Kansas City, MO - The #8-ranked Robert Morris Men's Basketball team stepped on the gas late in the first half and controlled the tempo of the second half to come away with a 82-73 win over Carroll College (MT) in the opening round of the Buffalo Funds-NAIA Division I National Championships at historic Municipal Auditorium on March 19, 2008, in Kansas City, MO.

Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference Player of the Year Othyus Jeffers (Senior, Chicago, IL) once again led the way, scoring 30 points and leading the Eagles in rebounds with eight.  He added three assists, four steals, and a blocked shot.

"The people here in Kansas City got to see how good Othyus is," said RMC Head Coach Al Bruehl.  "We're gonna ride that pony as far as we can."

Andre White (Junior, Zion, IL) also scored in double figures, hitting for 16 points on 5-of-8 shooting from the field.

Carroll jumped out to an early lead, scoring the first six points of the game.  The Eagles battled back, tying the game at 12-all.  The Saints held as much as an eight-point lead in the first half before Andre Knox (Junior, Chicago, IL) and Jason Bowden (Junior, Chicago, IL) hit consecutive three-pointers .  That outburst tied the game for the fourth time and the two teams eventually went into the locker room tied at 38-all.

The key sequence of the second half was a series of possessions with about eight minutes remaining in the game.  Terry Dunlap (Junior, Chicago, IL)--the Eagles' All-CCAC point guard-- scored on consecutive drives to the basket, each a soaring move as he weaved through multiple Carroll defenders.  Andre White then turned the same trick, and when Dunlap went to the well a third time, he came up short.  Mario Brandon (Junior, Chicago, IL) was there to clean up.

"Mario really stepped up," said Coach Bruehl.  "He played some big minutes in the second half in a very physical game." 

That run put the Eagles in control.  Although the Saints were able to hit threes during the final few minutes, RMC was clutch at the free throw line as the Saints were forced to foul to stop the clock.  The Eagles hit 10-of-13 in the second half and 21-of-29 in the game.

The Eagles will now play Point Loma Nazarene University (CA) in the Round of 16.  The Sea Lions defeated Southern Nazarene in overtime 76-73 early Thursday morning in the final game of the first day of the tournament. 

That game will tip off at Municipal Auditorium at 6:15 PM on Friday, March 21, 2008.