Women's Basketball | 2/16/2020 10:51:00 AM
Moon Township, Pa. – Off to its best Northeast Conference (NEC) start in program history at 13-0, the
Robert Morris University women's basketball team renews its Keystone State rivalry with Saint Francis U on Monday, Feb. 17 in Loretto. The Colonials own a 2.5-game lead in the NEC standings and have won 10 straight contests by double-digits, coming away with an average margin of victory of 25.6 points over this stretch.
GAME #25
Robert Morris Colonials (18-6, 13-0 NEC) @ Saint Francis U Red Flash (11-14, 9-5 NEC)
Monday, February 17, 2020 // 7:00 p.m. // Loretto, Pa. – DeGol Arena (3,500)
Live Video: NEC Front Row // Live Stats: SFUAthletics.com
Notes Package: Robert Morris // Saint Francis U
History w/ Saint Francis U
Overall: 46-41 | Home: 27-14 | Away: 18-26 | Neutral: 1-2 | Streak: W3
Last Game: March 17, 2019 – Moon Township, Pa. – Robert Morris 65, Saint Francis U 54 [NEC Championship Game]
Robert Morris owns a 46-41 edge in the all-time series with its Keystone State rival, and last season completed its first three-game season sweep of Saint Francis U since the 2011-12 campaign. The Colonials and Red Flash have met in the past two NEC Championship Games, each winning one.
In last year's title tilt, RMU made it three tournament crowns in four seasons with a 65-54 triumph over SFU.
Nina Augustin led the Colonials with 14 points (4-8 3PT), while
Isabella Posset added 12 (3-6 3PT, 3-4 FT) and six assists.
Nneka Ezeigbo, who captured NEC Tournament MVP honors, finished with an 11-point, 12-rebound double-double. The win gave RMU a perfect 22-0 record against league foes at the North Athletic Complex.
The last meeting in Loretto provided one of the best games of the 2019-20 season, as the Colonials outscored the Red Flash, 11-4, in the final three minutes to come away with a 66-60 road triumph. Trailing 56-55, RMU used an 8-0 surge behind treys from Augustin and Posset to take the final lead. Augustin finished with a career-high 18 points on 6-of-12 from deep, and the Colonial defense held two-time NEC Player of the Year Jessica Kovatch to just six points on 1-of-9 shooting.
Scouting the Red Flash
Saint Francis U is again near the top of the NEC standings under first-year head coach Keila Washington, sitting at 9-5 in the league and 11-14 overall. The Red Flash are just 4-4 in their last eight, however, with losses at Long Island (53-71), Wagner (50-55), Mount St. Mary's (44-68), and at home against Merrimack (56-71) over that stretch.
Junior guard Karson Swogger is one of two players averaging double figures in scoring with a team-high 11.6 points per game. Classmate Haley Thomas is at 10.6 points and 6.0 rebounds per contest, and third-year guard Jenna Mastellone is shooting a team-best 40.0 percent (24-60) from beyond the arc.
SFU ranks in the top four of the NEC in free throw percentage (.728, 3rd), field goal percentage (.398, 3rd), rebounding margin (+1.64, 3rd), and three-point percentage (.311, 4th). The Red Flash are second-to-last in scoring margin (-9.56), and at the bottom in scoring offense (56.48), steals (4.32), and turnover margin (-7.68).
Oops, We Did It Again
For the third consecutive season, Robert Morris broke the program record for best conference start, opening up at 12-0 with a 77-35 win at Wagner on Feb. 10. Now at 13-0, the Colonials previously went 9-0 in 2017-18 to establish a new standard, then topped that in 2018-19 with an 11-0 start. In both seasons, RMU finished with a 16-2 record in the NEC.
The Colonials are the fourth team since 2000 to start 13-0 in the NEC, joining 2004 Saint Francis U, 2009 Sacred Heart, and 2013 Quinnipiac. All three of those teams finished unbeaten at 18-0. This current RMU squad has a larger average margin of victory (22.8 PPG) than the aforementioned three (SFU - 18.7, SHU - 14.7, QU - 17.2), and has 11 double-digit conference wins thus far.
The Defense (Never) Rests
Robert Morris prides itself on its defense and this season is no different. The Colonials enters this meeting ranked sixth nationally in scoring defense (53.4), 13th in turnovers forced (21.29) and three-point defense (.264), 17th in turnover margin (+5.92), 20th in steals (10.8), and 22nd in field goal defense (.353).
Last season, RMU slotted 12th in the NCAA in scoring defense (55.3), 24th in turnovers forced (20.18), 26th in turnover margin (+4.18), and 32nd in steals (9.9). The Colonials have posted a top-25 scoring defense in each of the last three seasons, coming in at 25th in 2016-17 (57.0), and eighth in 2017-18 (54.1). The 2017-18 mark in a school record.
RMU is in the midst of an impressive streak, causing double-digit turnovers in each of its last 155 games. In 72 of those contests, the Colonials have forced 20 or more turnovers from their opponent - a number that includes 14 such instances this season.
Bench Brigade
The Colonial bench has produced all season long, averaging 23.5 points per game and 10.9 more than their opponents' reserves. The unit has tallied double-digit points in 21 consecutive games and 23 contests overall, while hitting the 20-point mark in 12 of the last 13.
Charlie Buscaglia has always had a strong bench since taking over as head coach prior to 2016-17. RMU received 23.5 points per game from its reserves in 2018-19 and 20.0 in 2017-18.
The Colonial bench has scored 30 or more points five times this season, highlighted by hitting a season-high 39 points on Feb. 1 against Central Connecticut. Since 2016-17, RMU is 18-1 when it receives 30 or more points from its reserves.
In February, We Wear Pink
It has been a tradition for Robert Morris to don pink alternate jerseys during select February games to raise breast cancer awareness. It has also been a tradition for the Colonials to win those contests. Since the 2013-14 season, RMU has accumulated a 29-1 record when wearing pink jerseys.
RMU has averaged 16.5 more points than its opponents in the tint, with 24 of its 29 triumphs coming by double figures. Last season, the Colonials went 6-0 in pink with a 13.8-point average margin of victory, and finished 3-0 in 2017-18 and 4-0 in 2016-17.
30 Rock
Robert Morris topped its single-season program record for 30-point victories with its sixth on Feb. 10, a 77-35 win at Wagner. The Colonials previously defeated Bryant (69-39), Central Connecticut (86-56, 80-42), Pitt-Johnstown (63-30), and Sacred Heart (73-43) by 30 or more points.
RMU was tied with the 2006-07 side with five 30-point triumphs, and now has 60 wins of 30 points or more in its all-time history. The 42-point rout of the Seahawks on Feb. 10 is 13th largest margin of victory in program annals, and the third biggest road triumph.
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 18-0 in such situations this season, and went 22-0 last season. All-time, RMU is 638-0 when holding the lead at the final whistle.
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