New Britain, Conn. – Sophomore guard Rebeca Navarro finished with a season-high 16  points as the Robert Morris University women's basketball team suffered a 63-46 setback at Central Connecticut State in a Northeast Conference game Saturday afternoon. The Colonials slip to 3-11 on the season and 1-2 in league play while the Blue Devils even their season mark at 7-7 and remain unbeaten at 3-0 in the NEC.
 
Navarro finished the game 6-of-10 from the field and 3-of-6 from long range. The Spanish-born guard added four rebounds and three steals as well. Junior guard Ashley Ravelli added 10 points, three assists and two steals on a 4-of-8 shooting night.

"We certainly didn't play up to our capablilities in a very disappointing loss today. We shot the ball very poorly with many very easy opportunities," said 12th-year RMU head coach Sal Buscaglia. "We have to keep on fighting, keep our heads up and get better each and every game and each and every practice. I know we are very young with mostly freshmen and sophomores, but we cannot lean on that as an excuse. I am confident the team will keep their heads up, keep working and realize that being the defending champion, everyone is going to be playing their best against us."
 
Robert Morris forced nine turnovers by CCSU in the opening 10 minutes of the game, using its defense to creep out to a 17-11 lead when Navarro buried a long three-pointer from the right wing with 7:05 left in the opening frame. The Colonials, however, would knock down just one more field goal in the half.
 
The Blue Devils exploited the RMU drought to go on a 13-0 run before Navarro hit her second trey of the game with less than one minute left. CCSU's Aleah Epps buried a three with 10 seconds left to give the host squad a 27-20 lead at the break.
 
The Colonials had plenty of good looks in the opening frame, but went just 8-32 (25%) from the field. CCSU, meanwhile, finished the half 10-28 (35.7%) and 4-7 (57.1%) from three-point range, overcoming 11 first half giveaways.
 
A three-point play by Ravelli followed by Jocelynne Jones lay-in cut a nine-point CCSU lead to just four at the 11:59 mark of the second half. The Blue Devils responded with a 9-2 run before Ravelli and Jones once again answered for RMU to make the score 44-38 with 8:49 to go.
 
An Amanda Harrington layup off a Kaley Watras feed, however, started a 6-0 surge for Central Connecticut State. RMU could not chop the margin to single digits the rest of the way eventually falling 63-46.
 
Harrington finished the game with 15 points to lead the Blue Devils. Aleah Epps added six points, seven rebounds and eight assists.
 
The Colonials finish up a three-game conference road trip by traveling to Staten Island and Grimes Hill for a 7:00 p.m. game against Wagner Monday, Jan. 12.