Men's Basketball | 12/20/2016 6:55:00 AM

GAME 13
Buffalo (5-6) vs. Robert Morris (3-9)
Wednesday, December 21, 2016 • 7:00 p.m.
PPG Paints Arena (19,100) • Pittsburgh, Pa.

Radio: iHeart Radio App (Keyword: RMU)
Radio Talent: Chris Shovlin (pxp) & Jim Elias (color)
Video: NECFrontRow.com • RMUColonials.com
 
Quick Hits
 
- The Robert Morris University men's basketball team concludes its 2016-17 non-conference schedule Wednesday by hosting Buffalo at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh, Pa.
 
- The Colonials are coming off a 79-39 loss @ No. 13 Virginia (12/17/16). Sophomore guard Isaiah Still paced RMU against the Cavaliers with a game-high 16 points, hitting five of his 10 shots from the field, including 2-for-4 from deep, while going 4-for-8 at the free-throw line. Still leads the Colonials and ranks sixth in the Northeast Conference in scoring at 15.2 points per game.
 
- Robert Morris enters Wednesday's game against Buffalo leading the Northeast Conference in scoring defense (69.0 ppg) and three-point field goal percent defense (.312) while ranking fourth in field goal percent defense (.459).
 
- The Colonials wrapped up a two-game homestand with a 74-53 loss to Oakland (12/10/16) at the Charles L. Sewall Center. Senior guard Kavon Stewart was the only member of the Colonials to reach double figures, scoring 10 points while also tallying six rebounds and a pair of assists.
 
- RMU opened its homestand by hosting a game at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh, Pa., for the first time program history, earning a 64-60 victory over Duquesne (12/6/16). Sophomore guard Isaiah Still converted a driving layup with 15.3 seconds to play to put the Colonials ahead for good and followed by blocking a layup attempt by Emile Blackman to help preserve the win.
 
- Sophomore guard Isaiah Still scored a game-high 22 points to pace Robert Morris against the Dukes, hitting seven of his 13 attempts from the field, including 4-for-4 from beyond the arc, while finishing 4-for-6 at the free-throw line.
 
- Senior guard Kavon Stewart contributed 12 points, five rebounds and two steals in the win over the Dukes, while freshman guard Clive Allen added 11 points, five rebounds, three assists and three blocks.
 
- RMU opened its December slate with a 64-58 setback @ Lehigh (12/3/16). Sophomore guard Isaiah Still led RMU with 17 points, while senior guard Kavon Stewart contributed 13 points, four rebounds and three assists.
 
- Freshman guard Clive Allen registered his first career double-figure scoring game against the Mountain Hawks, scoring all 10 of his points in the first half. He also added four rebounds, two assists and a steal.
 
- Robert Morris opens its Northeast Conference slate with a two-game road trip. The Colonials visit Sacred Heart Thursday, Dec. 29, for a 3:30 p.m. tip before traveling to Teaneck, N.J., for a 3:00 p.m. tip at Fairleigh Dickinson Saturday, Dec. 31.
 
- The Colonials return home to the Charles L. Sewall Center Thursday, Jan. 5, 2017, with a 7:00 p.m. tip against LIU Brooklyn.
 


Virginia Tidbits - RMU fell to 0-2 all-time against Virginia ... The 39 points scored by Robert Morris marked its fewest points in a game in the program's 41-year history ... The previous low of 40 points came in a 56-40 loss to Drexel (11/23/07) and was matched earlier this year in a 61-40 loss @ Kansas State (11/22/16) as part of the Barclays Classic ... The Colonials have been held under 60 points five times in 2016-17 ... Virginia leads the nation in scoring defense, allowing just 46.7 points per contest, and has held four opponents to less than 40 points ... Senior guard Kavon Stewart registered five steals, the fifth time in his career he has notched at least five thefts. 
 
Still Of The Night - Sophomore guard Isaiah Still led the Colonials @ Virginia (12/17/16) by finishing with a game-high 16 points. He converted five of his 10 shots from the field, including 2-for-4 from beyond the arc, and also went 4-for-8 at the free-throw line. Still has led Robert Morris in scoring in nine of its 12 games this season and has reached double figures 10 times. Dating back to last season, Still has scored in double figures in 18 of his last 20 games, averaging 15.6 points per contest. As RMU gets set to conclude its non-conference slate Wednesday against Buffalo, Still has improved his scoring average +5.3 points per game from last year.
 
Under/Over - The 2016-17 version of the Colonials are one of the youngest teams in head coach Andrew Toole's seven-year tenure at RMU, as three freshman and three sophomores help make up the rotation. Through 10 games of the year, the Robert Morris underclassmen have supplied the Colonials with 50.1 percent (1,202-of-2,400) of the minutes played and 55.9 percent (397-of-710) of their scoring.
 
Steal City - Robert Morris has consistently been at the top of the Northeast Conference leaderboard in steals throughout head coach Andrew Toole's tenure, as the Colonials have topped the circuit four times (2012, 2013, 2014, 2016) under Toole and six times in the last nine years. Through 12 games this season, Robert Morris has compiled 83 steals, an average of 6.92 per game that ranks second in the NEC. Senior guard Kavon Stewart leads the league with an average of 2.00 per contest.
 
Defense Wins Championships - At the heart of the resurgence of the Robert Morris basketball program since 2007-08 is defense. Thanks to a 64-60 victory over Duquesne (12/6/16) at PPG Paints Arena, the Colonials improved to 149-40 (.788) over the last nine seasons when holding their opponent to under 70 points. Under Andrew Toole, RMU owns a mark of 96-32 (.750) when turning the trick. Overall in the last nine years, RMU has held its opponent to under 70 points 58.5 percent (189-of-323) of the time.

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