Moon Township, Pa. / Charles L. Sewall Center - Junior forward Artemis Spanou (Rhodes, Greece / Nea Smyrni) tallied 30 points and 14 rebounds as the Robert Morris University women's basketball team fell to Niagara in its season opener, 63-59, at the Charles L. Sewall Center Friday night.  It was the first meeting between the teams since 1993.

Spanou scored 21 of her 30 points in the second half, accounting for over two-thirds of the team's second half scoring. The junior, who finished fourth nationally with 20 double-doubles as a sophomore, finished 8-of-18 from the field. She tied both of her career highs at the charity stripe, hitting 13 of her 18 attempts from the foul line. She added four assists.

The only other Colonial in double figures was freshman Lou Mataly (Toulouse, France / Lycee Bellevue). The 5-10 guard hit three-of-six three-pointers and also scored on a back-door play to finish with 11 points. After shooting 47.8 percent (11-23) in the first half, RMU cooled off in the final 20 minutes to finish at 40.4 percent (21-52) for the game.

The Purple Eagles (1-0) received double-digit scoring from three players and saw nine players score. Jessica Flamm led the effort with 14 points and added six boards. Meghan McGuinness and Kelly Van Leeuwen each had 11 points and seven rebounds. Van Leeuwen did her damage from the charity stripe where she was 6-of-6. As a team, Niagara shot 18-of-23 from the line and outrebounded Robert Morris, 41-33.

The pivotal moments of the game came in the final minute of the first half when Niagara went on an 8-0 run in the final 58 seconds to turn a five-point deficit into a 32-29 lead into the break. It started with a pair of free throws and then an open lay-in off a steal all by Van Leeuwen. McGuinness then knocked down a jumper before another of the Colonials 22 turnovers allowed Kayla Stroman to score and seize momentum just before the half expired.

The run would extend to 11-0 in the first minutes of the second half as the Purple Eagles stretched the margin to a game-high eight points. Trailing by three points, Spanou hit a three and Mataly answered Niagara free throws with a lay-in to cut the margin to 45-42 midway through the deciding half. Spanou then hit a freebie and a lay-up to tie the game for the sixth time just a minute later.

RMU eventually retook a short-lived lead after Spanou made her third consecutive free throw to give the host squad a 52-51 advantage. The next four points came from the hand of Flamm and Niagara would not relinquish the lead. A coast-to-coast layup by RMU senior Jasmine Tate (Columbus, Ohio / Harvest Prep) cut the lead to one with 53 seconds to play, but the Colonials were unable to convert on its final three possessions while the Purple Eagles hit three of four free throws in the final 14 seconds to ice the game.

The Colonials travel to Hamilton, N.Y., to take on the Colgate Raiders Sunday, Nov. 11. Game time is slated for 4:00 p.m. in the inaugural meeting between the two teams.