Statesboro, Ga. – The Robert Morris University women's basketball team trailed at the end of the first quarter, but was able to ride a strong defensive effort to take a 64-49 victory at Georgia Southern University Thursday morning at Hanner Fieldhouse. The win evens the Colonials record at 5-5 while the Eagles slip to 3-4 overall.
 
Megan Smith just missed out on her second career double-double as she finished with 14 points and on 6-of-12 shooting and grabbed nine rebounds. She filled out the state sheet with an assist, block and steal as well. Anna Niki Stamolamprou matched that point total and added five rebounds, two assist and three steals. A total of 10 RMU players found the scoring column, the fifth time that has happened this year.
 
"It was a very good win for us on the road in a very loud environment. It was a total team effort, as indicated by having 22 bench points and that is something that we have been stressing this week," said RMU head coach Sal Buscaglia. "Three of our losses in non-conference, one was against a top-25 Big 10 team in Iowa, soon to be in the top-25 Florida and an Atlantic 10 team in Charlotte all on the road. Each of those games were very competitive and we hung in there for three quarters. That shows, along with our five wins – three of which came on the road – that we have the potential to have a very good team when it all plays out.
 
"Megan Smith had an outstanding game and Leah Wormack provided a nice lift coming off the bench. Although Anna Niki Stamolamprou didn't shoot her usual percentage from long range, she did a bunch of other nice things for us, especially defensively. Ashley Ravelli and Janee Brown did a good job at the point while Lou (Mataly), Nia (Adams) and Jocelynne (Jones) provided some good play off the bench. Rebeca Navarro really bought in to our game plan defensively and has really shown improvement in that area of her game."
 
The Colonials started slow, missing their first seven shots of the game before Smith gave the team its first basket with a move in the post. The Eagles, on the other hand, came out firing. They drilled five three-pointers in opening 10 minutes against the RMU zone defense to take the lead, 21-13, with 1:36 to go in the first period.
 
Stamolamprou scored the final five points of the quarter, including a three from the corner that started a 9-0 run. The Greek native finished the surge with a trey just over a minute into second quarter that put the Colonials on top, 22-21, for the first time in the game. RMU hit 10-of-15 shots after missing its first seven.
 
While the shooting cooled before half, the Colonials owned the glass to the tune of 28-19. They turned that into nine second chance points and pulled in front of the Eagles, 34-27, at the half despite shooting just 31.4 percent  (11-35). A switch to man defense in the second quarter kept Georgia Southern in check, holding them to just six points in the frame.
 
The Colonials defense remained tight in the third in quarter allowing the Eagles just four points over a 12:05 stretch from the middle of the second quarter late into the third quarter. On the other end of the floor, Leah Wormack hit a jumper with 2:32 left in the third quarter that capped a 21-4 run to break open a one-point game and make it an 18-point advantage.
 
Georgia Southern cut the margin to as few as 11 points, 55-44, with 6:16 left in the game. Lou Mataly responded with a three pointer on the other end to end the threat. Neither team scored over the next three minutes and RMU was able to ice the contest by hitting six consecutive free throws in the final 44 seconds.
 
Robert Morris is off until Tuesday, Dec. 29, when they wrap up non-conference play at the Charles L. Sewall Center against the Delaware Blue Hens. Tip-off is slated for 1:00 p.m.