GAME 19
Fairleigh Dickinson (8-8, 4-1 NEC) vs. RMU (3-15, 1-4 NEC)
Saturday, January 16, 2016 • 4:00 p.m.
Charles L. Sewall Center (3,056) • Moon Township, Pa.

Radio:  ESPN 970 AM & 106.3 FM
Radio Talent: Chris Shovlin (pxp) & Jim Elias (color)
Video: NECFrontRow.com • RMUColonials.com
Twitter: @RMUMBasketball • Instagram: @RMUMBasketball
 
Quick Hits
 
- The Robert Morris University men's basketball team concludes a two-game homestand at the Charles L. Sewall Center Saturday by hosting Fairleigh Dickinson for a Northeast Conference game in a 4:00 p.m. tip. The Colonials and Knights will wear special camouflage uniforms for Hoops and Troops, presented by Shale Land Services.
 
- RMU suffered a 76-52 loss to Mount St. Mary's (1/14/16) in the opening game of its homestand. Freshman guard Matty McConnell led the Colonials by establishing career highs in points (16) and rebounds (5) while recording three steals.
 
- Junior guard Kavon Stewart contributed 12 points and three steals against Mount St. Mary's (1/14/16) and in five games against Northeast Conference foes has registered 18 thefts, an average of 3.60 per contest that is tops in the league.
 
- Senior guard Rodney Pryor and sophomore forward Andre Frederick each missed RMU's game against Mount St. Mary's due to concussion symptoms. So far in 2015-16, the Colonials have lost a combined 27 games due to injury. 
 
- The Colonials split their annual swing through Brooklyn, N.Y., dropping a 56-49 decision to St. Francis Brooklyn (1/9/16) at the Pope P.E. Center in their last road game. Senior guard Rodney Pryor scored a game-high 14 points and also grabbed nine rebounds.
 
- RMU lost for just the third time in 45 games under head coach Andrew Toole when allowing less than 60 points in a game with its setback @ St. Francis Brooklyn (1/9/16), falling to 42-3 (.933).
 
- Robert Morris opened its previous road trip by picking up its first Northeast Conference win as well as its first road victory of the 2015-16 campaign thanks to a 70-60 win @ LIU Brooklyn (1/7/16). Senior guard Rodney Pryor led the Colonials with his fourth double-double of the year thanks to 21 points and 11 rebounds.
 
- Sophomore forward Elijah Minnie added 13 points and eight rebounds off the bench against the Blackbirds, while freshman guard Isaiah Still finished with 13 points and five caroms.
 
- Despite converting just 30.5 percent (120-for-393) of its attempts from beyond the arc through 18 games, RMU is shooting 48.4 percent (295-for-610) in two-point field goal attempts. Senior guard Rodney Pryor has converted 56.1 percent (88-for-157) of his attempts inside the three-point arc.
 
- Sophomore forward Elijah Minnie is shooting 48.3 percent (43-for-89) inside the arc, but 49.7 percent (86-of-169) of his shots have come from beyond the three-point line.
 
- Robert Morris closes out the month of January with a four-game road trip after taking on Fairleigh Dickinson Saturday. The Colonials open the swing Thursday, Jan. 21, with a 7:00 p.m. tip @ Central Connecticut and will also visit Bryant, Mount St. Mary's and Saint Francis U. during its road swing.

Mount St. Mary's Tidbits - Robert Morris had an eight-game winning streak against Mount St. Mary's during the regular season snapped with its 76-52 loss ... The Colonials scored just 13 points in the first half, the fewest points scored in a half under sixth-year head coach Andrew Toole ... RMU was without senior guard Rodney Pryor and sophomore forward Andre Frederick, as each missed the game due to concussion symptoms ... Junior forward Conrad Stephens and freshman forward Seth Rouse each scored their first career points against the Mount ... Both RMU and Mount St. Mary's finished with 16 turnovers, with the Mount holding a 25-12 edge in points off turnovers ... Robert Morris was outrebounded for the fourth time in five league games, 45-27, and own a rebounding margin of -12.2 against the NEC.
 
Shooter - Freshman guard Matty McConnell led Robert Morris in scoring for the first time in his career against Mount St. Mary's (1/14/16), finishing with a career-high 16 points. McConnell hit six of his nine shots from the field against the Mount, including 2-for-3 from beyond the arc, and was 2-for-2 at the free-throw line. He also established a career high with five rebounds and recorded three steals. In five home games at the Charles L. Sewall Center this season, McConnell is averaging 9.0 points per contest.
 
Minnie Me - Thanks to eight blocks in five games (1.60 per contest) against Northeast Conference foes, sophomore forward Elijah Minnie has already cracked the top 10 in school history for career blocks. Minnie has accumulated 67 rejections in 49 career contests, an average of 1.37 per game, and ranks ninth all-time in school history for career blocks. A strong finish to the 2015-16 campaign could move Minnie into the top five. Currently ranked fifth in career blocks is former guard Jeremy Chappell (2005-09) with 79.
 
Block Party - Sophomore forward Elijah Minnie set an RMU single-season school record for blocks in his rookie campaign last year by recording 36 rejections, and he continues to protect the rim. Minnie tied a career high with four blocks against Mount St. Mary's (1/14/16) and in 17 games has posted 31 rejections. Minnie leads the Northeast Conference in blocks per game (1.82).

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