GAME 13
Hood (7-5) vs. Robert Morris (4-8)
Saturday, December 29, 2018 • 4:00 p.m.
North Athletic Complex (1,000) • Moon Township, Pa.

Radio: ESPN 970 AM & 106.3 FM
Talent: Chris Shovlin (pxp) & Jim Elias (color)
Video: RMUColonials.com • NECFrontRow.com  
Twitter: @RMUMBasketball • Instagram: @RMUMBasketball
 
Quick Hits
 
- The Robert Morris University men's basketball team concludes its 2018-19 non-conference schedule looking to snap a five-game losing streak when it welcomes Hood to the North Athletic Complex Saturday for a 4:00 p.m. tip.
 
- The Colonials concluded the road portion of their non-conference slate with a 73-59 setback @ Louisville (12/21/18). RMU, which played eight road games in eight different states as part of its non-conference schedule, owned a 39-31 lead in the second half but couldn't hold on.
 
- Sophomore forward Charles Bain paced Robert Morris against Louisville with 18 points, knocking down six of his nine shots from the field, including 3-for-3 from beyond the arc, while going 3-for-3 at the free-throw line. Senior forward Malik Petteway added 10 points, six rebounds, a career-high five blocks and three steals.
 
- RMU enters Saturday's game leading the Northeast Conference in turnover margin (+2.08) while ranking second in the circuit in scoring defense (70.9 ppg), assists (13.92) and assist-to-turnover ratio (0.99). The Colonials also rank third in the NEC in steals (7.58), three-point field goal percent defense (.342) and three-point field goals made per game (8.58).
 
- Individually, senior guard Josh Williams is tops in the Northeast Conference in three-point field goals made per game (4.08) and three-point field goal percentage (.458), while senior guard Matty McConnell leads the league in both steals (2.33 per game) and assist-to-turnover ratio (2.39).
 
- Head coach Andrew Toole owns the highest winning percentage (.625) in games decided by five points or less (minimum 50 games) during the KenPom era (2002 to present). In nine seasons under Toole, the Colonials have posted a record of 55-33 in games decided by five points or less, including 0-1 in 2018-19.
 
- RMU's active leading scorer with 879 career points, senior guard Matty McConnell finished with three steals @ Louisville (12/21/18), helping push his career total to 203. He is the eighth player in program history to reach 200 career steals and ranks seventh all-time in school history.
 
- Over the last seven games, guards Matty McConnell and Jon Williams have combined for 47 assists against 23 turnovers, an assist-to-turnover ratio of 2.04. Williams owns 30 assists during that span, while McConnell has recorded 17 dimes.
 
- The Colonials dropped their fourth consecutive game with a 69-50 setback @ Rider (12/15/18). Senior guard Josh Williams scored a game-high 20 points for Robert Morris, finishing 6-for-14 from beyond the arc and going 2-for-2 at the free-throw line. Sophomore forward Charles Bain added nine points and a game-high six rebounds against the Broncs.

HOOD LINKS
- Game Notes (PDF)
- Game Notes (ISSUU)
- Audio
- Video
- Live Stats
 
Louisville Tidbits - RMU slipped to 0-2 all-time against Louisville in a series that hadn't been played since 1978 ... The Colonials outscored the Cardinals in points off turnovers (16-7), second-chance points (11-8) and bench points (19-15) ... Robert Morris posted 15 assists on its 23 field goals and suffered just nine turnovers ... Louisville finished with 10 assists against 16 miscues ... Junior guard Sayveon McEwen scored five points in 13 minutes ... Senior guard Matty McConnell played a team-high 34 minutes and dished out three assists without turning the ball over. 
 
The Fire Rises - Charles Bain paced the Colonials @ Louisville (12/21/18) with 18 points, knocking down six of his nine shots from the floor, including a perfect 3-for-3 from beyond the arc. The sophomore forward is looking to end the non-conference schedule strong, as Bain has averaged 12.4 points in his last five games entering Saturday's game against Hood. During that span, Bain has shot 48.9 percent (22-for-45) from the field, including 40 percent (8-for-20) from deep, and 71.4 percent (10-for-14) at the free-throw line.
 
Block Engine - Malik Petteway stuffed the stat sheet @ Louisville (12/21/18), as the senior forward came off the bench to supply 10 points and a team-high six rebounds while also tying a career high with three steals. It was his work in the defensive paint, however, that proved to be the biggest highlight. Petteway rejected five shots against the Cardinals, a career high, in pushing his season total in blocks to 15. Petteway enters Saturday's game ranked sixth in the Northeast Conference in both field goal percentage (.517) and blocks (1.25 per game).
 
One Snapped, One Continues ... Senior guard Josh Williams finished 1-for-5 from beyond the arc @ Louisville (12/21/18), snapping his streak of consecutive games with at least two three-pointers at nine. Williams tied the school record that was originally established by former guard Karvel Anderson (2012-14) in 2012-13. Even with one streak falling, Williams pushed his streak for consecutive games with a three-pointer to 10. He is just four games shy of cracking the top 10, which is held by former forward Lucky Jones (2011-15) at 14 straight games with a triple. Williams is also just one three-pointer shy of becoming the fastest in school history to 50.
 
Meanwhile ... It might not be out of the stretch of imagination that senior guard Josh Williams could join the 1,000-Point Club in 2018-19. Williams, a transfer from Akron that sat out the 2017-18 campaign due to NCAA transfer rules, scored 489 in two seasons with the Zips. He owns 686 career points entering Saturday's game against Hood and is on pace to finish the regular season with 998 career points. Williams is also on track to establish a new RMU single-season record for three-pointers. The mark of 119 was set by former guard Karvel Anderson (2012-14) in 2013-14, with Williams on pace for 127. 
 
A Sense Of Calm - Head coach Andrew Toole appointed the same five student-athletes as starters in each of RMU's first 12 games of the season, as Matty McConnell, Jon Williams and Josh Williams have been penciled in at guard, while Charles Bain and Yannis Mendy have started at forward. It's the longest stretch to start a season under Toole with the same starting lineup, and it's also the longest stretch of games at any point during a season in Toole's nine years in which he used the same starting lineup.
 
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