GAME 28
LIU Brooklyn (12-14, 6-8 NEC) vs. RMU (13-14, 8-6 NEC)
Thursday, February 21, 2019 • 7:00 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 the home portion of its 2018-19 regular season slate with a two-game homestand this week at the North Athletic Complex, beginning Thursday with a 7:00 p.m. tip against LIU Brooklyn.
 
- The Colonials enter their contest with the Blackbirds Thursday in a five-way tie for second place in the Northeast Conference standings. In addition to RMU with an 8-6 league mark is St. Francis Brooklyn, Wagner, Fairleigh Dickinson and Sacred Heart. The Blackbirds sit in seventh place with a 6-8 record in NEC action.
 
- Robert Morris suffered its third consecutive loss with a 72-69 defeat @ Saint Francis U (2/16/19) that concluded a two-game road trip. RMU erased a pair of 13-point deficits, one in each half, but fell short after sophomore forward Koby Thomas was whistled for a foul 25 feet from the basket with 23.5 seconds left and the score tied, 69-69. Keith Braxton hit the back end of his two attempts to put the Red Flash up for good, 70-69.
 
- The Colonials had one last chance for the win, but senior forward Malik Petteway was called for an offensive foul with five seconds left. Jamaal King sealed the victory for Saint Francis U with a pair of free throws with four seconds to play, as a three-pointer from senior guard Matty McConnell from half court as time expired was off the mark.
 
- In his return to the lineup after missing the previous 15 games, sophomore forward Koby Thomas recorded his second double-double of the 2018-19 campaign and fifth of his career with 13 points and a career-high 13 rebounds. Senior guard Matty McConnell added 13 points, three rebounds and four assists.
 
- Also scoring in double figures against the Red Flash were senior guard Josh Williams and sophomore forward Charles Bain, who each finished with 10 points. Bain also grabbed four rebounds, while Williams dished out three assists.
 
- Senior guard Matty McConnell leads the Northeast Conference in steals with an average of 1.89 per contest thanks to 51 thefts in 27 games. RMU's active leading scorer (1,043 points) and rebounder (484), McConnell needs 16 caroms to become the 14th player in program history to eclipse career totals of 1,000 points and 500 rebounds.
 
- Senior guard Josh Williams leads the NEC in three-point field goals made per game (3.11) and is tied for fifth in the RMU single-season record book for triples (84) with former guards Maurice Carter (2002-03) and Jeremy Chappell (2008-09).
 
- Robert Morris has finished first or second in the Northeast Conference in scoring defense five times in the previous eight seasons under head coach Andrew Toole. The Colonials currently rank second in the circuit in the category in 2018-19, allowing an average of 68.7 points per game and trailing only Wagner (66.7 ppg).

LIU BROOKLYN LINKS
- Game Notes (PDF)
- Game Notes (ISSUU)
- Audio
- Video
- Live Stats
 
Saint Francis U Tidbits - RMU has lost eight consecutive games to the Red Flash but still lead the all-time series, 49-37 (.570) ... Robert Morris shot 55.6 percent (15-for-27) from the field in the second half, including 50 percent (6-for-12) from beyond the arc, in the second half and 44.8 percent (26-for-58) overall ... The Colonials held a 36-30 edge on the glass, including a 9-6 advantage in offensive rebounds ... SFU and RMU tied for points in the paint, 32-32 ... Robert Morris finished -7 (16/9) in turnovers, its worst marking since finishing -8 (29/21) in a 69-50 loss @ Rider (12/15/18) ... Four different Colonials hit at least a pair of three-pointers against Saint Francis U, including Charles Bain (2), Josh Williams (2), matty McConnell (2) and Sayveon McEwen (2) ... Sophomore forward Chris Coalmon also knocked down a three-pointer as RMU finished 9-for-22 (40.9%) from deep.
 
Koby Returns - Sophomore forward Koby Thomas returned to action for the first time since December @ Saint Francis U (2/16/19), as he was inserted into the starting lineup. Thomas made the most of his 21 minutes of action, registering his second double-double of the 2018-19 campaign and fifth of his career with 13 points and a career-high 13 rebounds. He shot 5-for-11 from the field and 3-for-4 at the free-throw line, and of his 13 caroms, three came on the offensive glass. RMU slipped to 14-9 (.609) the last two years when Thomas scores in double figures, including 3-2 (.600) in 2018-19.
 
No Streak Is Safe - Robert Morris used just its second starting lineup of the 2018-19 campaign @ Saint Francis U (2/16/19), as sophomore forward Koby Thomas was inserted into the starting lineup for junior forward Yannis Mendy. It snapped a streak of 26 games with the same starting lineup, the longest streak of consecutive starting lineups under ninth-year head coach Andrew Toole.
 
Comeback Kids - Robert Morris has made a habit of climbing out of double-digit deficits under Andrew Toole, and in a 72-69 setback @ Saint Francis U (2/16/19), the Colonials erased not one, but two, 13-point deficits. RMU fell behind, 18-5, in the first half before charging back to take a 23-22 lead with 5:34 left in the first half. Robert Morris fell behind at halftime, 38-28, and were down, 49-36, with 13:22 to play before rallying to tie the game, 62-62, with 5:04 remaining. In 2018-19, RMU has erased a total of seven double-digit deficits in a game but have failed to close out the game with a win. Twice this season the Colonials have come back from two double-digit deficits in the same game, as RMU also erased double-digit deficits in each half of a 74-71 loss to Siena (12/8/18). The Colonials have erased 33 double-digit deficits in nine seasons under head coach Andrew Toole. On 24 of those occasions Robert Morris has earned a victory.
 
Foul Language - For the second consecutive game @ Saint Francis U (2/16/19), Robert Morris had a pair of Colonials foul out in the same game, as sophomore guard Jon Williams and sophomore forward Koby Thomas each took seats on the bench with five infractions. The duo follow forwards Malik Petteway and Yannis Mendy, who each fouled out of RMU's loss @ Mount St. Mary's (2/14/19). It marks the first time on record in program history Robert Morris has had two players foul out in back-to-back games. During the month of February, the Colonials have committed 128 fouls in five games, an average of 25.6, while opponents have been whistled for 89 fouls, an average of 17.8 per contest.  
 
Defense Wins Championships - The numbers bear out that following in the footsteps of defending is victories. Thanks to a 72-59 victory over Bryant (2/7/19) at the North Athletic Complex, Robert Morris improved to 179-50 (.782) when holding their opponent to under 70 points since the beginning of the 2007-08 season. Under ninth-year head coach Andrew Toole, RMU owns a mark of 128-43 (.749) when turning the trick. Overall the last 12 years, Robert Morris has held its opponent to under 70 points 56.7 percent (229-of-404) of the time.

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