GAME 33
#4 RMU (17-15) @ #2 Fairleigh Dickinson (18-13)
2019 Northeast Conference Tournament Semifinals
Saturday, March 9, 2019 • Noon
Stratis Arena (5,000) • Teaneck, N.J.
 
Radio: ESPN 970 AM & 106.3 FM
Talent: Chris Shovlin (pxp) & Jim Elias (color)
TV: ESPN3
Talent: Paul Dottino (pxp) & Terry O'Connor (color)
Twitter: @RMUMBasketball • Instagram: @RMUMBasketball
 
Quick Hits
 
- The Robert Morris University men's basketball team continues its quest for a league-record ninth Northeast Conference Tournament title Saturday by traveling to Teaneck, N.J., to take on No. 2 seed Fairleigh Dickinson in a Noon tip at Stratis Arena. The game can be seen live on ESPN3.
 
- The Colonials are making their 16th consecutive appearance in the NEC Tournament, the longest active streak in the conference. Overall, RMU has qualified for the NEC Tournament 35 out of a possible 38 times. Robert Morris owns league records for appearances, victories (42), semifinal appearances (22) and championships (8).
 
- Robert Morris has advanced to the semifinals of the NEC Tournament for the third consecutive year as well as 11 of the last 12 years. Included in that stretch is eight appearances in nine years under head coach Andrew Toole. During that span the Colonials have posted a record of 6-4 (.600).
 
- RMU earned a 69-65 overtime win over St. Francis Brooklyn (3/6/19) in the quarterfinals of the 2019 NEC Tournament at the North Athletic Complex. The Colonials overcame a 15-point halftime deficit and also trailed by 10 with 4:08 to play before forcing OT and garnering the victory. The win marked the 240th for Robert Morris since the beginning of the 2007-08 campaign. The Colonials have averaged exactly 20 wins over the last 12 seasons.
 
- Senior guards Matty McConnell and Josh Williams each scored 21 points in the win over the Terriers to take home game-high honors. McConnell added seven rebounds and three steals, while Williams grabbed six boards and dished out three assists. Sophomore forward Charles Bain contributed 13 points and six rebounds in the victory.
 
- Robert Morris has finished first or second in the NEC in scoring defense five times in the previous eight seasons under head coach Andrew Toole. The Colonials enter the semifinals of the 2019 NEC Tournament Saturday @ Fairleigh Dickinson leading the circuit in 2018-19, allowing an average of 67.8 points per game. The Colonials also pace the NEC in rebounding defense, allowing an average of 33.1 rebounds per contest.
 
- In NEC Tournament games played on the road, RMU has compiled a record of 9-11 (.450), including a mark of 5-6 (.455) under ninth-year head coach Andrew Toole. In the NEC Tournament under Toole overall, the Colonials owns a record of 12-2 (.857) when holding opponents under 70 points.
 
- Head coach Andrew Toole owns the highest winning percentage (.621) 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 59-36 in games decided by five points or less, including a mark of 4-4 (.500) in 2018-19.

FAIRLEIGH DICKINSON LINKS
- Game Notes (PDF)
- Game Notes (ISSUU)
- Audio
- Video
- Live Stats
 
NEC TOURNAMENT QUICK HITS
The Colonials own a record of 28-8 (.778) in tournament games played at home, including a record of 22-7 (.759) in games at the Charles L. Sewall Center, 9-11 (.450) in road games and a mark of 5-7 (.417) in neutral site contests ... RMU has appeared in the NEC Tournament in each of the past 16 seasons, advancing to the semifinals 13 times over that span and the NEC Championship game six times (2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2015) ... RMU has hosted the NEC Tournament championship game six times (1983, 1989, 1990, 1992, 2009, 2014), with the Colonials 5-1 (.833) in those games ... RMU is 3-2 (.600) in NEC Tournament championship games on the road, with victories @ LIU Brooklyn (1982), Quinnipiac (2010) and St. Francis Brooklyn (2015) and a pair of losses @ LIU Brooklyn (2011, 2012) ... Robert  Morris is one of four programs in the NEC to have won back-to-back league titles, having accomplished the feat three times (1982 & 1983, 1989 & 1990 and 2009 & 2010) ... The Colonials have advanced to the semifinals of the NEC Tournament 22 times, the most in league history … RMU is 5-3 (.625) all-time against Fairleigh Dickinson in the NEC Tournament, including a 2-1 (.667) mark in the semifinals of the tourney.
 
