vs. #4 BRYANT BULLDOGS
Wednesday, March 12, 2014 — 7:00 p.m. — Moon Township, Pa. — Sewall Center
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Full Notes Package (PDF)
The Capsule
The Robert Morris University women's basketball team finds itself back in the NEC Tournament Semifinals for the eighth time in the past 10 seasons as the Bryant Bulldogs visit the Charles L. Sewall Center for a 7:00 p.m. game Wednesday, March 12. RMU won both regular season meetings with Bryant, a team that has won its last four games.
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The Series vs. Bryant
Robert Morris has won four of the last five meetings with Bryant and holds a 7-2 lead in the all-time series. The Colonials are 5-0 at home against the Bulldogs, including an 11-point win earlier this season.
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Bringing Home the Hardware
Four Colonials were honored with NEC Postseason accolades Thursday. Senior forward
Artemis Spanou is the Player of the Year for the second straight season while
Sal Buscaglia is the Brenda Reilly Coach of the Year for the third time. Freshmen
Anna Niki Stamolamprou and
Cassie Oursler earned spots on the All-Rookie team.
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One of Seven ... Ever
Need more proof of senior forward
Artemis Spanou's all-around ability? Try this: Spanou is one of just seven players in NCAA Division I history to record 2,000 points, 1,000 rebounds, 300 assists and 100 blocks. Scores, boards, dishes and defends. See page three for the whole list.
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Musket Shots
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Artemis Spanou became the all-time leading scorer, male or female, in RMU history reaching 1,970 career points vs. Bryant
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Spanou is one of just seven Division I players in history to tally 2,000 points, 1,000 rebounds, 300 assists and 100 blocks
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Spanou is the third player in league history to earn NEC Player of the Year back-to-back seasons
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RMU is 110-30 (.786) at the Sewall Center since 2004-05, including 74-15 (.831) in NEC games
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Sal Buscaglia was named the Brenda Reilly Coach of the Year for the third time
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Freshmen Anna Niki Stamolamprou and Cassie Oursler earned spots on the NEC All-Rookie team
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Robert Morris has won 11 consecutive home games and 14 total this season, both tied for team records
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Senior forward Kelly Hartwell had a career-high 24 points Saturday at Saint Francis U
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The Colonials +6.8 rebounding margin is the best in team history
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The Colonials were selected first in the 2013 NEC Preseason Poll
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Robert Morris has made it to the NEC Tournament semifinals in seven of the last nine seasons
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Holy Hartwell
Senior forward
Kelly Hartwell tallied a career-best 24 points at Saint Francis University Saturday afternoon. Hartwell went 8-of-14, grabbed six rebounds and had three steals while playing 22 minutes off the bench.
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Swell At Sewall
The 2013-14 squad is closing in on a pair of home win records as they continue to dominate at home games (see "Chuck's Charms). RMU has won 11 straight home games, tying the program record (11, 06-07 to 07-08). The Colonials 14 home wins are are also tied for the team mark (06-07).
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Chuck's Charms
The Charles L. Sewall Center, a.k.a. "The Chuck", has lent a certain advantage for the Colonials over the past 10 seasons. Since 2004-05, RobertMorris is 110-30 (.786) in home games, including an even more impressive 74-15 (.831) record against Northeast Conference opponents.
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Oursler Saves Best For Last
Freshman center
Cassie Oursler had her best game of the season in the last game of the regular season. She had a season-high 18 rebounds and tied her season with 17 points as RMU defeated Mount St. Mary's to claim the regular-season championship.
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Chalk Talk
This year's team has two of the top three free throw percentage perfomances in team history. RMU went 11-11 at Saint Francis (3.1.14) tying the team record for 10+ made in a game. They also went 16-17 (.941) against SFU earlier this season, the third-best percentage in team annals.
