After competing against the likes of high-major programs North Carolina and Georgetown in its first two games of the Battle 4 Atlantis Tournament, it appeared as if the Robert Morris men’s basketball team would have an easier test against the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga.

However playing the Southern Conference opponent was a more difficult task than it seemed.

Although RMU’s defense held the Mocs (2-3) to 61 tallies – tied for the lowest point total surrendered this season – the Colonials (1-4) were once again plagued by offensive production, amassing a mere 46 points, the lowest total an Andy Toole coached team has scored.

Lucky Jones and Rodney Pryor led Robert Morris with 11 and nine points, respectively, but a dismal 27.8 percent performance from the floor, including 3-15 from beyond the arc, prohibited the Colonials from securing their second victory of the 2014-15 campaign.

RMU struggled from the opening tip after freshman Marcquise Reed was assessed a technical foul, giving Chattanooga a four point advantage 18 seconds in.

Though despite being down early, Robert Morris battled back and took a one point lead courtesy of Elijah Minnie’s three pointe at the 6:22 mark. But an 11-0 UTC run over the next four minutes put the Mocs up by 10.

In spite of a late surge by Reed, who scored the final five points of the half, the Colonials’ momentum did not carry over into the final 20 minutes of play.

And from there, the Mocs cruised to a 61-46 victory.

Wednesday’s contest marked the first game RMU was without senior guard Charles Oliver, who, according to Toole, has “decided to leave the program.”

As a result of the loss, Robert Morris will play against either Costal Carolina or Louisiana-Monroe on Thursday before returning to the Sewall Center on December 2 to take on Youngstown State.