St. Francis Brooklyn Tidbits - Robert Morris finished 3-0 against the Terriers in 2018-19, has won six of the last seven meetings and is 49-30 (.620) in the all-time series against St. Francis Brooklyn ... The Colonials held SFC to 19 points in the second half, the lowest point total allowed by RMU in the second half this season ... RMU also held Mount St. Mary's (1/5/19) and Wagner (1/26/19) to 19 points in the first half in home wins this season ... Robert Morris posted a 41-32 advantage in rebounding, including an 11-5 edge on the offensive glass ... The Colonials owned a 26-24 edge in points in the paint ... RMU received a season-low eight points from its bench, with senior forward Malik Petteway scoring each of those points to go along with seven rebounds, four steals and a pair of blocks. 
 
Attack Mode - Senior guard Matty McConnell seems to raise his level of play up a notch when the Northeast Conference Tournament rolls around. McConnell enters Saturday's game @ Fairleigh Dickinson in the semifinals with averages of 16.0 points, 7.2 rebounds and 2.7 steals in six career games of the NEC Tournament. In those contests McConnell has shot 46.9 percent (30-for-64) from the field, including 47.4 percent (18-for-38) from beyond the arc. He has scored in double figures in five consecutive NEC Tournament contests, averaging 19.0 points, 7.6 rebounds and 2.6 steals during that stretch. McConnell, who leads the NEC in steals with an average of 1.78 per contest thanks to 58 thefts in 32 games, ranks 10th in school history for career points in the NEC Tournament with 96.
 
Free Is For Me - Senior guard Matty McConnell finished a perfect 10-for-10 at the free-throw line in a 69-65 overtime victory over St. Francis Brooklyn (3/6/19) in the quarterfinals of the 2019 NEC Tournament at the North Athletic Complex. McConnell joins former guard Karvel Anderson (2012-14) as the only Colonials to have a perfect shooting night at the line while converting at least 10 free throws in the NEC Tournament. Anderson posted a perfect 12-for-12 performance at the chalk in a 60-57 win over Saint Francis U (3/8/14) in the semifinals of the 2014 NEC Tournament.
 
Downtown - Senior guard Josh Williams, named to the 2019 All-Northeast Conference Third Team, knocked down a trio of three-pointers in a 69-65 overtime win over St. Francis Brooklyn (3/6/19) in the quarterfinals of the 2019 NEC Tournament. Williams tied for game-high honors with 21 points against the Terriers and pushed his season total for three-pointers to 94, which ranks second in the RMU single-season record book. Williams moved past former guard Scott Shepherd (1988-91), who finished with 93 triples in 1988-89. Williams enters Saturday's game @ Fairleigh Dickinson leading the NEC in three-point field goals made per game (2.94).
 
Born In The Shadows - Over the last 10 games, sophomore forward Charles Bain is averaging 10.8 points and 5.1 rebounds per contest while shooting 49.4 percent (40-for-81) from the field. Bain has knocked down at least one three-pointer in eight consecutive contests and is shooting 41.9 percent (13-for-31) from deep during that span.
 
Did You Know? RMU is 40-16 (.714) in nine seasons under head coach Andrew Toole when finishing with at least 40 rebounds in a game, including a perfect 7-0 in 2018-19. The Colonials have won eight consecutive contests when grabbing at least 40 boards in a game dating back to last season.
 
Comeback Kids - Robert Morris has made a habit of climbing out of double-digit deficits under Andrew Toole, and in a 69-65 overtime victory over St. Francis Brooklyn (3/6/19) at the North Athletic Complex in the quarterfinals of the 2019 Northeast Conference Tournament, the Colonials turned the trick again. RMU fell behind at halftime, 37-22, and also trailed, 55-45, with 4:08 to play before charging back to force overtime and earn the win. The Colonials have erased 36 double-digit deficits in nine seasons under Toole. On 27 of those occasions Robert Morris has earned a victory.
 
Rally Revival - Robert Morris enters Saturday's game @ Fairleigh Dickinson having faced a double-digit deficit in nine of its last 11 games. During that span, the Colonials have erased seven of those deficits, including two in one game @ Saint Francis U (2/16/19). Overall in 2018-19, RMU has erased 10 double-digit deficits. In erasing a 15-point deficit in a 69-65 overtime win over St. Francis Brooklyn (3/6/19) in the quarterfinals of the 2019 NEC Tournament at the North Athletic Complex, it marks the sixth time in nine seasons under head coach Andrew Toole that Robert Morris has erased a deficit of at least 15 points. The largest deficit is 18 points, which the Colonials fell behind with 16:25 to play against Siena (12/8/19). RMU erased the deficit but lost at the buzzer, 74-71.
 
