Women's Basketball | 11/12/2018 4:41:00 PM

GAME #3
Rhode Island Rams (0-1, 0-0 A-10) @ Robert Morris Colonials (1-1, 0-0 NEC)
Tuesday, November 13, 2018 // 7:30 p.m. // Moon Township, Pa. – North Athletic Complex
Live Video: NEC Front Row // Live Stats: RMUColonials.com
Play-by-Play: Adam Gusky, Color Commentary: Justin Pyles
 
Notes Packages: Rhode Island // Robert Morris

Musket Shots
> The Robert Morris University women's basketball team completes a two-game home stand on Tuesday, Nov. 13 when it hosts Rhode Island. The Colonials are coming off a dominant 67-39 triumph over La Salle on Sunday, their third victory over the last four home openers.  The Rams have played once this season, falling at Boston College, 88-64.
> RMU extended its record to 15-2 (.882) all-time at the North Athletic Complex, its temporary home until the UPMC Events Center opens in the spring of 2019.
> The Colonials' defense held La Salle to just 39 points on Sunday, the fewest it has allowed in a home opener over its NCAA Division I history. Additionally, RMU limited the Explorers to 22.2 percent shooting, the lowest mark in that category since matching that number on Feb. 18, 2017 at Central Connecticut.
> Third-year head coach Charlie Buscaglia now sits two wins shy of 50 for his career following Sunday's triumph against La Salle. Buscaglia is looking to reach 50 victories faster than any other coach in program history, the record currently held by Dan Swalga at 78 games. His father, Sal Buscaglia, reached the 50-win mark at RMU on Dec. 28, 2006 after 96 contests in charge of the Colonials.
 
Series History w/ Rhode Island
Overall: 0-1 | Home: 0-0 | Away: 0-0 | Neutral: 0-1 | Streak: L1
Last Meeting: 12/2/1989; Buffalo, N.Y. – Rhode Island 72, Robert Morris 55 [Canisius Invitational]
> Robert Morris is 0-1 all-time against Rhode Island, only playing the Rams once at the 1989 Canisius Invitational.
> Rhode Island defeated the Colonials, 72-55, in the consolation game of the aforementioned tournament. Karen Donely led RMU with 14 points and seven rebounds, while Dani Trio added 12 points and six caroms. Laura Lindak provided 10 points in 18 minutes off the bench.
 
Scouting the Rams
> Rhode Island finished last season with a 3-27 overall record and 1-15 mark in Atlantic 10 play. The Rams are under the direction of fifth-year head coach Daynia La-Force, and were picked to finish 13th this season in the A-10 Preseason Coaches' Poll.
> Junior center Nicole Jorgensen returns after leading Rhoe Island in scoring (14.9 PPG) and rebounding (7.8 RPG) last season. She tallied 13 points and five caroms in the Rams' season opening loss at Boston College. Redshirt junior guard Elemy Colome led the team in that contest, scoring 19 points on 8-of-12 shooting to go along with four steals. Redshirt sophomore guard Davida Dale added 11 points after sitting out last season following her transfer from Syracuse.
 
Splash Sisters
> Sophomore guard duo Megan Callahan and Honoka Ikematsu emerged as two of the top three-point threats in the NEC last season, finishing fourth and third, respectively in conversion rate. Early in the 2018-19 season, the duo has seemed to live up to that billing.
> After leading the Colonials with 15 points in the season opener at Youngstown State, Ikematsu is converting at a 50.0 percent clip from beyond the arc. All but one of her 22 points this season have been from deep, as she paces the team with seven three-pointers made. Callahan is 3-of-5 from international waters in 2018-19, leading RMU with a 60.0 percent conversion rate.
> Last season, Ikematsu made 41.4 percent of her attempts from deep, sinking a total of 65. Callahan converted 38.3 percent of her three-point shots, making 64 in all. Those marks also rank first and fifth, respectively, in the school career record books, with the Japanese guard holding the current program standard.
 
The Pittsburgh Kid
> Isabella Posset has adjusted quite well to the college game, impressing in a multitude of ways through Robert Morris' first two games. In the Colonials' win over La Salle on Sunday, Posset tied for the team lead in scoring with 12 points in 18 minutes. She converted half of her eight field goal attempts, and sank 2-of-3 casts from international waters.
> Five days earlier at Youngstown State, the rookie collected five points, eight assists, and three steals in 27 minutes. The eight helpers were for a RMU player in a season opener since Briannica Tye dished out nine against Coppin State on Nov. 12, 2011.
> A native of Beaver, Pa., Posset provides some rare local flair to the Colonials roster in 2018-19. She is the first Pittsburgh-area player on the team since Britta Emberg (Kittanning HS) in 2013-14, and the first on scholarship since Monica Jones (Woodland Hills HS) in 2009-10.
 
The Defense (Never) Rests
> Defense has been the Colonials' calling card over the last few seasons, and 2018-19 isn't shaping up to be any different. RMU held La Salle to just 39 points on Sunday, the 24th time since 2016-17 that it has limited an opponent to 50 points or fewer. The Explorers converted at just a 22.2 percent (12-54 FG) rate from the floor, becoming the 16th different team to shoot under 30 percent against the Colonials during that timeframe.
> Through two games, RMU currently paces the NEC in scoring defense by allowing 54.0 points per game. The Colonials have established a new school record two years running in scoring defense, limiting opponents to 57.0 PPG in 2016-17 and 54.1 PPG last season. Last season's mark also ranked eighth nationally.
 
Three, Trois, Tres, San
> RMU has been spot-on from three-point land in its first two games, averaging 10.5 makes per game at a 43.8 percent conversion rate.
> This is the first time in program history that the Colonials have made double-digit three-pointers in both of their first two games. Over the last three seasons, RMU has reached the double-figure mark for trifectas in just 11 contests.
 
Cleaning the Glass
> After waiting her time behind the graduated Mikalah Mulrain '18 and current junior Nneka Ezeigbo last season, sophomore center Irekpitan Ozzy-Momodu has emerged as a key figure inside for the Colonials this season.
> Ozzy-Momodu leads the team in rebounding through two contests, averaging 10.5 caroms per game. She pulled down a career-high 13 against La Salle on Sunday, matching the most for a RMU player against a Division I opponent last season (Ezeigbo, three times).
> The last Colonial to average double-digit rebounds per game was Artemis Spanou '14, who accomplished the feat in three consecutive seasons from 2011-14.
 
Insurmountable Lead
> Robert Morris has never lost a game in which it has held the lead at the end of the second half. The Colonials are 1-0 in such situations this season and went 25-0 last season. All-time, RMU is 599-0 when holding the lead at the final whistle.

Follow the Colonials: Facebook |  Twitter | Instagram

Tweet #ColonialPride  Tweet #HoopTownship