The Robert Morris Colonials took down the North Florida Ospreys in the third First Four game of the NCAA Tournament. The game was held at University of Dayton Arena in Dayton, Ohio. Robert Morris was overwhelmed late in the first half and got out to a slow second half start. However, down 13 they pushed and fought to win the game over North Florida, 81-77. 

For Robert Morris, they were led by the trio of Lucky JonesRodney Pryor and Marcquise Reed. They performed very well down the stretch for the Colonials. Jones went 6-for-11 from the field, 1-for-5 from three, and 8-for-12 from the free throw line. He finished with 21 points, seven rebounds, one assist, five steals and one block. Jones was also a defensive force for Robert Morris. 

Pryor shot 8-for-17 from the field, 2-for-5 from the three point line and 2-for-3 from the charity stripe. The freshman finished with 20 points, three rebounds, one assist and one steal. 

Reed hit 9-for-17 from the field, 0-for-3 from deep, and 1-for-2 from the free throw line. He finished with 19 points, three rebounds, one assist, and two steals in the victory. 

Robert Morris shot 45 percent from the field, 25 percent from the three point line and 62 percent from the line. They did a great job of attacking the basket when their three point jumpers would not fall. 

North Florida was led by Beau Beech, while Jalen Nesbitt chipped in with a good performance. Beech hit 9-for-14 from the field, 6-for-10 form deep and 4-for-6 from the free throw line. He finished with 28 points, eight rebounds and one assist. He seemed to hit three after three and was a clear leader for the Ospreys. 

Nesbitt scored 14 points on 4-for-6 shooting from the field, 1-for-2 from deep and 5-for-8 from the charity stripe. Nesbitt also added nine rebounds, three assists, one steal and one block. 

North Florida shot 48 percent from the field, 41 percent from the three point line and 69 percent from the free throw line. The Ospreys outshot the Colonials, but they turned the ball over 19 times. It was 12 more turnovers than Robert Morris which was the real game-changer. 

No. 16 Robert Morris (19-14) will move on in the NCAA Tournament to face the No. 1 Duke Blue Devils (29-4) in the Round of 64. That game will take place at Time Warner Cable Arena in Charlotte, North Carolina. It will be played on Friday, March 20 at 7:10 PM EST. A No. 16 seed has NEVER beaten a No.1 seed. 

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About the author
Evan Petzold
Evan Petzold is a Detroit-based journalist with expertise in covering the Tigers, Pistons, and Red Wings. A member of the Internet Baseball Writers Association of America (IBWAA) and Detroit Sports Broadcasters Association (DBSA), he brings a unique skill set in reporting and broadcasting to the table.