave the Colonials a 21-20 lead. He finished with seven points during the spurt, while junior guard Jeremy Chappell (Cincinnati, Ohio / Northwest) added five points and senior guard Tony Lee (Boston, Mass. / Charlestown) four.  

Early in the second half Robert Morris stretched its advantage to 39-23 thanks to a pair of Chappell layups and a fastbreak basket from Lee. Mount St. Mary's was able to trim its deficit to 41-30 thanks to a 7-2 surge, but Chappell helped squash the run with a three-pointer.

RMU built another 16-point lead when senior center Freddie Harris (Decatur, Ala. / Lawson State C.C.) hit a layup in the paint with 13:22 to play, and a minute later Jackson hit a pair from the charity stripe to give RMU its biggest lead of the contest, 51-33. 

The Colonials were able to keep their double-digit lead thanks to converting at the free-throw line, and junior guard Bateko Francisco (Paris, France / Fort Scott J.C.) buried a three-pointer at the 8:57 mark of the second half to push the lead to 57-40.

The Mount closed to within 59-48 thanks to a jumper from Will Holland and a layup by Jeremy Goode, but timely baskets kept Robert Morris in control. Lee would hit a layup with 4:13 to go, while sophomore guard Jimmy Langhurst (Willard, Ohio / Willard) hit a mid-range jumper with 2:47 remaining to extend the Robert Morris lead to 66-54. Jackson punctuated the victory with a pair of dunks in the final minute.

Jackson finished with 20 points to lead RMU, while Lee contributed 16 points, nine rebounds, three assists and two steals. Chappell recorded his fifth career double-double thanks to 14 points and 11 rebounds and also added three assists and three steals.

Chris Vann paced Mount St. Mary's with 22 points but converted just six of his 18 shots from the floor as the Colonials held Vann, Holland and Goode to a combined 10-for-37 shooting (27 percent) from the field. 

Robert Morris, winners of 10 of its last 11 games and 12 of its last 14, returns home to the Charles L. Sewall Center for a two-game homestand Thursday, Feb. 7, looking for its sixth straight win, hosting Fairleigh Dickinson for a 7:00 p.m. tilt.