PITTSBURGH, Pa. – The Robert Morris Colonials evened the season series with Oakland as the Golden Grizzlies' late run fell short, losing 73-65. 

Kennedie Montue led Oakland in scoring, putting up career-high 10 points on 3-4 shooting, 2-2 from three and 2-3 from the line. The freshman was key in the late run that cut a 17-point fourth quarter lead to five. Breanne Beatty, Kahlaijah Dean, Kayla Luchenbach and Aaliyah McQueen all scored nine for the Golden Grizzlies. 

Luchenbach scored the first five points for Oakland, hitting a baseline jumper then a free throw before a put back shot to take a 5-4 lead. Both offenses started out slowly, but as the game neared the midway point, both offenses picked up the pace. 

Beatty hit a runner in the lane, then Esther Castedo hit back-to-back threes and a layup, giving RMU a 14-9 lead at the first media timeout. 

McQueen checked in for the first time, hitting back-to-back threes to bring Oakland within one possession. With those two threes, McQueen extended her streak of multiple threes to three consecutive games. 

The first quarter slowed down after the mid-quarter point flurry from both sides. Robert Morris held a 20-17 lead after one period. Castedo led all scorers with eight, and Luchenbach led Oakland with seven points. 

Both offenses followed a similar pattern in the second quarter, starting slowly out of the break. The mid-quarter slump was evident for both sides. Oakland shot 2-5 from the field and RMU shot 2-7. The Colonials were able to stay ahead with 2-4 3-point shooting. 

Those threes gave RMU the edge, keeping Oakland at bay. With five minutes remaining in the first half, the Colonials led 26-22. The Oakland drought continued to close out the quarter as Robert Morris found their stride. 

At halftime, Robert Morris held a 34-23 lead after an 8-1 run. Ashya Klopfenstein hit a layup at the buzzer, giving RMU their first double-digit lead of the night. Oakland was outscored 14-6 in the second quarter as RMU extended their lead. 

The Colonials opened the third on a 6-2 run, forcing an Oakland timeout. Following that timeout, Oakland scored five unanswered to cut the Colonial lead back down to 10. Two free throws from Luchenbach cut the deficit to nine with five and a half minutes left in the third. 

Robert Morris pushed back, gaining a 14-point lead again before a layup from Beatty assisted by Luchenbach cut it to 12. The Colonials carried that lead into the fourth quarter, up 53-41. 

An early run from Robert Morris gave the Colonials a 17 point lead in the fourth quarter. Oakland chipped away, getting the lead back down to 11 after Lamariyee Williams got to the line and hit two free throws with 4:40 remaining. 

After another brief run from RMU, C'Erra Maholmes stole the ball and took it all the way, cutting the lead to 10 with a minute left. Two Beatty free throws brought it to 70-62. Oakland forced a turnover, then Beatty found Montue for a three to bring the lead to just five. Robert Morris hit one free throw, but the ensuing three from Oakland missed. The Colonials held on for an eight-point win with free throws. 

Oakland returns to action Sunday, Jan. 30 against the Youngstown State University Penguins at 1 p.m.