FORT WAYNE, Ind. (Interstat) — In a critical Horizon League matchup, Purdue Fort Wayne used a dominant second-half surge to pull away from Robert Morris for an 83-71 victory on Saturday afternoon at the Gates Sports Center.

The game, played before a crowd of 1,974, was a tale of two halves and ultimately decided by Purdue Fort Wayne’s superior efficiency and ability to capitalize on mistakes. The Mastodons, who entered as a 2.5-point favorite, improved to 14-9 overall, while the Colonials fell to 14-10.

The first half was a tightly contested affair, featuring eight lead changes. Robert Morris, fueled by early three-pointers from Albert Vargas, held a narrow 37-35 lead at the break. The Colonials’ defense managed to contain Purdue Fort Wayne’s offense for stretches, but the Mastodons kept pace thanks to balanced scoring.

The complexion of the game changed dramatically after halftime. Purdue Fort Wayne opened the second half on a 12-2 run, seizing control with a combination of defensive pressure and transition offense. A steal and dunk by Corey Hadnot just 26 seconds into the half set the tone, and the Mastodons never looked back.

The most important part of the game was Purdue Fort Wayne’s relentless ability to turn Robert Morris’s turnovers into points. The Colonials committed 15 turnovers, which the Mastodons converted into 24 points. Conversely, Purdue Fort Wayne’s disciplined play resulted in only six turnovers, leading to just 13 points for Robert Morris. This 11-point disparity in points off turnovers was the single largest factor in the outcome.

Furthermore, Purdue Fort Wayne dominated in fastbreak points, outscoring Robert Morris 21-2, highlighting how they exploited live-ball turnovers and missed shots to create easy scoring opportunities before the Colonials’ defense could get set.

DeAndre Craig led all scorers with 19 points for Purdue Fort Wayne, adding five rebounds and three assists. Corey Hadnot was instrumental with a stat line of 21 points, seven rebounds and four assists. Mikale Stevenson contributed 12 points and three assists, while Maximus Nelson added 14 points, all of which came in the second half.

Robert Morris was led by DeSean Goode’s 17 points and five rebounds. Ryan Prather finished with 16 points and five assists, and Albert Vargas scored 11. Nikolaos Chitikoudis added 10 points and seven rebounds off the bench.

Despite shooting a nearly identical percentage from the field, Purdue Fort Wayne’s decisive advantages came at the free-throw line and from beyond the arc. The Mastodons made 19 of 20 free throws, a 95 percent clip, while Robert Morris struggled, making only 4 of 9. Purdue Fort Wayne also shot 10 for 22 from three-point range compared to Robert Morris’s 9 for 29.

The victory completed a regular-season sweep for Purdue Fort Wayne, which also defeated Robert Morris 79-74 on Jan. 11. Both teams continue Horizon League play on Wednesday. Robert Morris hosts Wright State, while Purdue Fort Wayne welcomes Youngstown State.