Women's Basketball | 2/19/2017 5:36:00 PM

GAME 27
Robert Morris (17-9, 12-3 NEC) at Bryant (13-13, 8-7 NEC)
Monday, February 20, 2017 • 8:00 p.m.
Chace Athletic Center (2,600) • Smithfield, R.I.

Video: ESPN3 • WatchESPN
Twitter: @RMUWBasketball • Instagram: rmuwbasketball
 
The Capsule
Robert Morris takes on Bryant in its regular season road finale on Monday, Feb. 20 as the Colonials attempt to extend their winning streak to double-digits at 10 games. RMU remains in a deadlock for first place with Sacred Heart in the Northeast Conference standings, while Bryant is a three-way tie for fourth with Central Connecticut and Mount St. Mary's. This has been the most common matchup in the NEC since 2013-14 with the two teams playing a total of 10 times – including three tilts in the conference semifinals.




The Series vs. Bryant
Robert Morris owns a 13-4 advantage over Bryant in the all-time series, but the Bulldogs have dealt the Colonials all four of their losses at the Chace Athletic Center. RMU has picked up three victories in its last five contests in the Ocean State, including a 72-59 win on March 9 of last year to advance to the NEC Championship Game.

Scouting the Bulldogs
Bryant owns the second best scoring defense in the NEC (61.9 PPG) and the league's top home record at 9-2. Senior forward Alex Klein ranks third in the league in scoring at 15.3 points per contest and adds a team-best 7.9 rebounds per game as well. Sophomore guard Kierra Palmer paces the NEC in assists with 4.9 per contest and has tallied 31 steals defensively. Three-time NEC Rookie of the Week recipient Sydney Holloway has been a force off the bench for the Bulldogs, averaging 8.6 points and 5.2 rebounds per contest on 46.5 percent shooting.
 
The Previous Meeting
Robert Morris outscored Bryant in the second half, 44-29, to keep a perfect home mark against the Bulldogs as it came away with a 62-46 victory on Jan. 21. RMU caused 29 turnovers and shot 64.3 percent over the final 20 minutes to pick up the first win of its current nine-game streak. Anna Niki Stamolamprou led all scorers with 20 points on 8-of-15 shooting, while fellow seniors Rebeca Navarro and Janee Brown added a combined 17 points, seven assists, and seven steals.

Last Time Out
Thanks to a red-hot start, Robert Morris moved its winning streak to nine games with a 62-39 victory at Central Connecticut on Saturday. The Colonials allowed a season-low in points and held the Blue Devils to 22.2 percent shooting, with just three of their 12 field goals coming in the second and third quarters. RMU centers Nneka Ezeigbo and Mikalah Mulrain combined to score 22 points on 10-of-14 shooting.
 
Streakin'
Robert Morris is currently riding a nine-game winning streak, which is tied for the fourth longest in program history. This is the third time that the Colonials have reached nine consecutive wins, previously accomplishing the feat in 1981-82 and 1983-84. The school record for most consecutive wins came during 2007-08 season when RMU won 17 straight from Jan. 16 to March 16.
 
Never Change
The Colonials have identified themselves as a strong defensive team in the past and this season is no different. RMU currently leads the NEC in scoring defense (57.2) and field goal defense (.371), and has held seven teams to under 30 percent shooting - which is its most since eight opponents were held below that mark in the 2009-10 season.
 
The Iron Woman
Senior guard Janee Brown has been a constant on the floor for Robert Morris in her career, appearing in all 124 games the Colonials have played since 2013-14. Her next appearance will establish a new career record for the program.
 
Hard (to Guard) in the Paint
The duo of Nneka Ezeigbo and Mikalah Mulrain has raised its game recently, providing a steady presence for the Colonials inside no matter which player is out there. Since Jan. 9, the two centers have combined to average 15.1 points per game and are shooting 57.6 percent from the field.
 
You Shall Not Score
Robert Morris held Central Connecticut to just 39 points on Saturday, which is the program's best performance in that department since Nov. 23, 2013 when it only allowed 39 points to UMBC.
 
Class of Defending the Glass
Robert Morris paces the NEC in rebounding defense, allowing its opponents to grab an average of 34.0 caroms per contest. The Colonials own the two lowest opponent rebounding performances in the league this season, as they held Mount St. Mary's to 14 on Feb. 13 and Wagner to 21 on Jan. 14.
 
Feelin' It
Senior guard Anna Niki Stamolamprou is averaging a career-high 15.9 points per game in her final hurrah and recently surpassed Laura Lindak (1989-94) for second place on the program's all-time scoring list on Jan. 30 at Saint Francis U. Stamolamprou now has 1,683 career points and has tallied a per-game average of 14.3 points during her time in Colonial blue and white.
 
Lift Off
First-year head coach Charlie Buscaglia now owns the winningest debut head coaching season in program history as his 17-9 record surpassed Dan Swalga's 14-win campaign in 1978-79.
 
As We Go On, We Remember
The senior trio of Janee Brown, Rebeca Navarro, and Anna Niki Stamolamprou has accomplished so much during their time at Robert Morris. They have been a part of 74 overall wins at RMU and 51 NEC victories, and helped guide the program to three trips to the NEC Championship Game, two NEC titles, and a NEC regular-season crown.

Musket Shots
Robert Morris owns two of the three largest margins of victory in the conference, as its 41-point triumph against LIU Brooklyn is second, while its 33-point win against Wagner is third ... The Colonials are 5-0 when scoring 70 or more points and 8-0 in contests where the team allows fewer than 50 points ... Six different Colonials (Janee Brown, Nneka Ezeigbo, Mikalah Mulrain, Rebeca Navarro, Megan Smith, Anna Niki Stamolamprou) have collected high scoring honors in 2016-17
 
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