Fairfield, Conn. – The Robert Morris University women's basketball couldn't quite dig itself out of a 17-point halftime hole, as its comeback attempt fell short at Sacred Heart this evening, 54-45, in a battle between the top two teams in the Northeast Conference (NEC) standings.
Despite turning the ball over just nine times – tying a season low – Robert Morris (18-10, 15-2 NEC) struggled to shoot the ball, converting 27.0 percent (17-63) on its field goal attempts, 20.0 percent (6-30) from deep, and 41.7 percent (5-12) at the free throw stripe. The Colonials were held to 13 points in the first half, two days after scoring a season-high 49 points in the first 20 minutes at Wagner.
"We didn't respond well tonight with our effort coming out of the locker room," said head coach Charlie Buscaglia. "Sacred Heart did a great job at coming out with a great energy and passion to earn the lead that they had. As we started to do some things throughout the second half, it wasn't enough to overcome the start."
RMU opened the second half on a 9-0 run, trimming a 30-13 gap to 30-22. Nadège Pluviose took a pair of charges to start the frame, then Nneka Ezeigbo converted with an up-and-under move. Esther Castedo followed that up with a layup, and Pluviose and Nina Augustin both split a pair of chances at the line. Augustin then drilled a three from the wing to make it a single-digit game, forcing a Sacred Heart (17-11, 13-4 NEC) timeout. The Pioneers responded with an 11-4 rally after the break, making it 41-26 after three.
Ezeigbo scored twice and Augustin buried a trey to pull the Colonials within eight again at 41-33, but Katherine Haines stopped the bleeding temporarily with two free throws. Isabella Posset answered with a three, then converted a layup after an Abigail Kangudie basket to make it 45-38 before the media, and Ezeigbo scored after a long offensive possession to trim the difference to five.
A Candice Leatherwood three and Erin Storck made it 49-40, but Ezeigbo had a quick answer off an Augustin assist. After Haines split a pair of free throws, Castedo buried a trey to make it a five-point game once more, but SHU finished at the line down the stretch to seal the victory.
Ezeigbo led the Colonials with 14 points (7-14 FG) and nine rebounds. Castedo and Augustin both had nine points, with the latter also pulling down a career-best seven caroms.
The win locked up the second seed in next week's NEC Tournament for Sacred Heart.
Robert Morris concludes the regular season on Thursday, March 7 at 6:00 p.m. against Saint Francis U.
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