Robert Morris falls to Purdue Fort Wayne for 3rd loss in past 4 games

Dave Mackall TribLive Sun, Jan 11, 2026 • 04:29 PM

Robert Morris’ Ta’Zir Smith scores between Purdue Fort Wayne’s Mikale Stevenson (2), DeAndre Craig Jr. (9) and Maximus Nelson on Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026, at UPMC Events Center. (Robert Morris athletics)

The reigning Horizon League champs have hit a skid.

Purdue Fort Wayne’s Corey Hadnot II scored 17 points and blocked Ryan Prather Jr.’s potential game-tying 3-point shot in the closing seconds for Robert Morris as the Mastodons held on to beat the Colonials, 79-74, Sunday at UPMC Events Center.

It was the second loss in a row and third in the past four games for Robert Morris (11-7, 3-4), which won its first Horizon League championship last season.

Maximus Nelson, Mikale Stevenson and DeAndre Craig Jr. all scored 15 points for Purdue Fort Wayne (11-8, 5-3).

Prather led Robert Morris with 20 points. DeSean Goode added 14 points and a game-high eight rebounds for the Colonials, who head back on the road, where they split a pair of games before Sunday’s loss.

Robert Morris plays at IU Indianapolis on Thursday and at Northern Kentucky on Saturday in a rematch of its 79-77 loss to the Norse on Dec. 29.