Women's Basketball | 2/24/2017 10:22:00 AM

GAME 28
Sacred Heart (16-11, 13-3 NEC) at Robert Morris (17-10, 12-4 NEC)
Saturday, February 25, 2017 • Noon
Charles L. Sewall Center (3,056) • Moon Township, Pa.

Video: ESPN3 • WatchESPN • NECFrontRow
Video Talent: Paul Dottino (play-by-play), Pam Roecker (color commentary)
Twitter: @RMUWBasketball • Instagram: rmuwbasketball
 
The Capsule
Robert Morris closes the regular season slate with a lot still left to play for, as it can finish either claim the first, second, or third seed in the upcoming Northeast Conference Tournament. In order to claim at least a share of their first NEC regular-season title since 2014, the Colonials will first need to knock off Sacred Heart on Saturday, Feb. 25 in a rematch of last year's league championship game.
 


The Series vs. Sacred Heart
Robert Morris is just 11-23 against the Pioneers in its history, but owns a 4-3 edge over the last seven meetings. Three of those victories have been at home, with RMU's last loss in Moon Township against Sacred Heart coming in the 2012-13 season. In those three wins, the Colonials have outscored the Pioneers by an average of 16.7 points.

Scouting the Pioneers
Sacred Heart leads the NEC with a 13-3 league record, but has been in some close encounters as of late as it has played three overtime frames over their last three games. The Pioneers have three players averaging double-digits in scoring in Hannah Kimmel (14.9 PPG), Katherine Haines (12.5 PPG), and Adaysha Williams (10.4 PPG). Haines is shooting an NEC-best 52.4 percent from the field and pulls down a team-high 8.0 rebounds per contest, while Williams is second in the league in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.38). As a team, SHU is the conference leader at limiting turnovers as it averaging just 14.9 per game.
 
The Previous Meeting
Shelby Hickey shot 8-of-8 from the field, including a 7-for-7 mark from beyond the arc, to help lift Sacred Heart to a 69-59 victory over Robert Morris on Dec. 29, 2016 in both teams' NEC opener. The Colonials carried a 25-21 lead into halftime, but the Pioneers responded by shooting 65.4 percent (17-of-26) from the floor and 58.3 percent (7-of-12) on three-pointers over the final 20 minutes to grab the win. Megan Smith led RMU with 20 points, while Anna Niki Stamolamprou registered 12 points and 10 rebounds for a double-double.

Coach B Weekly
On the 14th episode of Coach B Weekly, head coach Charlie Buscaglia discusses the following topics: RMU's complete performance at Central Connecticut, the difference in Monday night's defeat at Bryant, Nia Adams and Shakema Dashiell's always-evolving roles, regrouping after having a long winning streak snapped, the program's culture of valuing academic success, and the upcoming home stand against Sacred Heart and Fairleigh Dickinson.



Last Time Out
Robert Morris' nine-game winning streak came to an end on Monday night when it fell in overtime to Bryant, 62-59. The Bulldogs made up a six-point deficit in the closing stages of regulation and sent the game to an extra frame after Haley Connors buried a three-pointer with 16.9 seconds on the clock. Anna Niki Stamolamprou led the Colonials with 20 points, while Megan Smith and Janee Brown added 10 and nine, respectively.
 
Starting Off On the Right Foot
What's one of the secrets to RMU's 12-4 record in NEC play? A fast start. The Colonials have outscored their opponents, 237-175, in the first quarter of their league contests, giving them an average cushion of 3.88 points entering the second frame.
 
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 (57.4) and field goal defense (.372), 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 scoring defense number is currently the second-lowest in program history, behind the 57.1 mark set by the 2009-10 team.
 
Seeding Scenarios
Robert Morris has clinched a top three seed in the upcoming NEC Tournament, which secures at least one home game in the playoffs. Victories over Sacred Heart and Fairleigh Dickinson will give the Colonials the second seed regardless of other results. To grab the top seed, either of the following must happen:
- RMU wins over SHU & FDU, SFU win over SHU
- RMU win over SHU, SFU win over SHU, & MSM as #4 seed
 
The Iron Woman
Senior guard Janee Brown has been a constant on the floor for Robert Morris in her career, appearing in all 125 games the Colonials have played since 2013-14. She broke the program record for games played on Monday at Bryant, surpassing 124 set by Artemis Spanou (2010-14) and Ashley Ravelli (2012-16).
 
Hard (to Guard) in the Paint
Robert Morris has gotten consistent production from its pair of centers, freshman Nneka Ezeigbo and junior Mikalah Mulrain. In a combined 39.0 minutes per game, the duo are averaging 12.7 points on 51 percent shooting, while pulling down 9.8 rebounds per contest. Both players have posted a double-double this season and share a season-high in scoring of 18 points.
 
Feelin' It
Senior guard Anna Niki Stamolamprou is averaging a career-high 16.1 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 1,703 career points and has tallied a per-game average of 14.3 points during her time in Colonial blue and white.
 
You Shall Not Score
Robert Morris held Central Connecticut to just 39 points this past Saturday, which is the program's best performance in that department since Nov. 23, 2013 when it only allowed 39 points to UMBC.
 
Lift Off
First-year head coach Charlie Buscaglia now owns the winningest debut head coaching season in program history as his 17-10 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 ... RMU's nine-game winning streak from Jan. 21 to Feb. 18 was tied for the fourth-longest in program history ... Six different Colonials (Janee Brown, Nneka Ezeigbo, Mikalah Mulrain, Rebeca Navarro, Megan Smith, Anna Niki Stamolamprou) have collected high scoring honors in 2016-17
 
Tweet #ColonialPride
Tweet #PackTheChuck