GAME 9
Rider (5-3) vs. Robert Morris (4-4)
Wednesday, December 6, 2017 • 7:00 p.m.
PPG Paints Arena (19,000) • Pittsburgh, Pa.

Radio: ESPN 970 AM & 106.3 FM
Radio Talent: Chris Shovlin (pxp) & Jim Elias (color)
Video: RMUColonials.com • NECFrontRow.com
 
Quick Hits
 
- The Robert Morris University men's basketball team opens the home portion of its 2017-18 schedule Wednesday by hosting Rider in a 7:00 p.m. tip at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh, Pa.
 
- The Colonials are playing eight home games at PPG Paints Arena and four at the A.J. Palumbo Center on the campus of Duquesne University in 2017-18 while construction of the UPMC Events Center takes place on RMU's Moon Township campus.
 
- RMU has compiled a record of 34-7 (.829) all-time in home openers but has dropped each of its last three home lidlifters. The last victory in a home opener came Nov. 9, 2013, when the Colonials defeated Savannah State, 86-66.
 
- Wednesday's home opener is the latest date for a home opener since the 1993-94 campaign. That season, Robert Morris opened its home slate with a 73-71 victory over Wagner Jan. 4, 1994, at the Charles L. Sewall Center. That season, RMU did not host a non-conference tilt.
 
- The Colonials enter Wednesday's game against Rider leading the Northeast Conference in turnover margin at +3.00 per game. RMU has forced more turnovers in seven of its eight games this season, with the only team finishing with less miscues than the Colonials being Youngstown State (11/29/17). Individually, sophomore guard Dachon Burke leads the NEC in steals per game (2.71), which ranks 13th in NCAA Division I.
 
- Robert Morris concluded an eight-game road trip to open its 2017-18 season with a 76-74 loss @ Siena (12/2/17). The Colonials were led by sophomore guard Dachon Burke, who scored 20 of his career-high 26 points in the second half, including 11 in the final 1:16 of action as RMU almost climbed out of a 16-point deficit.
 
- Freshman guard Jon Williams contributed a career-high 15 points and five assists against the Saints, while junior forward Malik Petteway came off the bench and registered his third career double-double with 11 points and a game-high 12 rebounds.
 
- The eight-game road trip for Robert Morris saw the program travel 7,838 miles (round trip) and play in all four time zones (Eastern, Central, Mountain and Pacific).
 
- In an 81-74 victory @ Youngstown State (11/29/17), sophomore guard Dachon Burke led five players in double figures with 21 points and also added nine rebounds, four steals and a pair of blocks. Junior guard Matty McConnell added 18 points, six boards and four assists in the win over the Penguins.
 
- Freshman forward Koby Thomas notched 11 points and four boards in RMU's victory @ Youngstown State (11/29/17), while a pair of rookies also registered their first double-figure scoring game in the win. Freshman guard Jon Williams scored 11 points to go along with five assists and freshman forward Charles Bain scored 10 points off the bench.
 
LINKS:
- Game Notes (PDF)
- Game Notes (ISSUU)
- Audio
- Video
- Live Stats

Siena Tidbits - Robert Morris slipped to 2-3 (.400) all-time against Siena in a game that marked the first between the two programs since 1984 ... Junior guard Matty McConnell (37) and sophomore guard Dachon Burke (36) each tied career highs for minutes played, while freshman Chris Coalmon logged a career-high 24 minutes ... Coalmon also registered a career-high nine points, shooting 4-for-9 from the floor ... RMU (10) posted eight less turnovers than Siena (18), marking the seventh time in eight games this season the Colonials have posted fewer miscues in a game ... Robert Morris outscored Siena, 20-13, in points off turnovers. 
 
Blast Off - Dachon Burke seems to stepping into his own in his second year with the Colonials, as the sophomore guard has reached double figures in each of his seven games this season and enters Wednesday's game against Rider leading RMU and ranking sixth in the Northeast Conference in scoring at 16.6 points per game. Over his last four games, Burke is averaging 19.8 points, 6.8 rebounds and 2.3 steals per contest while shooting 54.7 percent (29-for-53) from the field, including 53.8 percent (7-for-13) from beyond the arc. He is coming off back-to-back 20-point performances, the first two of his career. He scored 21 points to pace Robert Morris in an 81-74 win @ Youngstown State (11/29/17) and established a career high with 26 points @ Siena (12/2/17).
 
Three's Company - For the fourth time this season, Robert Morris knocked down at least 10 three-pointers in a game @ Siena (12/2/17). The Colonials finished 10-for-22 from beyond the arc against the Saints, establishing a season high in three-point field goal percentage (.455). To put that in perspective, RMU hit just 10 three-pointers in a game just once last season, which came in the 31st contest of the year. Over the last four games heading into its home opener against Rider Wednesday, Robert Morris is averaging 9.50 three-pointers per contest and is shooting an even 40 percent (38-for-95) from international waters. What's even more impressive is the number of Colonials that can knock down the outside shot. In the last four games, five different players have hit at least five three-pointers, including a 9-for-18 performance (50%) from freshman guard Jon Williams.
 
Depth Charge - Malik Petteway was one of three Colonials to score in double figures in the finale of an eight-game road trip to open the 2017-18 campaign @ Siena (12/2/17), as the junior forward notched his third double-double of the season with 11 points and 12 rebounds. Getting production from its bench has been a key for Robert Morris during this season. RMU has received at least 20 points from its bench in each of its last seven games entering Wednesday's home opener against Rider and overall this season the bench is averaging 23.0 points per contest.
 
Weekly Honors - For the second consecutive week, a pair of Colonials were honored with weekly plaudits from the Northeast Conference. Sophomore guard Dachon Burke was named the Northeast Conference Player of the Week Dec. 4, his second consecutive honor, and joining him in garnering a weekly accolade was freshman guard Jon Williams, who earned NEC Rookie of the Week. Robert Morris has had three student-athletes honored with a weekly accolade a total of five times in the first four weeks of the season. It marks the fourth time in the last 13 years RMU has received at least five weekly honors. The school record of nine (three player, six rookie) came in 2014-15.

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