GAME 25
Bryant (7-17, 4-7 NEC) vs. Robert Morris (6-18, 4-7 NEC)
Saturday, February 6, 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 continues a three-game homestand at the Charles L. Sewall Center Saturday with a 4:00 p.m. tip against Bryant.
 
- RMU opened its homestand by dropping its third consecutive game, falling to Central Connecticut (2/4/16), 65-60. Freshman guard Isaiah Still scored 12 of his game-high 19 points in the second half to pace the Colonials and also tied a career high with seven rebounds.
 
- Junior forward Billy Giles and freshman guard Matty McConnell each finished with 13 points against the Blue Devils. McConnell added a career-high eight assists and tied a career high with five steals.
 
- RMU wrapped up a four-game road trip with a 90-78 setback @ Saint Francis U. (1/30/16). The Colonials trailed by as many as 25 before rallying late to trim their deficit to seven before falling. Robert Morris finished 2-2 (.500) on its four-game road swing.
 
- Freshman guard Isaiah Still scored 23 of his career-high 25 points in the second half to lead the Colonials against the Red Flash. Senior guard Rodney Pryor supplied 12 points and eight rebounds off the bench.
 
- The 90 points scored by Saint Francis U. are the most allowed by RMU in a Northeast Conference game since Feb. 17, 2007, a 102-97 overtime setback to St. Francis Brooklyn at the Sewall Center. Additionally, SFU's 90 points are the most allowed by the Colonials in regulation against a league foe since a 99-85 loss to LIU Brooklyn (2/8/03).
 
- RMU had its season-high three-game winning streak snapped by falling @ Mount St. Mary's (1/28/16), 70-49. Senior guard Rodney Pryor paced the Colonials with 11 points, while freshmen guards Isaiah Still and Matty McConnell each scored 10 points. McConnell also tied a career high with five steals.
 
- Prior to falling to the Mount, the Colonials earned their third consecutive win thanks to a 65-54 victory @ Bryant (1/23/16). Junior guard Kavon Stewart paced the Colonials with 18 points and added five assists and two steals.  
 
- Robert Morris opened its four-game road trip with a 59-45 victory @ Central Connecticut (1/21/16). Junior guard Kavon Stewart tied for game-high honors in scoring with 15 points.
 
- The Colonials held an opponent to 45 points or less for the 12th time in the last nine years in their victory @ Central Connecticut (1/21/16), including the eighth time in six seasons under head coach Andrew Toole.
 
- RMU concludes its three-game homestand after hosting the Bulldogs with a 5:00 p.m. tip against Saint Francis U. Thursday, Feb. 11, in a game that will be televised on ESPNU. The Colonials will follow by visiting Fairleigh Dickinson Saturday, Feb. 13.
 


Central Connecticut Tidbits - RMU slipped to 21-16 (.568) all-time against Central Connecticut, including a 10-9 (.526) at the Charles L. Sewall Center ... The Colonials are 5-5 (.500) against CCSU under sixth-year head coach Andrew Toole, including 2-4 (.333) at home ... Brandon Peel finished with 17 rebounds for the Blue Devils, the most caroms by an RMU opponent in 2015-16 ... Peel helped Central Connecticut hold a 45-34 edge on the glass ... Robert Morris shot 17.2 percent (5-for-29) from beyond the arc and has converted just 22.8 percent (31-for-136) of its attempts from deep over the last seven games ... During its three-game losing streak, the Colonials have shot just 28.4 percent (23-for-81) from the field in the first half, including 6.1 percent (2-for-33) from deep, in averaging just 22.0 points before halftime ... Freshman guard Steven Whitley earned his second career start and supplied six points, two rebounds and two steals.
 
Attack The Paint - While Robert Morris has struggled knocking down the three-point shot in recent weeks, converting at the rim hasn't been an issue. Against Central Connecticut (2/4/16), the Colonials shot 51.4 percent (18-for-35) inside the three-point arc and overall this year have converted 48.8 percent (398-for-815) in two-point field goal attempts. Not surprisingly, RMU is averaging 28.0 points in the paint against Northeast Conference foes, including a season-high 40 @ Saint Francis U. (1/30/16).
 
Billy The Kid - Junior forward Billy Giles recorded his first double-figure scoring in almost a month against Central Connecticut (2/4/16) with 13 points while also grabbing five rebounds. Giles has rediscovered his shooting touch, as he has converted 65 percent (12-for-20) of his attempts from the field in the last three games. Overall on the 2015-16 campaign, Giles ranks fifth in the Northeast Conference in field goal percentage (.553).
 
Active Thief - Freshman guard Matty McConnell has teamed with junior guard Kavon Stewart to give the Colonials a solid combination at the top of RMU's 2-3 zone. McConnell has really been active in recent weeks, as he enters Saturday's game against Bryant having recorded at least one steal in 10 straight games, including at least two steals in five consecutive contests. Over the last 10 games McConnell has posted 29 steals, an average of 2.90 per contest, and he leads the Northeast Conference against league foes in thefts with an average of 2.64 per contest.
 
Be Still My Heart - Freshman guard Isaiah Still broke through offensively in the second half of RMU's game @ Saint Francis U. (1/30/16) en route to a career-high 25 points to lead the Colonials. After halftime against the Red Flash, Still scored 23 points, hitting seven of his 11 shots from the field, including 1-of-3 from beyond the arc, while going 8-for-8 at the free-throw line. Still became just the second rookie on record in school history to score at least 20 points in a half, joining former guard Bubba Donnelly (1991-95). In a 91-76 win over Canisius (2/11/92), Donnelly scored 20 of his game-high 23 points in the second half.
 
Second Chance - Isaiah Still has been lights out in the second half for the Colonials in the last two games, as the freshman guard has shot 60 percent (12-for-20) from the field while going a perfect 9-for-9 at the free-throw line in averaging 17.5 points after the break. Over his last three games, a stretch in which he's averaged 12.7 points per game, Still has converted a white hot 78.6 percent (11-for-14) of his shots inside the three-point arc.

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