CENTRAL CONN. STATE BLUE DEVILS

Saturday, January 5, 2012 - 4:00 p.m.
Moon Township, Pa. - Charles L. Sewall Center

Audio: www.rmucolonials.com
Adam Gusky, play-by-play; Michael Asti, color commentary
Video: www.rmucolonials.com
Live Stats: www.rmucolonials.com

The Capsule

The Robert Morris University women's basketball team opens up play in the Northeast Conference this Saturday, January 5, when the Central Connecticut State Blue Devils visit the Charles L. Sewall Center for a 4:00 p.m. tip-off. The Colonials have won four straight in this series and will be playing at home - where they have dominated NEC opponents - for just the fourth time this season.

The Series

The Colonials has dominated this series in recent history winning 13 of the last 15 games to take a 15-11 lead in the all-time series. RMU has won four consecutive meetings and holds an 11-3 advantage in games played at the Chuck. Robert Morris won eight straight games between January 2005 and January 2009.

Musket Shots

• Junior Artemis Spanou is a nominee for the FIBA Europe Young Women's Player of the year for the third time
• Spanou set a career-high with 17 rebounds vs. Central Michigan. She is fourth nationally averaging 13.2 boards per game
• Freshman Ashley Ravelli is the Choice Hotels NEC Rookie of the Week
• Senior forward Anna Gailite leads the NEC averaging 2.18 blocks per game
• Robert Morris has made it to the NEC Tournament semifinals in seven of the last eight seasons
• RMU is 92-24 (.793) at the Sewall Center since 2004-05, including 61-12 (.836) in NEC games

Spanou Set to Join Elite 1,000-500-200-100 Club

Junior forward Artemis Spanou is on the verge of doing something only two players in RMU history and only 16 players in NEC history have done - reach 1,000 career points, 500 rebounds, 200 assists and 100 steals. Spanou needs just 13 more assists to become a member of that elite group. The two RMU players to accomplish the feat are Betsy Puskar (1982-86, 1,035 pts., 632 reb., 254 asts., 206 steals) and Chinata Nesbit (2006-08, 1,083 pts., 20 reb., 245 asts., 124 stls.).

Ravelli Is NEC Rookie Of The Week

Freshman guard Ashley Ravelli was named the Choice Hotels Northeast Conference Rookie of the Week. Ravelli, one of three freshmen starters for the Colonials, averaged 10.7 points, 3.3 rebounds and 2.3 assists while playing both point guard and the two-spot.

FIBA Europe Young Women's POTY

Junior forward Artemis Spanou is a candidate for the FIBA Europe Young Women's Player of the Year for the third consecutive season. A member of the Greek National U20 Team, Spanou led Greece to the U20 B Division Championship and promotion to the A Division by averaging a double-double. She averaged 20.4 points and 12.6 rebounds while earning the MVP for the second straight time.