GAME 29
RMU (7-21 / 5-14 #HLMBB) @ Northern Kentucky (16-11 / 12-6 #HLMBB)
Thursday, Feb. 24, 2022 • 7:00 p.m.
BB&T Arena (10,000) • Highland Heights, Ky.
 
TV: ESPN+
Talent: Brady Laber (pxp) & Brad Redford (color)
Audio: RMU Athletics Gameday App
Talent: Chris Shovlin (pxp)
Twitter: @RMUMBasketball • Instagram: RMUMBasketball
 
Opening Tip
 
- The RMU men's basketball team takes to the road for its final two games of the 2021-22 regular season. The Colonials will play its first game at BB&T Arena Thursday to open the swing with a 7:00 p.m. tip against Northern Kentucky.
 
- In wrapping up its home slate at the UPMC Events Center, the Colonials dropped a 96-88 decision to UIC (2/19/22) in overtime. The 88 points are the most scored during the 2021-22 season against an NCAA Division I opponent as RMU knocked down 53.2 percent (33-for-62) of its attempts from the field.
 
- Senior forward Kahliel Spear led four Colonials in double figures against the Flames with 24 points while also grabbing nine rebounds. Off the bench, junior forward Brandon Stone finished with 16 points and set a career high with nine caroms. Junior guard Michael Green III scored 14 points and sophomore guard Enoch Cheeks contributed 11.
 
- Eight of RMU's 14 games at the UPMC Events Center during the 2021-22 season were decided by eight points or less, including two that went to overtime. The Colonials finished 1-7 (.125) in those contests. RMU is 2-2 (.500) on the road this season in games decided by eight points or less.
 
- The Colonials opened their final homestand with a 66-56 setback to IUPUI (2/17/22). Junior forward Matt Mayers paced the Colonials with 12 points and also grabbed a game-high nine rebounds, while senior forward Kahliel Spear contributed 11 points and six boards.
 
- Prior to its loss to the Jaguars, the Colonials picked up their second consecutive road victory, a 73-68 triumph @ Youngstown State (2/13/22). RMU used a 12-0 run to turn a 64-54 deficit into a 66-64 lead en route to the win.
 
- Senior forward Kahliel Spear led the way against the Penguins with a career-high 27 points on 10-of-11 shooting from the field, including 3-for-3 from deep, and a 4-for-5 performance at the free-throw line. He also added seven rebounds and a pair of blocks.
 
- Spear enters Thursday's game against the Norse leading the Horizon League in field goal percentage at 54.8 percent (165-for-301). In his two seasons in an RMU uniform after transferring from Bucknell, Spear has shot 54.8 percent (235-for-429) from the floor.
 
- In 14 games at the UPMC Events Center during the 2021-22 season, senior forward Kahliel Spear paced RMU with averages of 16.6 points and 7.8 rebounds while knocking down 63.3 percent (95-for-150) of his shots from the field. He has also registered 19 blocks (1.46 per contest). Spear reached double figures in 13 of RMU's 14 games at home in 2021-22 and enters Thursday's game @ Northern Kentucky having scored in double figures in seven consecutive games.

NORTHERN KENTUCKY LINKS
- Game Notes (PDF)
- Audio
- Video
- Live Stats
- RMU Athletics Gameday App
 
The All-Time Series (Northern Kentucky) – Northern Kentucky and RMU square off for the fourth time on the hardwood Thursday but for the first time at BB&T Arena. The Norse own a 2-1 (.667) advantage in the all-time series. In the first game of the 2021-22 season series, the Colonials earned a 74-64 win over NKU (1/15/22) at the UPMC Events Center. Senior forward Kahliel Spear recorded a double-double in the victory with 21 points and 11 rebounds and also registered four assists and a pair of blocks.
 
UIC Notes – The victory improved the Flames to a perfect 5-0 against the Colonials over the last three years ... The meeting marked the first between the two programs at the UPMC Events Center and the last as Horizon League foes, as UIC is joining the Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) in the summer of 2022 ... Damaria Franklin scored 21 of his game-high 28 points in the second half and overtime for the Flames, while Zion Griffin scored 27 points off the bench ... The Colonials shot 58.1 percent (32-for-55) from the field in regulation but hit just one of their seven attempts (14.3%) in overtime ... UIC owned a 36-33 advantage on the glass, including a 15-10 advantage in offensive rebounds.
 
The Anatomy Of Overtime – RMU has been to overtime 21 times under RMU Pat Gallagher Head Coach Andrew Toole in his 12 years leading the Colonials. Under Toole, RMU owns a mark of 10-11 (.476) when heading to the extra frame, including a mark of 7-5 (.583) at home, after dropping a 96-88 decision to UIC (2/19/22) to close out its home slate in 2021-22. All-time in program history the Colonials have posted a record of 32-33 (.492) when playing free basketball. When RMU plays a second round of overtime, the Colonials have recorded a mark of 4-5 (.444) in 46 years as an NCAA Division I program, including 1-1 (.500) under Toole. The Colonials have gone to overtime six times in its two years against foes from the Horizon League.
 
New Kids On The Block – RMU enters its final two games of the 2021-22 regular season this week having rejected 102 shots on the year, including a team-high 31 from senior forward Kahliel Spear. It marks the fifth time in program history the Colonials have eclipsed 100 blocks in a season, including the third time under 12th-year Pat Gallagher Head Coach Andrew Toole. The school record of 127 came during the 2015-16 season, while RMU blocked 121 shots during the 2008-09 campaign. RMU's 102 rejections is currently tied for third in the single-season record book, as the Colonials also recorded 102 blocks in 1982-83.
 
Seven Springs – Senior forward Kahliel Spear has scored in double figures in each of RMU's seven games during the month of February, the longest active streak by a member of the Colonials. During the month, Spear is averaging 18.7 points and 9.1 rebounds per contest while shooting an even 60 percent (51-for-85) from the field. He has eclipsed the 20-point plateau three times during that stretch, including a career-high 27 points in a 73-68 win @ Youngstown State (2/13/22) as well as a team-high 24 points in RMU's last game against UIC (2/19/22). Overall this season, Spear owns eight games scoring 20 or more points.
 
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 being tied for fourth in the Horizon League with an average of 1.11 blocks per game, Spear is RMU's leader on the other end of the court in dunks. In 28 games in 2021-22, Spear has provided 47 jams, and in 46 career contests at RMU he owns 60 dunks (1.30 per game). Spear owns 63.5 percent (47-of-74) of the dunks the Colonials have provided during the 2021-22 campaign.

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