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One Three Record; Two Three Seconds
Freshman
Rebeca Navarro connected on 6-of-7 three-pointers (.857) vs. Sacred Heart, tied for a team record for percentage with at least three makes. The Colonials went 12-20 (.600) from three-point range against Sacred Heart, second-best percentage this season and also the second-best in team history. The 12 threes are also second in team annals.
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Rebounding Review
The Colonials +6.8 rebounding margin is the best in team history. The margin is bolstered by four games in which RMU has outrebounded its opponent by at least 25 rebounds.
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Dialing Long Distance ... From Europe
The Colonials European born players have accounted for 180 of the team's 185 three-pointers this season.
Anna Niki Stamolamprou has 55,
Ashley Ravelli 50 and
Rebeca Navarro 36.
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Navarro Nets Veinte
Freshman guard
Rebeca Navarro went 6-of-7 from three-point range en route to a season-high 20 points against Sacred Heart. She was 5-5 and scored 15 points in the first half alone.
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Anna Niki Hits 20
Freshman guard
Anna Niki Stamolamprou tallied a season-high 20 points against St. Francis Brooklyn. She was 7-of-17 from the field with two three-pointers. Stamolamprou went 4-of-7 from the charity stripe and had five assists.
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Hitting the Century Mark
Robert Morris reached the 100-point plateau for the just the third time in team history beating St. Francis Brooklyn 101-95 in double-overtime Saturday. RMU had 100 against Ohio University in 1997. The team-record for points was in a 106-99 win against Fairleigh Dickinson on Feb. 23, 2002.
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Stacking Wins
The Colonials seven-game win streak ended at Wagner, but it was the team's longest since the 2009-10 squad had 13 consecutive in the W-column.The 2007-08 team owns the record with 17 in a row.
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Taking Care of the Ball
Robert Morris committed just six turnovers in the first game against Sacred Heart this season, tied for the second fewest in team history. The record is three in a game at Pitt (2.14.1987). The last time RMU had just six turnovers in a game was at Wagner (1.21.2006).
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Biggest Comeback Under Buscaglia
The Colonials overcame a 21-point second half deficit against Central Connecticut State Saturday to win, 61-59. It was the biggest deficit overcome by the team under 11th year head coach
Sal Buscaglia. Previously, RMU climbed out of a 14-point hole against Miami (Ohio) to win 90-89 in the 2006-07 season opener (Nov. 12, 2006).
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Tracking "Offensive Flow"
The new officiating guidelines designed to create more "offensive flow" have resulted in nearly 10 more whistles per game this season compared to last season. Through 30 games, there have been an average of 39.7 fouls and 42.2 free throws per game. The Colonials games in 2012-13 averaged 29.9 fouls and 30.8 free throws per game.
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Insurmountable Lead
Robert Morris has never lost a game in which it has held the lead at the end of the second half. The Colonials are 18-0 in such situations this season. All-time, RMU is 475-0 when leading at the end of the second half.
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Preseason Prizewinner
With the NEC Player of the Year and Rookie of the Year returning, the RMU women's basketball team is the favorite in the 2013-14 NEC Preseason Women's Basketball Coaches Poll. The Colonials received five of a possible nine first-place votes and are the favorite for the first time since the 2008-09 season and third time overall.
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Ravelli 2012-13 Rookie of the Year
Sophomore
Ashley Ravelli was named the 2012-13 NEC Rookie of the Year. Ravelli finished fourth in the league with 70 three pointers last season while averaging nearly 11 points per game.
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Perennial Playoff Potential
Robert Morris missed the playoffs for the first time since 2004-05 last season, falling shy by one game. RMU had eight consecutive playoff appearances from 2004-05 through 2011-12. RMU finished first in three of those seasons, earning the tournament's top seed in 2010.
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International Love
The Robert Morris roster once again features members from all over the world. On a team of 12 players, seven hail from outside the borders of the United States while five call America home. Of the five Americans, all come from different states with Pennsylvania, Maryland, New York, California and Virginia represented. Two players hail from Greece, two from Spain, and one each from France, Italy and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
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