Robert Morris tops Quinnipiac for NEC title

HAMDEN, Conn. - Dallas Green deflected a potential game-winning shot then sank two free throws with seven seconds left as Robert Morris beat Quinnipiac, 52-50, last night for its second straight Northeast Conference championship.

Freshman Karon Abraham scored 16 points to lead the Colonials (23-11), and Green and Russell Johnson each added nine. Robert Morris is headed to the NCAA Tournament for the seventh time.

James Feldeine had 17 points for Quinnipiac (23-9), which was seeking its first conference title but will settle for a berth in the NIT. Justin Rutty, the NEC player of the year, added 12 points and 10 rebounds.

Green got a piece of Feldeine's three-point jumper with 10 seconds left and Robert Morris leading 50-48. His free throws gave the Colonials a four-point lead, and they held on for the win.

Robert Morris held Quinnipiac to 35-percent shooting and six second-half field goals.

Neither team led by more than three points in the second half, and both teams were in the bonus for the game's final 71/2 minutes.

Robert Morris took its first lead of the second half, 39-38, with just over nine minutes to play on a three-pointer from the corner by Gary Wallace.

Quinnipiac took it back at 46-45 on a three-pointer by Deontay Twyman with 3:24 left, and back and forth it went.

Velton Jones' leaner in the lane gave Robert Morris a 50-48 lead with 1:18 to play. The Colonials got the ball back after James Johnson missed a jumper at the other end.

But Johnson deflected the ball off Abraham's foot with 19 seconds to play, giving Quinnipiac one more chance. The Bobcats ran Feldeine off a curl and he tried a three-pointer over Green, who got his hands on the ball.

Both teams started slowly. The Colonials hit only two of their first nine shots, and Quinnipiac was 2-for-11.

Robert Morris stayed in the game by hitting four of eight shots from three-point range, but trailed 25-23 at halftime.