Game Notes (PDF)

GAME #21
Wagner (9-9, 3-2 NEC) vs. Robert Morris (10-10, 5-0 NEC)
Saturday, Jan. 25, 2014 • 4:00 p.m.
Charles L. Sewall Center (3,056) • Moon Township, Pa.
 
Radio: 970 ESPN AM
Radio Talent: Chris Shovlin (play-by-play) & Jim Elias (color)
Follow RMU Men's Basketball on Twitter and Instagram: RMUMBasketball
 
Top Story - The Robert Morris University men's basketball team continues a four-game homestand looking for its sixth straight victory Saturday when it hosts Wagner at the Charles L. Sewall Center in a 4:00 p.m. tip. The Colonials are coming off a 91-65 win over Sacred Heart (1/23/14) to open its homestand, which helped RMU match its best start in school history in the Northeast Conference at 5-0. Robert Morris also started the 1990-91 and 2005-06 seasons 5-0 in league play. Junior forward Lucky Jones recorded his second straight double-double and fifth of his career to lead the Colonials against the Pioneers with 18 points and 11 rebounds. Jones was one of six players to score in double figures against SHU, as senior guard Karvel Anderson added 15 points while junior guard Charles Oliver provided 13 points off the bench. Also scoring in double figures for RMU were sophomore forward Stephan Hawkins (12), senior guard Anthony Myers-Pate (11) and freshman guard Kavon Stewart (11). Robert Morris continues its four-game homestand after taking on Wagner Saturday by welcoming Bryant to the Sewall Center Thursday, Jan. 25, for an 8:00 p.m. tip in a game that will be televised live on ESPNU.  

 
 
Quick Stat of the Night - Switching to a 2-3 zone on the defensive end has paid dividends for Robert Morris in Northeast Conference play, as the Colonials enter Saturday's game against Wagner yielding an average of 67.8 points per game against league opponents, tops in the NEC. RMU has been creating turnovers at a staggering rate, forcing 15.8 per game against league foes. That has allowed the Colonials to lead the league in the early going in both steals (9.80 per game) and turnover margin (+4.40) against league foes. Senior guard Anthony Myers-Pate and junior forward Lucky Jones have each recorded 10 steals in RMU's five conference games. Overall since switching to a 2-3 zone defensively in an 80-77 setback to Toledo (12/7/13), Robert Morris is allowing 72.6 points per game and is averaging 7.91 steals per contest in its last 11 games.
 
Saturday's Opponent and The All-Time Series - RMU and Wagner tip on the hardwood for the 62nd time Saturday, with the Colonials holding an advantage of 37-24 (.607) in the all-time series. In the only meeting between the two programs last season, Robert Morris posted an 83-79 overtime victory over Wagner at the Charles L. Sewall Center (2/9/13). In that contest, the Colonials owned a 47-27 advantage early in the second half, only to see the Seahawks use 13-4 run in the final 4:02 of regulation to send the game to overtime tied, 73-73. Robert Morris never trailed in the extra frame, as forward Lucky Jones scored six of his team-high 21 points in overtime to help lift RMU to the win. 
 
Attack The Rim - While Robert Morris ranks near the top of the Northeast Conference thanks to its ability to shoot from outside, the Colonials are off to a 5-0 start in league play due in large part to attacking the rim. Through five games against conference foes, RMU is averaging 28.4 points in the paint. In a 91-65 victory over Sacred Heart (1/23/14), Robert Morris scored 34 points down low, tying a season high against an NEC opponent. The Colonials also scored 34 points in the paint in a 79-70 win @ Sacred Heart (1/9/14) to open their league schedule. Overall this season, RMU is averaging 24.4 points per game in the paint. 
 
Finding His Footing - Kavon Stewart has had an up-and-down rookie season, but the freshman guard seems to be settling in as RMU's reserve point guard. In his last three games, Stewart has averaged 6.3 points, 4.0 assists and 1.7 steals while posting an assist-to-turnover ratio of 2.40. In a 91-65 win over Sacred Heart (1/23/14), Stewart tied a career high with 11 points and paced RMU with five assists and enters Saturday's game ranked seventh in the NEC against league foes in assist-to-turnover ratio (2.50). 
 
Free Is For Me - Robert Morris has improved its concentration at the free-throw line since entering Northeast Conference play, as the Colonials currently pace the circuit against league foes in free-throw percentage at 81.1 percent (90-for-111). In a 91-65 victory over Sacred Heart (1/23/14) that helped RMU improve to 5-0 in NEC play, the Colonials shot 75 percent (27-for-36) from the chalk, the second highest total of the season in both free throws and free-throw attempts. Overall on the 2013-14 campaign, Robert Morris ranks fifth in the NEC in free-throw percentage at 71.5 percent (309-for-432).

Tweet #MOmentum