Youngstown, Ohio -- A late first-half run and a tremendous defensive effort led the Youngstown State men's basketball team to a 78-56 victory over Robert Morris on Thursday evening at Beeghly Center.

The Penguins improve to 11-5 overall and 3-2 in Horizon League play while Robert Morris falls to 7-9 overall and 2-3 in league play.

Senior Dwayne Cohill scored a game-high 23 points while Brandon Rush poured in 14 points and Malek Green added 12 points. Graduate student Garrett Covington and senior Bryce McBride each had nine points while Adrian Nelson grabbed a game-high 10 rebounds.

The Penguins trailed by as many as six, 20-14, late in the first half and a cold start from the floor. YSU found its rhythm and scored the last eight points of the first half to take a 29-25 lead at the intermission.

The teams exchanged a pair of baskets each before the Penguins used an 11-2 run to boost their 35-31 edge to a 46-33 advantage with 13:57 to go.

Green began the run with a step-back 3-pointer and a free throw to extend the YSU lead to 39-31. A fast-break layup by John Lovelace, Jr., gave the Penguins a 10-point lead, 41-31, and after a basket by RMU's Stephaun Walker, a 3-pointer by Rush and a turnaround jumper by Cohill pushed the Penguins lead to 46-33.

Robert Morris cut the lead to 10 points, but 3-pointers by Cohill and McBride and a pair of charity tosses by Nelson extended the lead to 18, 54-36, at the 11:53 mark.

Youngstown State led by as many as 29, 73-44, after Rush made his third 3-pointer of the game with 5:32 to go.

Youngstown State closes out its four-game homestand against IUPUI, Saturday, Jan. 7. Tipoff is set for 2 p.m. at Beeghly Center.