GAME #21
Bryant Bulldogs (6-14, 4-5 NEC) @ Robert Morris Colonials (12-8, 9-0 NEC)
Saturday, February 9, 2019 // 7:04 p.m. // Moon Township, Pa. – North Athletic Complex (1,000)
Live Video: ESPN3 & NEC Front Row // Live Stats: RMUColonials.com
Play-by-Play: Paul Dottino, Color Commentary: Karen Hall
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Notes Package: Bryant // Robert Morris
Musket Shots
> The Robert Morris University women's basketball team will look to start 10-0 in Northeast Conference (NEC) play for the first time in program history when it hosts Bryant this Saturday, Feb. 9 on ESPN3. The Colonials have began the last two league slates at 9-0, becoming the second school in NEC history to do so (Saint Francis U, 2002-04). RMU most recently defeated Fairleigh Dickinson, 63-43, while Bryant fell on a buzzer-beater at Central Connecticut, 66-65.
> The Colonials have won their last 19 NEC contests at home, last falling to Saint Francis U, 70-55, on Jan. 16, 2017. RMU won all nine home conference tilts last season and their last six in 2016-17.
> Robert Morris has limited four NEC opponents to under 50 points and seven foes in total, dropping its scoring defense number to 55.3 points per game, which ranks 17th nationally. The Colonials finished eighth in that category last season (54.1 PPG) and 25th in 2016-17 (57.0 PPG).
> RMU looks to run its winning streak to 10 games for just the fourth time in program history, previously achieving the feat in 2007-08 (17), 2009-10 (13), and 2014-15 (11). This is the third consecutive season that the Colonials have strung together nine straight wins.
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Series History w/ Bryant
Overall: 17-5 | Home: 11-0 | Away: 6-5 | Streak: W4
Last Meeting: Jan. 19. 2019; Smithfield, R.I. – Robert Morris 60, Bryant 57
> This will be the 23rd meeting between Robert Morris and Bryant. The Colonials are up in the series, 17-5, and have won all 11 meetings at home. The last three games in Moon Township have all been decided by double-digits, including a 65-52 triumph in the 2017 NEC Championship Game.
> RMU escaped Smithfield on Jan. 19 with a 60-57 victory after Sydney Holloway's game-tying three rattled out at the buzzer. Nneka Ezeigbo paced the Colonials with 12 points, eight rebounds, and five steals before fouling out in the fourth quarter, while Nina Augustin added 10 points off the bench.
> In their first meeting at the North Athletic Complex, the Colonials withstood an early 9-0 run to rout the Bulldogs, 72-49. RMU forced 30 turnovers and broke its program standard for best NEC start at 8-0. Four Colonials reached double figures in scoring, led by Honoka Ikematsu's 16 points (6-9 FG).
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Scouting the Bulldogs
> Guided by 27th-year head coach Mary Burke, Bryant sits in a three-way tie for fifth in the NEC standings with Mount St. Mary's and Wagner at 4-5. The Bulldogs fell in their last two games at Fairleigh Dickinson (63-53) and Central Connecticut (66-65), but won three of their last five before that, including a 66-63 triumph against Saint Francis U.
> An All-NEC First Team selection last year, junior forward Sydney Holloway is playing like she'll end up with that designation again in March. Holloway paces the circuit rebounding (12.2 RPG) and ranks third in minutes played (34.7) and fourth in scoring (17.7 PPG), previously posting a 12-point, 12-rebound double-double against the Colonials in January. Senior guard Kierra Palmer sits second in the league in assists (3.9), while sophomore forward Hannah Scanlan slots seventh in field goal percentage (.477).
> Bryant tops the conference in offensive rebounding (14.2) and pulled down 19 in its first meeting with RMU. The Bulldogs also rank second in rebounding margin (+3.5) and third in field goal percentage defense (.406), but occupy the bottom in blocked shots (2.0) and three-point field goals made (4.1).
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In February, We Wear Pink
> It has been a tradition for Robert Morris to don pink alternate jerseys during select games in February. It has also been a tradition for the Colonials to win those contests. Since the 2013-14 season, RMU has accumulated a 20-1 record when wearing pink jerseys.
> RMU is 1-0 in pink this season, earning a 63-43 win at Fairleigh Dickinson this past Saturday. The Colonials finished 3-0 last season and 4-0 in 2016-17, winning all of those contests by double-digits. In fact, 17 of RMU's wins in pink have come by double figures, with it owning a plus-14.5 scoring margin in the 21 contests.
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The Dynamic Duo
> The duo of junior Nneka Ezeigbo and sophomore Irekpitan Ozzy-Momodu flourished on Jan. 28 against Sacred Heart, combining for 30 points on 13-of-20 shooting and 22 rebounds. Defensively, the pair held four-time NEC Player of the Week winner Katherine Haines to seven points (2-10 FG) and four rebounds in 28 minutes.
