Moon Township, Pa. – For the second straight season and seventh time in program history, the Robert Morris University women's basketball team are Northeast Conference (NEC) champions as the Colonials used a second quarter surge to defeat fourth-seeded Bryant University, 65-52, this afternoon in the final game ever played at the Charles L. Sewall Center.
Playing in its fourth consecutive NEC Championship Game, Robert Morris (22-10, 14-4 NEC) used runs of 12-0 in the first quarter and 15-2 in the second frame to take control of the contest. The Colonial defense held Bryant (18-14, 11-7 NEC) to just 16 points over the opening 20 minutes, which tied a season low for points allowed in a half.
"I've been around a lot of teams and what we did down the stretch is remarkable for the adversity we faced," said Charlie Buscaglia, who claims his fifth NEC championship on the Robert Morris staff and first as the head coach. "To be able to gut out some wins like we did today, I feel we deserve as much as we can get."
Anna Niki Stamolamprou paced RMU with 23 points and nine rebounds, while also contributing five assists and two steals in 40 minutes of play. Stamolamprou became the second player in program history to win two NEC Tournament Most Valuable Player awards, joining Chinata Nesbit in 2007 and 2008.
"She's my kind of player," remarked Buscaglia of Stamolamprou. "She has a huge heart and understands that she has earned everything being a team player. For someone who does so much, she is so humble and that's the best thing about her. I'm really proud she spent her four years here and that we're going to the tournament together.
Down 7-6 with 5:19 remaining in the first stanza, RMU rattled off 12 consecutive points starting with a jumper from Stamolamprou. Rebeca Navarro then canned a three off a feed from her fellow senior, and Nneka Ezeigbo buried a baby hook to make it 13-7. Nia Adams then joined the party with a trifecta from the wing, followed by a Stamolamprou layup to complete the 12-point stretch.
Bryant closed the quarter well, responding with an Alex Klein jump shot and a buzzer-beating three-pointer by Kierra Palmer from just inside halfcourt. Morgan Olander's jumper to begin the second frame cut the deficit to 18-14, but would be the next to last bucket for the visitors for the remaining of the half.
"We had amazing focus going into the game," said Buscaglia. "We didn't complicate anything very much and played with a lot of passion. I think a lot [of the first half] had to do with leadership. Before we would hang our heads, but we were able to overcome that tough start. That's mental toughness."
After Ezeigbo split a pair of free throws, Stamolamprou gained position on a post-up and scored off a Nadège Pluviose pass. Olander answered with a layup, but the Colonials responded with 12 consecutive points from Stamolamprou, Ezeigbo, Adams, Navarro, and Megan Smith. RMU then scored the first two buckets of the second half, pushing its lead to a game-high 22 points at 38-16.
The visitors wouldn't go down without a fight though, as they scored 27 of the next 40 points over the next 15 minutes to make it 51-43. However, Mikalah Mulrain three-point play with 3:20 remaining would put the game away and give the Sewall Center – home of the RMU men's and women's basketball, and women's volleyball teams since 1985 – one final dance.
Navarro added 12 points on 5-of-9 shooting, while Megan Smith tallied 11 points, six assists, and four rebounds. Mulrain (4) and Ezeigbo (3) combined for seven of the Colonials' nine blocks in the paint.
Smith was named to the All-Tournament Team along with Morgan Olander and Naomi Ashley of Bryant, and Hannah Kimmel of Sacred Heart.
Robert Morris will find out its opponent in its fifth NCAA Tournament (2007, 2008, 2014, 2016) at 7:00 p.m. Monday on the NCAA Selection Show, broadcast live on ESPN. The Colonials will be holding a selection show party at All-Star Bar & Grill in Robinson Township and encourage all to attend.
"We will fight against anyone that we play," said Buscaglia. "I was so proud of how we fought back in the second half (against Connecticut) in the second half (last season) and outscored them in the fourth quarter. That's just the kind of attitude and culture this team will have going forward."
