Women's Basketball | 3/1/2019 12:27:00 PM

GAME #27
Robert Morris Colonials (17-9, 14-1 NEC) @ Wagner Seahawks (10-16, 8-7 NEC)
Saturday, March 2, 2019 // 1:00 p.m. // Staten Island, N.Y. – Spiro Sports Center (2,100)
Live Video: NEC Front Row // Live Stats: WagnerAthletics.com
 
Notes Package: Robert Morris // Wagner

Musket Shots
> Clinching a share of its third consecutive NEC regular-season crown on Monday, the Robert Morris University women's basketball team will look to win the title outright on Saturday, March 2 when it begins its final road swing at Wagner. The Colonials defeated LIU Brooklyn, 71-54, in their last game, while the Seahawks are coming off an 84-69 loss against Bryant.
> RMU's dominance in NEC play goes beyond its 14-1 record. The Colonials own a plus-15.5 scoring margin and plus-5.33 turnover margin in league contests, and have held opponents to a .349 field goal percentage, which is .038 lower than second place Bryant.
> Named NEC Player of the Week for the second time in her career on Wednesday, junior center Nneka Ezeigbo has been on another planet for RMU as of late. Ezeigbo is coming off a career-high 30 points against the Blackbirds on Monday, and is averaging 18.6 points, 9.6 rebounds, 1.6 blocks, and 1.6 steals over her last five games.
> The Colonials have won their last 23 NEC games 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 again is boasted by a strong defense, topping the NEC and ranking 12th nationally at 55.2 points per game. The Colonials finished eighth in that category last season.
 
Series History w/ Wagner
Overall: 34-31 | Home: 17-14 | Away: 14-16 | Neutral: 3-1 | Streak: W7
Last Meeting: Jan. 26, 2019; Moon Township, Pa. – Robert Morris 69, Wagner 46
> This is the 66th meeting between Robert Morris and Wagner, with the Colonials owning a slight 34-31 edge in the series. The Seahawks dominated from 1992 to 2004, winning 21 of 24 matchups over that stretch. However, RMU has flipped the script since 2005, owning a 25-2 mark since 2004-05.
> Despite trailing by one at halftime, RMU defeated Wagner in their last matchup, 69-46. The Colonials outscored the Seahawks, 21-3, in the final frame to come away with a comfortable victory. Nneka Ezeigbo posted a 13-point, 17-rebound double-double, while Honoka Ikematsu and Nina Augustin both scored a team-best 14 points.
> Last time in Staten Island, the Colonials topped the Seahawks, 58-52. Ezeigbo was one of four players in double figures with 10 points and 13 caroms, while Augustin and Megan Callahan both scored 13 points to pace the team.
 
Scouting the Seahawks
> Picked 10th in the NEC Preseason Coaches' Poll, Wagner has shattered expectations with an 8-7 record in league play, good for fifth. The Seahawks, under the direction of third-year head coach Heather Jacobs, have qualified for their first NEC Tournament since 2014 and could finish as high as third in the league standings.
> Redshirt sophomore Taylah Simmons has been one of the league's most consistent players, ranking seventh in scoring (15.3) and rebounding (7.0), eighth in free throw percentage (.773), and ninth in field goal percentage (.483). Guards Alayshia Dailey and Nakylia Carter slot third and fourth, respectively, in assists (3.4, 3.3), with the latter also pacing the circuit in steals (2.3).
> The Seahawks rank second in the NEC in field goal percentage (.415) and assists (14.0), and fourth in three-point percentage (.340) and free throw percentage (.707). They also own the ninth scoring defense (71.0) and 10th field goal percentage defense (.430) in the league.
 
Easy as 1-2-3
> Robert Morris clinched a share of its third consecutive NEC regular-season crowns on Monday against LIU Brooklyn, topping the Blackbirds, 71-54. This is the first time that the Colonials have won three straight regular-season titles, previously capturing championships in 2007, 2008, 2010, 2014, 2017, and 2018. A victory in one of its next three games or a Sacred Heart loss will give RMU an outright title and the top seed in the NEC Tournament for the third time in program history.
> RMU has now captured a share of their last three regular-season crowns in Moon Township. Two seasons ago, a 62-48 victory over Fairleigh Dickinson coupled with a Sacred Heart loss at Saint Francis U put the Colonials at the top of the NEC standings by itself. Last year, the Colonials defeated Mount St. Mary's, 66-54, to share the title with the Red Flash.
> A win or Sacred Heart loss would also send RMU to a postseason tournament for the fourth consecutive year, extending its record. The Colonials played in the 2016 and 2017 NCAA Tournaments before participating in last year's Women's National Invitation Tournament (WNIT). In its history, RMU has played in eight postseason tournaments (5 NCAA, 2 WNIT, 1 WBI).
 