> Both Ezeigbo (16 pts, 11 reb) and Ozzy-Momodu (14 pts, 11 reb) posted double-doubles in the victory, the first time that has happened since March 3, 2014 against Mount St. Mary's. In that aforementioned contest - a 71-65 triumph to close the regular season - Artemis Spanou '14 went for 24 points and 12 rebounds, while Cassie Oursler added 17 points and 18 caroms.
>Â Ezeigbo and Ozzy-Momodu have combined for 16.9 points and 14.7 rebounds per game this season. The junior paces the team in scoring (10.6 PPG), rebounding (7.4 RPG), blocks (22), and steals (37), while her second-year sidekick leads the Colonials in field goal percentage (.549) and defensive rebounds (94).
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New Year, New Colonials
> A 3-8 non-conference record isn't exactly what Robert Morris wanted to close out 2018, but the New Year has brought a lot of success in the early going. RMU has gone 9-0 in NEC contests, winning seven of them by double-digit margins.
> This is the second time in program history that the Colonials have gone 9-0 to begin conference play, joining last year's team. With a win on Saturday against Bryant, this squad establish a new program record for best NEC start at 10-0.
> Since entering conference play, the Colonials have seen notable improvements in points per game (55.9 to 62.1), points allowed per game (59.7 to 55.3), scoring margin (-3.8 to +6.8), field goal percentage (.336 to .376), three-point field goal percentage (.318 to .344), field goal percentage defense (.404 to .372), three-point field goal percentage defense (.320 to .295), turnovers per game (18.5 to 16.7), and turnover margin (+2.2 to +3.6).
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The Defense (Never) Rests
> Defense has been the Colonials' calling card over the last few seasons, and 2018-19 isn't shaping up to be any different. Seven times this season, RMU has held its opponent to 50 points or fewer - Nov. 11 against La Salle (39), Nov. 13 against Rhode Island (46), Jan. 7 against Fairleigh Dickinson (49), Jan. 14 at LIU Brooklyn (37), Jan. 26 against Wagner (46), Jan. 28 against Sacred Heart (46), and Feb. 2 at FDU (43) again. The Colonials held the Blackbirds to a 25.0 percent (12-48) clip from the floor, making them the 19th different opponent to shoot under 30 percent since 2016-17.
> The Colonials forced 21 turnovers from Wagner on Jan. 26, the 11th game in which they have made their opponent make 20 or more mistakes. They're averaging 20.40 forced turnovers a game, a mark that leads the NEC and ranks 31st nationally. Last season, RMU forced 20 or more turnovers on 15 occasions.
> Through 20 games, RMU currently paces the NEC in scoring defense by allowing 55.3 points per game, which also slots 17th nationally. The Colonials have established a new school record two years running in scoring defense, limiting opponents to 57.0 PPG in 2016-17 and 54.1 PPG last season. Last season's mark also ranked eighth nationally.
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It's All About Balance
> The first word that comes to mind when discussing Robert Morris' offensive attack is balance. The Colonials currently are sitting first in the NEC with a 9-0 mark, despite not having a single player over 10.6 points per game.
> RMU has seven players averaging 5.0 points or more this season, the only team in the league to do so. Last season, the Colonials also were the only squad to have seven players at that mark, with Nneka Ezeigbo's scoring mark of 10.4 points per contest leading the way. Nine different Colonials have led the team in scoring this season, and 10 have scored in double figures at least once.
> Additionally, that balance also applies to playing time. RMU does not have a player currently in the top 30 of the NEC in minutes per game, with Isabella Posset pacing the team at an average of 24.6. Four other players (Nia Adams, Ezeigbo, Honoka Ikematsu, Nadège Pluviose) are seeing over 20 minutes per contest, with three others (Nina Augustin, Esther Castedo, Irekpitan Ozzy-Momodu) above the 15-minute mark. No other team in the conference can claim eight players above that average.
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The Bench Brings It
> Robert Morris has gotten great contributions from its bench this season, as its reserves are averaging 24.9 points per game and 10.9 more than its opponents' bench.
> The Colonials' bench has scored 30 or more points seven times this season, going 6-1 in those contests. In the previous two seasons, RMU's reserves have reached the 30-point mark on just six occasions. On Nov. 11, the Colonials received a season-high 42 points from their bench in a 67-39 win over La Salle.
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Milestone Watch
> In RMU's 64-46 win over Sacred Heart on Jan. 28, junior center Nneka Ezeigbo became the 23rd player in program history with 500 career rebounds. Ezeigbo is on the cusp of another milestone, needing just four steals to join 16 other players with 100 in their careers.
> Sophomore guard Honoka Ikematsu became the 14th player in school history with 100 career three-pointers, drilling four in RMU's 69-46 win over Wagner on Jan. 26. Ikematsu is averaging 2.00 per game, which ranks third all-time behind Sade Logan '09 (3.60) and Anna Niki Stamolamprou '17 (2.26).
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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 are 12-0 in such situations this season and went 25-0 last season. All-time, RMU is 610-0 when holding the lead at the final whistle.
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