GAME 17
Northern Kentucky (6-8 / 2-3 #HLMBB) vs. RMU (2-14 / 0-7 #HLMBB)
Saturday, Jan. 15, 2022 • 7:00 p.m.
UPMC Events Center (4,000) • Moon Township, Pa.
 
TV: ESPN+
Talent: Chris Shovlin (pxp) & Jim Elias (color)
Audio: RMU Athletics Gameday App
Talent: Chris Shovlin (pxp) & Jim Elias (color)
Twitter: @RMUMBasketball • Instagram: RMUMBasketball
 
Opening Tip
 
- The RMU men's basketball team concludes its longest homestand of the 2021-22 season Saturday by welcoming Northern Kentucky for a 7:00 p.m. tip at the UPMC Events Center. It marks the final contest of a five-game homestand.
 
- The Colonials entered the homestand having played just three of their first 12 games at home but are in the midst of a stretch of 11 of 16 contests at the UPMC Events Center.
 
- RMU slipped to 0-4 on its homestand in its last game with a 75-73 loss to Wright State (1/13/22). Each of RMU's 11 conference games at the UPMC Events Center as a member of the Horizon League have been decided by six points or less, including four that have gone to overtime. RMU is 2-9 (.182) in those contests.
 
- Sophomore guard Kam Farris led four Colonials in double figures against the Raiders with 20 points. He knocked down eight of his 10 shots from the field, including a 4-for-5 performance from beyond the arc, while also compiling three rebounds and a pair of assists.
 
- Senior forward Kahliel Spear and junior guard Michael Green III each finished with 15 points against Wright State, with Spear adding three rebounds, two steals and a pair of blocks and Green handing out five assists. Sophomore guard Enoch Cheeks contributed 11 points, five boards and three steals.
 
- In seven games at the UPMC Events Center this season, senior forward Kahliel Spear has been RMU's top producer, averaging 16.3 points and 6.9 rebounds per contest. He has shot an absolute white hot 72.3 percent (47-for-65) from the floor at home this year and in 15 career games at the UPMC Events Center owns a shooting percentage of 63.6 percent (70-for-110).
 
- Prior to falling to Wright State, the Colonials dropped a 76-70 decision to Purdue Fort Wayne (1/9/22). Junior guard Michael Green III paced RMU against the Mastodons with a season-high 20 points. He shot 7-for-9 from the floor, including 3-for-4 from beyond the arc, and 3-for-4 at the free-throw line while also registering a pair of steals.
 
- Senior forward Kahliel Spear contributed 13 points, four rebounds and a block against Purdue Fort Wayne, while sophomore guard Enoch Cheeks finished with 13 points, a game-high seven rebounds, three assists and a rejection.
 
- RMU's four games during its homestand have been decided by a total of 13 points. Included are losses of four, one, six and two points. The one-point loss for the Colonials came against Cleveland State (1/7/22), 78-77. Senior forward Kahliel Spear paced the Colonials against the Vikings with a career-high 24 points while adding six rebounds, two assists and a pair of blocks. He shot 10-for-13 from the floor against CSU and was also 4-for-6 at the free-throw line.

NORTHERN KENTUCKY LINKS
- Game Notes (PDF)
- Audio
- Video
- Live Stats
- RMU Athletics Gameday App
- Tickets
 
The All-Time Series (Northern Kentucky) – Northern Kentucky and RMU square off for the third time on the hardwood Saturday. Each of the first three games of the all-time series have been played at the UPMC Events Center. The Norse earned a pair of five-point wins last season over the Colonials. In the first meeting between the two programs last year NKU earned an 81-76 triumph Jan. 22, 2021. NKU earned a sweep of the two-game set by earning a 79-74 win in overtime over RMU Jan. 23, 2021. In the two games guard Kam Farris averaged 12.0 points while shooting 50 percent (8-for-16) from the field.
 
Wright State Notes – RMU dipped to 0-5 all-time against the Raiders in an all-time series that dates back to 1977 ... The Colonials used a 13-2 run to turn a 65-58 deficit into a 71-67 lead, but Wright State scored the next eight points of the game en route to the victory ... The Raiders owned a 30-26 advantage on the glass, with each team finishing with seven offensive boards ... Grant Basile garnered game-high honors in scoring with 23 points ... RMU outscored Wright State, 38-36, in points in the paint while also owning a 17-12 advantage in points off turnovers ... The contest featured 14 ties and 19 lead changes.
 
Shooters Gonna Shoot – Sophomore guard Kam Farris paced the Colonials against Wright State (1/13/22) with 20 points on an 8-for-10 shooting performance from the field, including 4-for-5 from beyond the arc. Farris enters Saturday's game against Northern Kentucky leading the Horizon League in three-point field goal percentage, having converted 45.6 percent (31-for-68) of his attempts from international waters. Farris also ranks second in the circuit in three-point field goals made per game (2.58). In 29 career contests in an RMU uniform, 68 percent (66-of-97) of the career field goals for Farris have come from beyond the arc.
 
Home On The Range – Senior Kahliel Spear has been active on both sides of the ball during RMU's five-game homestand, as he has provided averages of 15.8 points, 4.0 rebounds and 2.0 blocks over the first four games. He has also shot 69.2 percent (27-for-39) from the floor. Spear is one of just two Colonials to start each of RMU's 16 games in 2021-22, joining sophomore guard Enoch Cheeks. During RMU's homestand, Cheeks has averaged 12.0 points, 6.0 rebounds and 2.0 steals while shooting an 63 percent (17-for-27) from the field. Combined, Spear and Cheeks have also converted 80.7 percent (21-for-26) of their chances at the free-throw line in the last four games.
 
Surging – The performance for senior forward Kahliel Spear during RMU's homestand has boosted his overall field goal percentage during the 2021-22 season to 51.3 percent (82-for-160). That mark ranks second in the Horizon League, trailing only Trey Townsend (.552) of Oakland. Spear enters Saturday's homestand finale against NKU having matched his season-high streak for consecutive double-figure scoring games at five. During that stretch he is supplying 14.6 points per game.
 
Did You Know? RMU has scored at least 30 points in the paint in each of its last 10 games as the Colonials conclude a five-game homestand Saturday at the UPMC Events Center. During that stretch the Colonials are averaging 37.8 points in the lane and have been even or outscored their opponents in the category in eight of those games. During its five-game homestand, RMU has averaged 36.5 points in the paint.

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