Women's Basketball | 2/26/2017 5:49:00 PM

GAME 29
Fairleigh Dickinson (8-20, 6-11 NEC) at Robert Morris (18-10, 13-4 NEC)
Monday, February 27, 2017 • 7:00 p.m.
Charles L. Sewall Center (3,056) • Moon Township, Pa.

Video: NEC Front Row • RMUColonials.com
Video Talent: Adam Gusky (play-by-play), Justin Pyles (color commentary)
Twitter: @RMUWBasketball • Instagram: rmuwbasketball
 
The Capsule
Robert Morris closes the book on the 2016-17 regular season on Monday, Feb. 27 when it hosts Fairleigh Dickinson. A victory over the Knights clinches at least a share of the NEC regular-season crown, while a win and Sacred Heart loss would allow the Colonials to claim both it and the top seed in the NEC Tournament outright.
 


The Series vs. Fairleigh Dickinson
Robert Morris holds a 37-25 edge over the Knights in its history, thanks in large part to a 22-9 difference on its home floor. The Colonials are riding a two-game winning streak against Fairleigh Dickinson and have won seven of the last nine meetings.

Scouting the Knights
Fairleigh Dickinson currently sits seventh in the NEC standings with a conference record of 6-11. The Knights have dropped three straight games, but two of those contests needed an overtime frame to settle them. FDU is balanced offensively, with four players averaging between 8.8 and 10.7 points per game. Brianna Thomas is the team's top scorer, while Madelynn Comly is at 10.0 points per contest. Amina Markovic leads the Knights in rebounding (7.0 RPG) and blocked shots (27), and Kiana Brown averages a team-best 3.1 assists per game. One of FDU's biggest strengths is on the boards, as it ranks third in the conference in rebounding margin (+0.9) and tops the league in offensive caroms (15.50).
 
The Previous Meeting
Robert Morris established a new program single-game record for three-point percentage in its previous meeting with Fairleigh Dickinson, as it converted 66.7 percent of its attempts to earn a 66-64 victory over the Knights on New Year's Eve. The Colonials made 12 three-pointers in the win, falling one shy of tying the school standard in that department. Rebeca Navarro scored a season-high 22 points on 8-of-11 shooting, while Anna Niki Stamolamprou added 15 points and eight rebounds.

Playing for Kay
The Colonials' regular season finale on Monday against Fairleigh Dickinson will serve as the program's Play4Kay game. To help raise money for the initiative, RMU will be holding a push-up challenge during halftime of the contest.

NEWS: RMU to Host Play4Kay Game in Regular Season Finale

Last Time Out
Robert Morris bounced back from its first February defeat on Monday by knocking off Sacred Heart, 66-56, on Saturday to move into a tie for first place in the NEC standings. The Colonials used a 22-7 run in the first quarter to take control of the game and scored 11 consecutive points in the closing frame to seal the win. Anna Niki Stamolamprou scored 18 points to lead RMU, while Nneka Ezeigbo and Janee Brown tallied 15 and 14, respectively.
 
Starting Off On the Right Foot
What's one of the secrets to RMU's 13-4 record in NEC play? A fast start. The Colonials have outscored their opponents, 259-182, in the first quarter of their league contests, giving them an average cushion of 4.53 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 (57.3) and field goal defense (.369), 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 two seed in the upcoming NEC Tournament, which secures at least two potential home games in the playoffs. In order to claim the number one seed, one of the following scenarios must take place:
- RMU win over FDU, SFU win over SHU
- SFU win over SHU, MSM or CCSU finishes 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 126 games the Colonials have played since 2013-14. She broke the program record for games played this past 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 12.9 points on 51.4 percent shooting, while pulling down 9.5 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 16.2 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 1,721 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 18-10 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 75 overall wins at RMU and 52 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
 
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