Ezeigbo Knows
> Nneka Ezeigbo brought home NEC Player of the Week on Wednesday after averaging 23.0 points on 61.8 shooting, 10.0 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks in wins over St. Francis Brooklyn and LIU Brooklyn. Ezeigbo scored a career-high 30 points against the Blackbirds - the most for a Colonial since Anna Niki Stamolamprou '17 tied the school record with 39 on Jan. 9, 2017 - and pulled down 11 rebounds to complete her sixth double-double of the season. This is the second Player of the Week plaudit of Ezeigbo's career, and her fourth weekly award in all.
> Ezeigbo has been unguardable inside over her last four games, averaging 18.6 points, 9.6 rebounds, 1.6 blocks, and 1.6 steals, while shooting 60.3 percent (44-73 FG) from the field. She's reached double figures in scoring in 10 of RMU's last 11 games, while pulling down double-digit caroms in six of those matchups.
> The junior center ranks among the best in the NEC in a bevy of categories. She ranks fourth in rebounding (7.7) and blocked shots (1.2), seventh in steals (1.7), and 11th in scoring (12.0) and field goal percentage (.464), despite playing just 24.3 minutes per contest. She's the only player in the top seven of both blocks and steals in the NEC, and paces the circuit with a per-game average of 4.4 offensive rebounds in conference contests.
 
The Magic Number
> When Robert Morris reaches the 70-point barrier, it's been "Game Over" for its opponents under Charlie Buscaglia. With the Colonials' 71-54 victory over LIU Brooklyn on Monday, they are now 19-0 when scoring 70 since Buscaglia took over in 2016-17.
> RMU has reached the mark in seven contests this season, all but one of those coming in NEC play. The Colonials opened the league slate by scoring 70 or more in four straight contests, and now have hit the mark in back-to-back contests against St. Francis Brooklyn (74-57) and the Blackbirds.
 
Augustin Answers the Call
> Nina Augustin is playing the best basketball of her young career as of late, averaging 14.3 points on 10-of-20 from beyond the arc over the last three games. Augustin ranks third in the NEC in three-point percentage (.422) and sits second on the team in conference scoring at 8.5 points per game.
> The Finnish sophomore has reached double-figures scoring in five of the last seven games, headlined by a career-high 18 points on 6-of-12 from deep in a 66-60 win at Saint Francis U on Feb. 18. She's also started the last four contests after coming off the bench in the previous 14.
 
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. Eight 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), Feb. 2 at FDU (43), and Feb. 11 against Central Connecticut (40). The Colonials held the Blue Devils to a 26.9 percent (14-52) clip from the floor, making them the 20th different opponent to shoot under 30 percent since 2016-17.
> The Colonials forced 24 turnovers against St. Francis Brooklyn this past Saturday, the 15th 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 27th nationally. Last season, RMU forced 20 or more turnovers on 15 occasions.
> Through 26 games, RMU currently paces the NEC in scoring defense by allowing 55.2 points per game, which also slots 12th 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.
 
In February, We Wore 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 25-1 record when wearing pink jerseys.
> RMU went 6-0 in pink this season, earning wins at Fairleigh Dickinson (63-43) and Saint Francis U (66-60), and at home against Bryant (59-56), Central Connecticut (60-40), St. Francis Brooklyn (74-57), and LIU Brooklyn (71-54). The Colonials finished 3-0 last season and 4-0 in 2016-17, winning all of those contests by double-digits. In fact, 20 of RMU's wins in pink have come by double figures, with it owning a plus-14.1 scoring margin in the 26 contests.
 
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 17-0 in such situations this season and went 25-0 last season. All-time, RMU is 615-0 when holding the lead at the final whistle.

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