Turnovers Torment Robert Morris in 79-56 Loss at UIC

Robert Morris played its best half of basketball in the young 2026-27 season on Friday night, but the Colonials were unable to follow it up with another, allowing a halftime lead to turn into a 79-56 rout at the hands of the UIC Flames in Chicago on Friday.

After losing 86-49 to Nevada in their season opener on Monday, the Colonials bounced back with a much stronger performance against another mid-major team in the first half on Friday, and they did it without one of their starters.

Former Jalik Dunkley, who played 19 minutes and had eight points and two rebounds in the season-opening loss to the Wolfpack, did not leave the bench for Andy Toole’s squad against the Flames on Friday. Another starter from the first game, guard Darius Livingston, instead came off the bench for RMU in Chicago. Livingston had four points and two assists in 30 minutes against the Wolfpack.

Replacing Dunkley and Livingston in the starting lineup were guard Ta’Zir Smith and forward Eddie Cooke III. The new lineup got off to a strong start, with Cooke leading RMU with eight points in the first half and Smith adding five as the Colonials built a 32-25 first-half advantage. 

Unfortunately for RMU, that was the Colonials’ high-water mark. UIC guard Ahmad Henderson II scored five points in the final 1:20 of the opening period to cut the Colonials lead to 32-30 at the break.  Henderson continued his personal run on the other side of the half, hitting a 3-pointer 10 seconds into the second period to give UIC a lead the Flames never relinquished.

Hurting the cause in the second half for RMU was foul trouble for Cooke and guard KJ Garris Jr., who eventually fouled out.

The Colonials also hurt their own cause, with 20 turnovers leading to 23 UIC points — exactly the final margin of victory. Guard Ace Valentine was the worst offender. He finished with eight turnovers, compared to five assists.

UIC was also hot from 3-point range, finishing 9 of 21 (43%) on the evening.

KC Ugwuakazi led the balanced RMU attack, scoring 10 points. Garris and Livingston each had nine, and Cooke and Valentine each contributed seven.

The Colonials (0-2) will continue their season-opening road swing, and they’ll next face a step up in competition, as Robert Morris will travel to Fayetteville, Arkansas, to face the Razorbacks and Moon Township native John Calipari on Wednesday, Nov. 11 at 8 p.m.

RMU’s hope opener at UPMC Events Center will follow against Capital University on Sunday, Nov. 15, with a 2 p.m. tip-off.