GAME 13
Youngstown State (8-5 / 2-1 #HLMBB) vs. RMU (2-10 / 0-3 #HLMBB)
Wednesday, Jan. 5, 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 opens the 2022 calendar year with a five-game homestand at the UPMC Events Center, beginning Wednesday with a 7:00 p.m. tip against Youngstown State.
 
- The Colonials will also host Cleveland State (1/7/22), Purdue Fort Wayne (1/9/22), Wright State (1/13/22) and Northern Kentucky (1/15/22) as part of its homestand. RMU played just three of its first 12 games at home but will play 11 of its next 16 contests at the UPMC Events Center.
 
- In its final game of 2021, the Colonials returned to Horizon League play and dropped a 79-61 decision @ Oakland (12/30/21). Sophomore guard Kam Farris paced RMU with 14 points and also added four assists. Also scoring in double figures were forwards Jaron Williams (12) and Kahliel Spear (10).
 
- In three games at the UPMC Events Center so far this season, the Colonials are averaging 81.0 points per game and are shooting 51.7 percent (92-for-178) from the field, including 44.8 percent (26-for-58) from beyond the arc. Senior forward Kahliel Spear is averaging a double-double at home with 17.0 points and 10.7 rebounds per contest.
 
- RMU concluded the non-conference portion of its 2021-22 slate with a 75-67 victory @ Saint Francis U (12/22/21). The Colonials were led by fifth-year guard Rasheem Dunn, who matched a season high with 21 points while also adding six rebounds, four assists and a pair of steals.
 
- Junior forward Matt Mayers recorded his first RMU double-double in the win over the Red Flash with 16 points and 11 rebounds, while sophomore guard Enoch Cheeks contributed 13 points and eight rebounds. As a team, the Colonials shot 48.3 percent (29-for-60) from the field in the triumph.
 
- Fifth-year guard Rasheem Dunn is averaging a team-high 19.0 points against Horizon League opposition to go along with averages of 5.0 rebounds, 5.0 assists and 2.0 steals. He has shot 48.1 percent (13-for-27) from the floor in #HLMBB tilts.
 
- The Colonials opened a three-game road swing with a 100-74 setback @ Bowling Green (12/19/21). Junior forward Matt Mayers earned his first start for the Colonials against the Falcons and paced RMU with 15 points on 6-of-11 shooting from the field and a 3-for-3 performance at the free-throw line. 
 
- Off the bench @ Bowling Green (12/19/21), junior guard Michael Green III scored 14 points and grabbed four rebounds, while sophomore guard Kam Farris chipped in 13 points. Also scoring in double figures was junior forward Justin Winston (11) and sophomore guard Enoch Cheeks (10).

YOUNGSTOWN STATE LINKS
- Game Notes (PDF)
- Audio
- Video
- Live Stats
- RMU Athletics Gameday App

The All-Time Series (Youngstown State) – RMU and Youngstown State meet for the 23rd time Wednesday but for just the third time as conference foes. The all-time series between the two programs is tied, 11-11 (.500). The Penguins have won three consecutive games over the Colonials as well as seven of the last nine meetings. A total of 15 of the 22 meetings between the two programs have been decided by eight points or less, including 14 of the last 18 contests.
 
Oakland Notes – The Golden Grizzlies grabbed a 6-1 (.857) advantage in the all-time series with the victory over the Colonials ... RMU shot 57.7 percent (15-for-26) from the field in the first half but converted just 10 of its 36 attempts from the floor (27.8%) after halftime ... Jamal Cain (22 points, 14 rebounds) and Jalen Moore (15 points, 10 assists) each notched double-doubles for Oakland ... RMU recorded 19 assists on its 25 field goals, with six different Colonials posting at least two dimes ... Forward Matt Mayers established a career high with three blocks against the Golden Grizzlies.
 
Home On The Range – While senior forward Kahliel Spear has averaged a double-double at home so far during the 2021-22 season, he isn't the only member of the Colonials to be producing at the UPMC Events Center. Sophomore guard Kam Farris is averaging 15.0 points per game at home so far this season and is shooting 61.1 percent (11-for-18) from the field, including 53.3 percent (8-for-15) from deep. Fifth-year guard Rasheem Dunn, meanwhile, is averaging 14.7 points, 6.0 assists and 2.7 steals at the UPMC Events Center.
 
The Rocks – Fifth-year guard Rasheem Dunn missed RMU's game @ Oakland (12/30/21), leaving senior forward Kahliel Spear and sophomore guard Enoch Cheeks as the only two Colonials to have started each of RMU's 12 games of the 2021-22 season. Junior forward Matt Mayers has also played in all 12 games for the Colonials this year. Spear enters Wednesday's game as RMU's active leader for consecutive games (30) and starts (17) dating back to last season.
 
All-Around Effort – Rasheem Dunn has settled in as a complete player for the Colonials, as the fifth-year guard is in the midst of his best stretch in an RMU uniform. Despite missing RMU's game @ Oakland (12/30/21), Dunn enters Wednesday's game against Youngstown State providing averages of 14.8 points, 5.7 assists and 2.0 steals over his last six contests while shooting 47.1 percent (32-for-68) from the field and 70.4 percent (19-for-27) at the free-throw line. Twice during that stretch Dunn has established a season high in scoring with 21 points and also registered his first RMU double-double with 10 points and 10 assists in a 99-51 triumph over Lancaster Bible (12/8/21).
 
Dunk You Very Much – Senior forward Kahliel Spear is as active as any member of the Colonials in recent years at the rim, and you just have to look at the numbers. In addition to ranking sixth in the Horizon League entering Thursday's game @ Oakland with an average of 1.00 blocks per game, Spear is RMU's leader on the other end of the court in dunks. In 12 games, Spear has provided 18 jams, already surpassing his season total in 18 games last season. Spear has played 30 games at RMU and in that span owns 31 dunks.

Follow The Colonials: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube | RMU Athletics Gameday App

Tweet #BobbyMo