GAME 30
RMU (7-22 / 5-15 #HLMBB) @ Wright State (17-13 / 14-7 #HLMBB)
Saturday, Feb. 26, 2022 • 7:00 p.m.
Nutter Center (10,400) • Dayton, Ohio
 
TV: ESPN+
Talent: Chris Collins (pxp) & Jim Brown (color)
Audio: RMU Athletics Gameday App
Talent: Chris Shovlin (pxp)
Twitter: @RMUMBasketball • Instagram: RMUMBasketball
 
Opening Tip
 
- The RMU men's basketball team concludes its 2021-22 regular season Saturday, traveling to Dayton, Ohio, for a 7:00 p.m. tip against Wright State at the Nutter Center.
 
- The Colonials opened a two-game road swing to close out the regular season with a 78-64 loss @ Northern Kentucky (2/24/22). Sophomore guard Kam Farris paced RMU with 14 points off the bench, connecting on five of his eight shots from the floor, including 3-for-5 from beyond the arc.
 
- Senior forward Kahliel Spear finished with 12 points and four rebounds against the Norse, junior forward Matt Mayers added 11 points and a team-high six rebounds and sophomore guard Enoch Cheeks contributed 10 points, four boards, four assists and a pair of steals.
 
- Senior forward Kahliel Spear enters Saturday's regular-season finale against the Raiders leading the Horizon League in field goal percentage at 54.8 percent (171-for-312). He has scored in double figures in each of RMU's eight games in February, averaging 17.9 points per game.
 
- 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.

WRIGHT STATE LINKS
- Game Notes (PDF)
- Audio
- Video
- Live Stats
- RMU Athletics Gameday App
 
The All-Time Series (Wright State) – Wright State and RMU meet for the sixth time Saturday, with the Raiders having won each of the previous five meetings. The Colonials have played WSU three times as a member of the Horizon League, but the all-time series dates back to RMU's first NCAA Division I season in 1976-77 (Hat tip to Wright State color analyst Jim Brown). In the opening game of the 2021-22 season series, Wright State posted a 75-73 win over RMU at the UPMC Events Center (1/13/22). The Raiders closed the contest on an 8-2 run to earn the victory. Senior forward Kahliel Spear and junior guard Michael Green III each scored 15 points to pace the Colonials, while sophomore guard Enoch Cheeks added 11 points. 
 
Northern Kentucky Notes – The Norse grabbed a 3-1 (.750) advantage in the all-time series over RMU by splitting the 2021-22 season series ... Marques Warrick scored 20 of his game-high 30 points in the first half to pace NKU ... It marks the second 30-point performance against the Colonials this season, as Tavian Dunn-Martin of Florida Gulf Coast scored 31 at the UPMC Events Center (12/11/21) ... RMU shot 52 percent (13-for-25) from the field in the first half and 48.1 percent (26-for-54) overall ... The Norse held a 39-23 edge in rebounding, including a 17-8 edge on the offensive glass ... The Colonials outscored Northern Kentucky, 22-10, in points off turnovers ... NKU owned a 38-30 edge in points in the paint.
 
New Kids On The Block – RMU enters its final game of the 2021-22 regular season Saturday @ Wright State having rejected 106 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 106 rejections is currently third in the single-season record book.
 
Eight Is Great – Senior forward Kahliel Spear, named to the 2022 Horizon League All-Academic Team after compiling a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.92 as an economics major, has scored in double figures in each of RMU's eight games during February, the longest active streak by a member of the Colonials. During the month, Spear is averaging 17.9 points and 8.5 rebounds per contest while shooting 59.4 percent (57-for-96) 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 against UIC (2/19/22). Overall this season, Spear owns eight games scoring 20 or more points.
 
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 208-59 (.779) when holding opponents under 70 points since the beginning of the 2007-08 season. Despite a 66-56 loss to IUPUI (2/17/22), the Colonials have posted a ledger of 158-52 (.752) under 12th-year RMU Pat Gallagher Head Coach Andrew Toole when turning the trick. Overall in the last 15 years, RMU has held its opponent to under 70 points 54.2 percent (268-of-494) of the time.
 
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 fifth in the Horizon League with an average of 1.07 blocks per game, Spear is RMU's leader on the other end of the court in dunks. In 29 games in 2021-22, Spear has provided 49 jams, and in 47 career contests at RMU he owns 62 dunks (1.32 per game). Spear owns 63.6 percent (49-of-77) of the dunks the Colonials have provided during the 2021-22 campaign.

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

Tweet #BobbyMo