COROPOLIS, Pa. (Interstat) — A dominant second-half surge fueled by Ryan Prather’s 29 points and a relentless defensive effort propelled Robert Morris to a 73-62 victory over Detroit Mercy in a Horizon League men’s basketball game Wednesday night at the Charles L. Sewall Center.

The Colonials, who entered the game as heavy favorites, overcame a sluggish first half to outscore the Titans 47-34 after halftime, turning a two-point deficit into a comfortable double-digit win before a crowd of 1,568.

The game’s pivotal shift came early in the second half. Leading just 26-28 at the break, Robert Morris erupted with a 15-2 run over the first four minutes and 23 seconds. The burst was ignited by defense, as the Colonials forced three Detroit turnovers during the stretch, converting them directly into seven points. Prather, a 6-foot-5 guard from Clarksburg, Maryland, was the catalyst, scoring nine points during the run, including a traditional three-point play. That spurt gave Robert Morris a 41-30 lead, a margin Detroit would never seriously threaten again.

Prather’s performance was the offensive cornerstone for the Colonials, who improved to 20-10 overall. He shot 9 of 19 from the field, including four 3-pointers, and added seven rebounds and three steals in 34 minutes. His backcourt mate, DeSean Goode of Fairmont, West Virginia, provided crucial support with 14 points, three assists and a game-high four steals. Nikolaos Chitikoudis of Thessaloniki, Greece, added 13 points and nine rebounds, while Ta’Zir Smith contributed 12 points off the bench.

Detroit, which fell to 14-14, was led by Orlando Lovejoy’s 19 points and four assists. TJ Nadeau added 12 points, and Ryan Kalambay of Brampton, Canada, anchored the interior defense with five blocked shots to go with 10 points.

While the score was close at halftime, the statistical story foreshadowed the second-half outcome. Robert Morris won the game through superior efficiency and capitalizing on mistakes. The Colonials scored 23 points off 12 Detroit turnovers, compared to just five points off turnovers for the Titans. Robert Morris also held a significant advantage in fast-break points, 13-4, and attempted 12 more free throws, making 17.

The Colonials’ offensive rating of 115.1 points per 100 possessions starkly outperformed Detroit’s mark of 95.8, underscoring a more effective and opportunistic attack. Despite shooting a nearly identical percentage from the floor, Robert Morris’s edge from the 3-point line, where they made 10 to Detroit’s four, and at the free-throw line proved decisive.

Defensively, Robert Morris was disruptive throughout, tallying nine steals and forcing the Titans into a season-worst assist-to-turnover ratio. Detroit managed only five assists against 12 turnovers, crippling their offensive flow, especially during the Colonials’ game-changing run.

The victory completed a regular-season sweep for Robert Morris, which also defeated Detroit 85-77 on Jan. 2. The Colonials have now won four of their last five games as they prepare to host Cleveland State on Saturday.

Detroit, which had its two-game winning streak snapped, looks to rebound on the road at Oakland, also on Saturday.