East Lansing, Mich. – The
Robert Morris University women's basketball team opened the 2017-18 season with a 100-58 defeat to Michigan State this evening in non-conference play from the Breslin Center.
A participant in eight of the last nine NCAA Tournaments, Michigan State (1-0, 0-0 Big Ten) used its size to topple a Robert Morris (0-1, 0-0 NEC) team that broke in five new freshmen.
"It was a tough test out there today," said head coach
Charlie Buscaglia. "When you lose the senior class we had at the one, two, and three, there are going to be some growing pains early on, especially playing a team at this level. Michigan State is a Top 25-caliber team that returned a lot of players."
One of the rookies from the freshman quintet,
Megan Callahan, put together an impressive debut, leading the team with 14 points on 5-of-10 shooting in 17 minutes off the bench. The last player to score 14 points in their first game for RMU was the recently graduated Anna Niki Stamolamprou against Hofstra on Nov. 7, 2013.
"Megan (Callahan) actually rolled her ankle on Friday," revealed Buscaglia. "She was in a lot of pain and swelled up immediately – we didn't think there was any chance of her playing. But she showed a lot of heart, not just by putting the ball in the basket, but by going out there and battling."
"I'm not in this for just wins and losses," continued Buscaglia. "I'm in for seeing someone like that at a young age go out there for her team and play with that kind of passion. I'm really proud of her."
Another milestone for the Colonials was the inclusion of freshman guard
Honoka Ikematsu into the starting lineup. Ikematsu, who finished with five points and four assists in 28 minutes, became the first rookie to start a season opener for the Colonials since
Megan Smith at Iowa on Nov. 16, 2014, and just the sixth freshman in the last 10 seasons to start in their debut.
Falling behind 56-22 early in the third quarter, RMU took control of the game for an extended period with a 14-2 run over 3:41. Smith started it with a three, followed by an Ikematsu steal and layup on the fastbreak.
Nia Adams buried a jumper in the paint on the Colonials' next possession, and after a Shay Colley layup, the visitors picked up buckets by Smith and
Irekpitan Ozzy-Momodu along with a Callahan trifecta.
Adams established a new career-high with 12 points on 5-of-10 shooting.
Jocelynne Jones also posted a career best in the steals department with four.
Sidney Cooks led all scorers with 17 points for Michigan State.
Robert Morris returns home for its first game at the North Athletic Complex on Thursday, Nov. 16 against Bowling Green. This is the first of two Career & Education Days for the Colonials this season, which features an early 10:00 a.m. opening tip.