The All-Time Wins Leader - RMU head coach Andrew Toole picked up career victory No. 158 thanks to a 52-49 win @ St. Francis Brooklyn (1/10/19) that opened a four-game road trip. Thanks to the victory, Toole, who is in his ninth season at the helm leading the Colonials in 2018-19, surpassed former head coach Jarrett Durham for most victories in Robert Morris men's basketball history. Durham posted an overall record of 157-183 (.462) from 1984 to 1996. Toole owns an overall record of 167-138 (.548), including a mark of 102-58 (.638) against league foes.
 
Defense Wins Championships - The numbers bear out that following in the footsteps of defending is victories. Thanks to a 69-65 overtime win over St. Francis Brooklyn (3/6/19) in the quarterfinals of the 2019 NEC Tournament, Robert Morris improved to 183-50 (.785) 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 132-43 (.754) when turning the trick. Overall the last 12 years, Robert Morris has held its opponent to under 70 points 57 percent (233-of-409) of the time.
 
Close and Late - A common theme in the nine years that head coach Andrew Toole has been at the helm at Robert Morris has been playing close games late. During Toole's tenure, the Colonials have posted a record of 59-36 (.621) in games decided by five points or less, including a mark of 8-6 (.571) in games decided by just a single point.
 
In The Clutch - You certainly could say that Robert Morris has a flair for the dramatic. In a 69-65 overtime win over St. Francis Brooklyn (3/6/19) in the quarterfinals of the 2019 NEC Tournament, senior guard Matty McConnell came through clutch again against the Terriers. McConnell's layup with 14.3 seconds left tied the game, 56-56, and helped send the game to the extra frame. It's the second consecutive year McConnell has stung the Terriers, as his three-point play last year in overtime at home helped RMU defeat St. Francis Brooklyn. A look at the last 10 Colonials to hit a shot in the final 15 seconds to give RMU a victory or send the game to overtime:
 

Player	Opponent (Date)	Time (seconds)	Score
Matty McConnell	vs. St. Francis Brooklyln (3/6/19) *	14.3	W, 69-65
Josh Williams	vs. Mount St. Mary's (1/5/19)	13.4	W, 62-59
Matty McConnell	vs. St. Francis Brooklyn (1/14/18) $	10.8 (OT)	W, 80-79
Kavon Stewart	@ LIU Brooklyn (3/1/17) *	3.0	W, 69-68
Isaiah Still	vs. Duquesne (12/6/16)	15.3	W, 64-60
Aaron Tate	vs. Central Connecticut (2/14/15)	0.0	W, 53-52
Lucky Jones	vs. St. Francis Brooklyn (2/22/14)	3.1 (OT)	W, 71-70
Mike McFadden	vs. Kentucky (3/9/13) %	8.7	W, 59-57
Velton Jones	@ LIU Brooklyn (2/2/13)	9.8	W, 60-57
Karvel Anderson	@ Campbell (12/4/12)	4.5 #	W, 61-58

$ A.J. Palumbo Center (three-point play); * NEC Tournament; % NIT; # Three-pointer
 
Defensively Speaking - Robert Morris has won 18 consecutive games when holding opponents to less than 60 points dating back to the 2016-17 season after a 62-49 victory over LIU Brooklyn (2/21/19) at the North Athletic Complex. In nine years under Andrew Toole, the Colonials are 65-7 (.903) when turning the trick, including a perfect 10-0 mark in 2018-19.
 
Board Games - Part of following the formula in regard to being successful for RMU over the last 12 seasons has been the program's ability to crash the boards. Since the beginning of the 2007-08 campaign, Robert Morris owns a record of 161-42 (.793) when the Colonials are even or better in rebounding in a game, including a 152-36 (.809) mark when outrebounding their opponent.
 
The Anatomy Of Overtime - Robert Morris has been to overtime 13 times under head coach Andrew Toole in his nine years leading the Colonials. Under Toole, Robert Morris is 8-5 (.615) in overtime, including a perfect 5-0 at home. All-time in program history RMU has posted a record of 30-27 (.526) in overtime contests.
 
The Steel City - Robert Morris has consistently been at the top of the Northeast Conference leaderboard in steals throughout head coach Andrew Toole's tenure, as the Colonials have led the league in steals in each of the last three years as well as six times overall. So far in 2018-19, senior guard Matty McConnell leads the NEC in thefts with an average of 1.78 per contest thanks to 57 steals in 32 games. As a team, Robert Morris ranks second, posting an average of 7.22 pilfers per contest.
 
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