SACRED HEART PIONEERS

Saturday, February 16, 2013 - 1:00 p.m.
Fairfield, Conn. - William H. Pitt Center

Audio: WLFP 1550 AM; www.rmucolonials.com
Adam Gusky, play-by-play
Video: www.necfrontrow.com
Live Stats: www.sacredheartpioneers.com

The Capsule

The Robert Morris University women's basketball team tries to extend its win streak to three games when they take on the Sacred Heart Pioneers in a 1:00 p.m. game this Saturday, Feb. 15, at the William H. Pitt Center in Fairfield, Conn. The Colonials have turned up the defensive pressure recently holding opponents to just over 44 points per game while winning 3-of-4 contests.

The Series

The Colonials are 7-18 all-time against the Pioneers. Sacred Heart has won the last five meeting and seven of the last eight. RMU's last win in the series was a 71-48 decision of Feb. 18, 2010.

Musket Shots

• The Colonials have allowed just 44.3 points per game in winning three of their last four games
• Junior forward Artemis Spanou was named the Choice Hotels NEC Player of the Week
• Spanou has recorded 18 consecutive double-doubles and is the all-time leader at RMU with 51
• Spanou leads the nation in rebounding at 15.0 per game and her 20 double-doubles are second
• Spanou is the second player to to eclipse 900 rebounds at RMU and has 978 career caroms
• Senior forward Anna Gailite's 51 blocks this season are second-most in team history
• Robert Morris has made it to the NEC Tournament semifinals in seven of the last eight seasons
• RMU is 96-25 at the Sewall Center since 2004-05, including 65-13 in NEC games

Winning With Defense

RMU has won three of its last four games and suffocating defense has been the common denominator in all those victories. The Colonials are allowing an average of just 44.3 points in those games while forcing nearly 20 turnovers. Opponents are shooting just 28.1 percent (48-171) overall and 20.0 percent (14-70) from three-point range.

Spanou Named NEC Player of the Week

Spanou averaged 25.0 points and 16.5 rebounds, improving her national-best rebounding average to 15.0 boards per contest, 1.5 more than anyone else in Division I. Doing it all in wins over Wagner and Saint Francis, Spanou averaged 3.5 steals, 3.0 assists and 2.0 blocks per contest in addition to her monster point and rebounding totals.