GAME 32
#7 Robert Morris (15-16) @ #2 Mount St. Mary's (18-13)
2018 Northeast Conference Tournament Quarterfinals
Wednesday, February 28, 2018 • 7:00 p.m.
Knott Arena (3,500) • Emmitsburg, Md.
 
Radio: ESPN 970 AM & 106.3 FM
Talent: Chris Shovlin (pxp) & Jim Elias (color)
Video: MountAthletics.com • NECFrontRow.com 
 
Quick Hits
 
- The Robert Morris University men's basketball team returns to Emmitsburg, Md., for the second time in a week as it begins its quest for a league-record ninth Northeast Conference Tournament title. The Colonials will take on No. 2 seed Mount St. Mary's in a 7:00 p.m. tip at Knott Arena.
 
- The Colonials are making their 15th consecutive appearance in the NEC Tournament, the longest active streak in the league. Ranking second behind RMU for consecutive appearances is No. 1 seed Wagner with eight straight.
 
- RMU owns Northeast Conference Tournament records for appearances (34), victories (40), semifinal appearances (20) and championships (8).
 
- Freshman forward Koby Thomas was named the 2018 NEC Rookie of the Year in a vote of league head coaches and also earned a spot on the 2018 All-NEC Rookie Team. He is the fourth student-athlete in the last 12 years and fifth overall to take home to top rookie honor in program history.
 
- Sophomore guard Dachon Burke was named to the 2018 All-NEC Second Team in a vote of league head coaches. Burke has scored in double figures in 28 of his 30 games this season, including each of his 17 road contests. In road games, Burke is averaging 17.9 points, 6.1 points and 2.3 steals per contest.
 
- Junior guard Matty McConnell has played in three career NEC Tournament games, starting each one, and has averaged 13.3 points, 6.3 rebounds and 2.3 steals per game while shooting 50 percent (13-for-26) from the field, including 52.9 percent (9-for-17) from beyond the arc.
 
- RMU enters Wednesday's game @ Mount St. Mary's leading the Northeast Conference in three-point field goal percent defense (.321) and steals (7.77 per game) while ranking second in the circuit in scoring defense (71.1 ppg) and offensive rebounds (12.26 per contest).
 
- Against Northeast Conference opposition in 2017-18, the Colonials paced the circuit in three-point field goal percent defense (.324) and steals (7.61 per game). Robert Morris has led the NEC in league games in steals in nine of the last 11 years, including each of the last three seasons.
 
- Sophomore guard Dachon Burke (2.10 per game) leads the Northeast Conference in steals while junior guard Matty McConnell (1.93) ranks third.
 
- Sophomore guard Dachon Burke has scored at least 25 points on six occasions this season and has also scored in double figures in 28 of his 30 contests. The only player to have more double-figure scoring games as a sophomore in school history is all-time leading scorer Myron Walker (1990-94), who scored at least 10 points in a game a total of 30 times in 1991-92.
 
LINKS:
- Game Notes (PDF)
- Game Notes (ISSUU)
- Audio
- Video
- Live Stats

Saint Francis U Tidbits - RMU has lost six consecutive games to SFU but owns a 49-35 (.583) advantage in the all-time series ... Robert Morris shot just 36.8 percent (21-for-57) from the field despite going converting 41.7 percent (10-for-24) of its attempts from beyond the arc ... Freshman guard Jon Williams connected on four of his eight attempts from beyond the arc, while junior guard Matty McConnell went 2-for-4 ... Junior foward Seth Rouse established career highs in points (3), rebounds (4) and minutes played (13) ...  The Red Flash outscored the Colonials, 44-18, in points in the paint ... Saint Francis U guard Jamaal King has the two best individual offensive performances against Robert Morris in 2017-18 after scoring a game-high 26 points at DeGol Arena ... In SFU's 89-80 victory over RMU at PPG Paints Arena (1/11/18), King scored a game-high 27 points.
 
Fantastic February - Dachon Burke is in the groove offensively for Robert Morris, as the sophomore guard enters the 2018 Northeast Conference Tournament having reached double figures in each of RMU's eight games this month. During the month of February, Burke is supplying RMU with averages of 20.6 points, 6.1 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 2.3 steals per game while shooting 53.3 percent (64-for-120) from the field, including 38.9 percent (14-for-36) from deep. Burke has led the Colonials in scoring in each of RMU's eight games this month after pacing the Colonials @ Saint Francis U (2/24/18) with 14 points and also adding four assists and a pair of steals.
 
Two Pair - By being a member of the starting lineup in RMU's 2017-18 regular-season finale @ Saint Francis U (2/24/18), forward Koby Thomas and guard Jon Williams established a new Robert Morris freshman record for starts. The duo are the only players to have started each of RMU's 31 games in 2017-18. Thomas and Williams broke the record held by former guard Velton Jones (2008-13), who earned 30 starts in 2009-10. The overall school record for starts in a season is 37, established by former guard Coron Williams (2009-13) during the 2011-12 campaign.
 
Grand Theft Auto - Matty McConnell tied a season-high with five steals @ Saint Francis U (2/24/18) as RMU concluded its 2017-18 regular season, and the junior guard enters the 2018 Northeast Conference Tournament having averaged 3.0 steals over his last five games. The late season surge by McConnell in regard to steals helped him pace the NEC against league foes in steals for the second time in the last three years with an average of 2.18 per contest. McConnell enters Wednesday's game @ Mount St. Mary's ranked ninth in career steals at RMU with 169 and owns a career average of 1.84 thefts per contest.   
 
Did You Know? RMU owns a record of 9-3 (.750) in 2017-18 when at least two freshmen score in double figures in a game. Rookies Koby Thomas (15) and Jon Williams (11) were the latest to turn the trick in an 83-60 victory over Bryant (2/15/18).
 
Only The Young - As Robert Morris enters the 2018 Northeast Conference Tournament, rookies have played a key part for the Colonials in 2017-18. Freshman have supplied 52.2 percent (1,121-of-2,148) of RMU's scoring output. Overall, newcomers have scored 60.6 percent (1,301-of-2,148) of the points for Robert Morris this season.
 
Steal City - Robert Morris has consistently been at the top of the Northeast Conference leaderboard in steals throughout head coach Andrew Toole's tenure, as the Colonials have topped the circuit five times (2012, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2017) under Toole and seven times in the last 10 years. Through 31 games of the 2017-18 campaign, RMU has compiled 241 steals, an average of 7.77 per game that leads the NEC. Guard Dachon Burke paces the NEC individually with an average of 2.10 per game. Junior guard Matty McConnell, RMU's active leader with 169 career thefts, led the NEC against league foes with an average of 2.18 steals per contest.

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