GAME 24
Fairleigh Dickinson Knights (15-9, 7-6 NEC) @ Robert Morris Colonials (17-6, 10-2 NEC)
Saturday, February 17, 2018 // 1:00 p.m. // Moon Township, Pa. – North Athletic Complex
Live Video: NEC Front Row // Live Stats: RMUColonials.com

The Capsule
Coming off a 1-2 road trip, Robert Morris looks to rebound on Saturday, February 17 when it hosts Fairleigh Dickinson for Senior Day. Home cooking could be just what the Colonials ordered as they have won five straight at the North Athletic Complex and nine of 11 contests in Moon Township this season.

NOTES: Fairleigh Dickinson @ Robert Morris (2.17.18)

The Opponent
Fairleigh Dickinson is third in the NEC standings at 7-6, three-and-a-half games behind Robert Morris for one of the two home-court advantages next month's conference tournament. The Knights are led by senior forward Amina Markovic, who is averaging a team-best 13.0 points per game on 51.7 percent shooting. Junior guard Madelynn Comly is also averaging double-figures in scoring at 11.2 points per contest, while sophomore forward Lauren Francillon is a double-double threat off the bench at 9.3 points and 7.9 rebounds per game. The Knights feature the second-best scoring offense (63.5 PPG) and defense (61.9 PPG) in the NEC and leads the league in field goal percentage (.416).

The Series
Overall: 39-26 | Home: 24-9 | Away: 15-16 | Neutral: 0-1 | Streak: W5
Last Game: Robert Morris 77, Fairleigh Dickinson 68 (12.29.17)
 
Robert Morris owns a 39-26 lead in the all-time series against Fairleigh Dickinson, including a 24-9 advantage at home. The Colonials are riding a five-game winning streak over the Knights, headlined by three wins against them last season. RMU and FDU matched up in back-to-back games in the 2016-17 season, as the former first topped the latter on Feb. 27, 62-48, behind a 22-point performance by Anna Niki Stamolamprou. The following week in the NEC Quarterfinals, the Colonials routed the Knights, 68-35, thanks in part to a double-double by Megan Smith (15 points, 10 rebounds) and 13 points off the bench by Nadège Pluviose.
 
Last Time Out
Although Robert Morris carried a 30-24 advantage into the halftime break on Monday at St. Francis Brooklyn, the Colonials were topped by the Terriers, 49-47. RMU went cold offensively over the final 20 minutes, shooting 23.3 percent (7-30) compared to a 50 percent (12-24) effort in the first half. Nadège Pluviose led the Colonials with a season-high 10 points off the bench, shooting 4-of-5 from the field and 2-of-3 from deep.
 
In the Previous Meeting…
In their first meeting, RMU opened NEC play with a 77-68 victory at Fairleigh Dickinson. The Colonials shot 50 percent (27-54) from the field and 62.5 percent (10-16) on three-point attempts, led by Honoka Ikematsu's 23-point effort. Ikematsu, who scored 25 points at Sacred Heart two days later en route to being named NEC Rookie of the Week, converted on 6-of-7 attempts from deep. The 23 points were the most for a RMU player in the conference opener since Jan. 4, 2014 when Artemis Spanou scored 25 at Central Connecticut.
 
Thank You Seniors
Prior to Saturday's contest against Fairleigh Dickinson, Robert Morris will honor the careers of seniors Shakema Dashiell, Jocelynne Jones, Mikalah Mulrain, and Megan Smith. This quartet has helped the Colonials post a 76-45 (.628) overall record and 48-18 (.727) mark in NEC play. RMU has appeared in the last three NEC Championship Games, won the last two NEC Tournaments, and claimed the 2017 NEC regular-season crown.
 
Lock 'Em Down
Robert Morris has prided itself on defense in its history and this season is no different. A season after establishing a new program record for points per game allowed at 57.5, the Colonials are currently allowing an average of 54.5 points per contest, which ranks tops in the NEC and 10th nationally. RMU also paces the conference in field goal defense (.352), which ranks 12th nationally, and sits in the Top 100 in steals per game (10.3, 42nd) and turnovers forced (19.43, 37th).
 
Block Party
Senior center Mikalah Mulrain has 28 blocked shots this season, upping her career total to 162. Mulrain now sits eight shy of Anna Gailite's school record of 169, which she set from 2009-13.
 
Share the Love
Thanks to Nadège Pluviose's 10-point effort at St. Francis Brooklyn this past Monday, the Colonials have had eight different players own or share high scorer honors this season. Pluviose joins Nina Augustin, Megan Callahan, Nneka Ezeigbo, Honoka Ikematsu, Jocelynne Jones, Mikalah Mulrain, and Megan Smith in that department. RMU's 2003-04 squad was the last to have more than seven players lead the team in scoring when eight Colonials topped the scoresheet.
 
22 Two's
Senior forward Megan Smith has raised her game another level since entering NEC play, averaging 11.1 points and 6.4 rebounds in 12 conference contests. Smith is shooting 50.5 percent (49-97) from the floor and 45.8 percent (11-24) on three-point attempts during this stretch.
 
Lift Off
RMU has come out of the gates strong this season, owning a 64-point advantage in the first quarter over its 23 games. The Colonials average a lead of 2.8 points heading into the second quarter and have only been behind six times this season after the opening 10 minutes.
 
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 were 22-0 in such situations during the 2016-17 campaign and 17-0 this season. All-time, RMU is 590-0 when leading at the final whistle.

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