GAME 31
2022 Keeps Horizon League Tournament - First Round
#10 RMU (7-23) @ #7 Youngstown State (18-13)
Tuesday, March 1, 2022 • 7:00 p.m.
Beeghly Center (6,300) • Youngstown, Ohio
 
TV: ESPN+
Talent: Robb Schmidt (pxp) & Ron Potesta (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 Keeps Horizon League Tournament Tuesday with a 7:00 p.m. tip at the Beeghly Center against No. 7 seed Youngstown State. The Colonials enter the tourney as the No. 10 seed.
 
- RMU concluded its 2021-22 regular season by dropping a 71-61 decision @ Wright State (2/26/22). Senior forward Kahliel Spear paced the Colonials with 14 points and seven rebounds, while junior forwards Jaron Williams and Brandon Stone each contributed 13 points.
 
- In a vote of Horizon League head coaches, senior forward Kahliel Spear was named to the 2022 #HLMBB Third Team. Spear enters the 2022 Keeps Horizon League Tournament as RMU's leading scorer (14.5 ppg) and rebounder (7.6 rpg) and also leads the circuit in field goal percentage (.540).
 
- Senior forward Kahliel Spear also earned spots on the 2021-22 Academic All-District® Team (Feb. 17) by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) as well as the 2022 Horizon League All-Academic Team (Feb. 24). Spear is an economics major who has maintained a cumulative grade point average of 3.92.
 
- Spear enters the 2022 Keeps #HLMBB Tournament having scored in double figures in nine consecutive games. During the month of February, Spear averaged 17.4 points and 8.3 rebounds while converting 56.5 percent (61-for-108) of his shots from the field. Included in that stretch was a career-high 27 points to pace RMU in a 73-68 win @ Youngstown State (2/13/22).
 
- 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.
 
- 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.
 
- 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.

YOUNGSTOWN STATE LINKS
- Game Notes (PDF)
- Audio
- Video
- Live Stats
- RMU Athletics Gameday App
- 2022 Keeps #HLMBB Tournament
 
The All-Time Series (Youngstown State) – RMU and Youngstown State meet for the 25th time Tuesday but for the first time in the Horizon League Tournament. The all-time series between the two programs is tied, 12-12 (.500). A total of 17 of the 24 meetings between the two programs have been decided by eight points or less, including 16 of the last 20 contests. RMU earned a split in the 2021-22 season series with a 73-68 win over the Penguins in the last meeting between the two programs in Youngstown, Ohio, Feb. 13, 2022. The victory helped the Colonials improve to 6-5 (.545) all-time at the Beeghly Center. Senior forward Kahliel Spear was one of four Colonials to reach double figures in the win with a career-high 27 points. Junior guard Michael Green III added 14 points, junior forward Matt Mayers scored 11 and off the bench sophomore guard Kam Farris contributed 10 points.
 
Wright State Notes – The Raiders have won each of the six meetings in the all-time series, including each of the four as Horizon League foes ... RMU slipped to 5-5 (.500) this season when leading at the half after owning a 32-29 advantage at the break ... The contest featured three ties and eight lead changes ... Wright State shot 56 percent (14-for-25) from the field in the second half and 51 percent (26-for-51) overall ... RMU converted 47.3 percent (26-for-55) of its shots from the floor, the sixth time in the last seven games the Colonials have shot 47 percent or better ... The Colonials enter the 2022 Keeps #HLMBB Tournament having shot 48.2 percent (178-for-369) from the field in their last seven games.
 
Inside The Numbers – RMU has done a solid job attacking the rim in recents weeks, and the frontcourt has taken advantage of its opportunities. Entering the 2022 Keeps #HLMBB Tournament, the four forwards that make up the rotation for the Colonials, including senior Kahliel Spear and juniors Matt Mayers, Jaron Williams and Brandon Stone, have combined to shoot 59.2 percent (103-for-174) from the floor over the last six games. During that span, Stone has averaged 9.7 points and 4.7 rebounds while shooting 64.1 percent (25-for-39) from the field, including 6-for-10 (60%) from beyond the arc. He opened the stretch by tying a career high with 17 points against Oakland (2/11/22).
 
New Kids On The Block – RMU enters the 2022 Keeps Horizon League Tournament having rejected 109 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 109 rejections is currently third in the single-season record book.
 
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 209-59 (.780) 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 54.1 percent (268-of-495) of the time.
 
Opposite Ends Of The Spectrum – Through the end of the 2021-22 regular season, RMU owns a record 7-3 (.700) when holding opponents under 70 points. On the other end, the Colonials are 0-20 when opponents score 70 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 sixth in the Horizon League with an average of 1.03 blocks per game, Spear is RMU's leader on the other end of the court in dunks. In 30 games in 2021-22, Spear has provided 50 jams, and in 48 career contests at RMU he owns 63 dunks (1.31 per game). Spear owns 64.1 percent (50-of-78) of the dunks the Colonials have provided during the 2021-22 campaign.
 
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.

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