GAME 18
Robert Morris (8-9, 3-1) @ Bryant (5-10, 2-2)
Saturday, January 19, 2019 • 4:00 p.m.
Chace Athletic Center (2,600) • Smithfield, R.I.

Radio: ESPN 970 AM & 106.3 FM
Talent: Adam Gusky (pxp) & Jim Duzyk (color)
Video: NECFrontRow.com • BryantBulldogs.com 
 
Quick Hits
 
- The Robert Morris University men's basketball team continues a four-game road trip with a two-game swing through New England, beginning Saturday with a 4:00 p.m. tip against Bryant at the Chace Athletic Center in Smithfield. R.I.
 
- The Colonials had their four-game winning streak snapped in their last contest with an 80-73 setback @ LIU Brooklyn (1/12/19). The Blackbirds shot 65.2 percent (15-for-23) from the field in the second half and 58 percent (29-for-50) overall, the highest field goal percentage by an opponent in 2018-19. Senior guard Josh Williams paced RMU against LIU Brooklyn with 20 points while dishing out four assists.
 
- Sophomore forward Charles Bain contributed 17 points and four rebounds @ LIU Brooklyn (1/12/19), while off the bench senior forward Malik Petteway finished with 10 points, three rebounds and two steals.
 
- Robert Morris enters Saturday's game @ Bryant leading the Northeast Conference in scoring defense, allowing an average of 67.8 points per game, and three-point field goal percentage (.360) Against league competition, the Colonials pace the circuit in scoring defense (62.5 ppg) and offensive rebounds (12.25 per game).
 
- Head coach Andrew Toole owns the highest winning percentage (.633) 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 57-33 in games decided by five points or less, including 2-1 in 2018-19. Both wins have come against Northeast Conference opponents.
 
- Over the last six road games, sophomore forward Charles Bain is providing RMU with averages of 13.0 points and 4.0 rebounds per game while shooting 48.1 percent (26-for-54) from the field, including 44 percent (11-for-25) from deep, and 83.3 percent (15-for-18) at the free-throw line. During that same time frame, sophomore guard Jon Williams has dished out 28 assists (4.7 per contest) against just 11 turnovers, an assist-to-turnover ratio of 2.55.
 
- RMU opened a four-game road trip by stretching its winning streak to a season-high four games with a 52-49 win @ St. Francis Brooklyn (1/10/19). Trailing, 49-46, with 1:56 to play, the Colonials scored the final six points of the contest. Sophomore guard Jon Williams converted a layup with 1:05 left that put Robert Morris in front for good, 50-49, and sophomore forward Charles Bain sealed the win with a pair of free throws with 4.2 seconds to go.
 
- Senior forward Malik Petteway and junior forward Yannis Mendy each scored 13 points to pace RMU against the Terriers. Combined, the duo shot 50 percent (10-for-20) from the field. Mendy added a game-high nine rebounds, while Petteway registered six caroms, a career-high four steals and three blocks.

BRYANT LINKS
- Game Notes (PDF)
- Game Notes (ISSUU)
- Audio
- Video
- Live Stats
 
LIU Brooklyn Tidbits - RMU had a four-game winning streak against the Blackbirds snapped but owns a 46-32 (.590) edge in the all-time series ... The Colonials shot 59.1 percent (13-for-22) from the field in the first half but just 38.7 percent (12-for-31) after the break to finish at 47.2 percent (25-for-53) overall ... Robert Morris finished with 10 three-pointers against the Blackbirds, just the second time in the last 12 games the Colonials have finished in double-digit in triples ... RMU is 3-1 (.750) in 2018-19 when hitting at least 10 three-pointers in a game and 44-13 (.772) in nine seasons under Andy Toole when turning the trick ... LIU held advantages in points in the paint (40-24) and points off turnovers (31-19).
 
Picking His Spots - Sophomore forward Charles Bain has stepped up on the offensive end for the Colonials with Northeast Conference play underway, as he enters Saturday's game @ Bryant tied for the team-high lead in scoring against league foes for the Colonials at 11.8 points per game. Bain is shooting a red hot 64 percent (16-for-25) from the floor against NEC opposition, including 70 percent (7-for-10) from beyond the arc. Both of those marks lead the conference. He also ranks 11th in free-throw percentage, having knocked down eight of his 10 attempts (80%). Stretch it out through the end of the non-conference slate for the Colonials, and Bain is averaging 13.2 points over his last six games and is converting 64.4 percent (29-for-45) of his attempts from the floor, including 76.9 percent (10-for-13) from beyond the arc. 
 
Halfway To 100 - Just a week after senior guard Matty McConnell became just the seventh student-athlete in school history to start 100 games, sophomore Jon Williams earned his 50th career start @ LIU Brooklyn (1/12/19). Williams owns the longest active streak for consecutive starting assignments for the Colonials and has started each game of his career. He is averaging 6.2 points and 3.7 assists per game during his time in a Robert Morris uniform with an assist-to-turnover ratio of 1.49. Williams enters Saturday's game @ Bryant having posted an assist-to-turnover ratio of 2.05 over his last 10 games.
 
Free Leek - No member of the Colonials has been more active on both ends of the floor in recent weeks than senior forward Malik Petteway. Petteway has reached double figures in scoring in six consecutive games, the longest active streak for an RMU student-athlete, and during that stretch is averaging 12.5 points, 6.7 rebounds, 2.2 blocks and 2.2 steals per contest. Petteway has converted 50.8 percent (31-for-61) of his shots from the floor during the last six games and enters Saturday's game ranked third in the NEC in blocks (1.35 per game), fourth in field goal percentage (.526) and 10th in steals (1.35).
 
Brotherly Love - Senior Josh Williams and sophomore guard Jon Williams have combined for 27 assists in RMU's first four games of the Northeast Conference schedule against 17 turnovers, an assist-to-turnover ratio of 1.59. Against league foes, Jon Williams ranks fifth in the conference in assist-to-turnover ratio at 1.88, while Josh Williams ranks 11th at 1.33.
 
A Sense Of Calm - Head coach Andrew Toole has appointed the same five student-athletes as starters in each of RMU's 17 games in 2018-19, 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.
 
Army Reserve - One aspect of head coach Andrew Toole using the same starting lineup in each of RMU's 17 games in 2018-19 has been the quality of production from the bench. Against Northeast Conference opponents, the Robert Morris reserves have averaged 22.2 points per game and owns a +17.2 scoring margin (89-20). Overall in 2018-19, the Colonials are receiving an average of 24.8 points per game from their bench and own a scoring margin of +4.1 (421-352).

Follow The Colonials: Twitter | Instagram

Tweet #GRIT