GAME 14
Cleveland State (8-3 / 4-0 #HLMBB) vs. RMU (2-11 / 0-4 #HLMBB)
Friday, Jan. 7, 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 continues a five-game homestand at the UPMC Events Center Friday, welcoming Cleveland State for a 7:00 p.m. tip in the second tilt of its homestand.
 
- The Colonials will also host Purdue Fort Wayne (1/9/22), Wright State (1/13/22) and Northern Kentucky (1/15/22) as part of their homestand. RMU played just three of its first 12 games at home but entered a stretch of 11 of 16 contests at the UPMC Events Center against Youngstown State (1/5/22).
 
- In the opener of its five-game homestand, the Penguins used a 9-0 spurt to turn a 49-47 deficit into a 56-49 lead en route to a 64-60 win over RMU. Fifth-year guard Rasheem Dunn was one of four Colonials to score in double figures with a team-high 15 points.
 
- Sophomore guard Enoch Cheeks notched his second career double-double against Youngstown State (1/5/22) with 12 points and 10 rebounds, while senior forward Kahliel Spear added 11 points, three caroms and three blocks. Sophomore guard Kam Farris added 10 points, knocking down two of his four attempts from beyond the arc.
 
- In four games at the UPMC Events Center so far this season, the Colonials have held opponents to an average of 68.5 points per game on 37.4 percent (91-for-243) shooting from the field, including 33.9 percent (38-for-112) from beyond the arc. Senior forward Kahliel Spear has been RMU's top producer at home, averaging 15.5 points and 8.8 rebounds per contest.
 
- In their 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).
 
- 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 17.7 points against Horizon League opposition to go along with averages of 4.7 rebounds, 4.3 assists and 1.7 steals.

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

The All-Time Series (Cleveland State) – RMU and Cleveland State tip for the 16th time Friday, with the Vikings owning an 8-7 (.533) advantage in the all-time series. CSU has won four of the last five meetings between the two programs. Friday's game marks the first between the two programs as Horizon League foes. The two were slated to play a two-game set last season before it was canceled due to implications of the COVID-19 global pandemic.
 
Youngstown State Notes – The Penguins earned their fourth consecutive win over the Colonials in grabbing a 12-11 (.522) advantage in the all-time series ... RMU established a season high in steals against Youngstown State with 11 ... Junior guard Michael Green III and sophomore guard Enoch Cheeks tied for game-high honors in thefts with three each ... YSU owned a 49-24 edge in rebounding, tying the highest margin (+25) by an RMU opponent in 12 years under Andrew Toole.
 
Block Party - RMU finished with six rejections against Youngstown State (1/5/22) and is in the midst of their best stretch of the season protecting the rim. Over the last four games, the Colonials own 22 blocks, an average of 5.5 per contest. During that stretch junior forward Matt Mayers owns eight rejections.
 
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 13 games of the 2021-22 season. Junior forward Matt Mayers has also played in all 13 games for RMU this year. Spear enters Friday's game as RMU's active leader for consecutive games (31) and starts (18) dating back to last season.
 
Downtown - Kam Farris has been a consistent threat for RMU from beyond the arc in his two seasons with the Colonials. He enters Friday's game against Cleveland State with 61 career three-pointers in 26 games at RMU, an average of 2.35 per contest, while converting at a 47.3 percent (61-for-129) clip from deep. A total of 71.7 percent (61-of-85) of the career field goals for Farris have been from beyond the arc, and he is the second fastest to reach 50 triples, accomplishing the feat in 21 contests.
 
Defense Wins Championships - The numbers bear out that following in the footsteps of defending is victories. Over the last 15 years, RMU owns a record of 204-58 (.779) when holding opponents under 70 points since the beginning of the 2007-08 season. Under 12th-year RMU Pat Gallagher Head Coach Andrew Toole, the Colonials own a mark of 153-51 (.750) when turning the trick. Overall the last 15 years, RMU has held its opponent to under 70 points 54.8 percent (262-of-478) of the time.

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

Tweet #BobbyMo