Women's Basketball | 2/2/2020 10:55:00 AM
Moon Township, Pa. – Coming off its biggest win of the season and fourth of 30 points or more, the
Robert Morris University women's basketball team finishes off a two-game home stand on Monday, Feb. 3 at 7:00 p.m. against Bryant at Peoples Court at the UPMC Events Center. This is the only meeting in the regular season between the Colonials and Bulldogs. RMU has a 2.5-game lead in the Northeast Conference (NEC) standings over Mount St. Mary's (6-2) and needs to win its next three games to establish a new record for best league start.
GAME #21
Bryant Bulldogs (5-14, 3-5 NEC) @ Robert Morris Colonials (14-6, 9-0 NEC)
Monday, February 3, 2020 // 7:00 p.m. // Moon Township, Pa. – Peoples Court at the UPMC Events Center (4,000)
Live Video: NEC Front Row // Live Stats: RMUColonials.com
Notes Package: Bryant // Robert Morris
Tickets: Ticketmaster
History w/ Bryant
Overall: 18-5 | Home: 12-0 | Away: 6-5 | Neutral: 0-0 | Streak: W5
Last Game: Feb. 9, 2019 – Moon Township, Pa. – Robert Morris 59, Bryant 56
Robert Morris has held the upper hand in the all-time series with Bryant, owning an 18-5 edge and a perfect 12-0 mark at home. 10 of those victories, however, have come by single digits, including the last three.
The Colonials broke their one-year-old record for best NEC start last season against the Bulldogs, escaping with a 59-56 victory at the North Athletic Complex. After 12 lead changes and eight deadlocks,
Isabella Posset's layup with 38 seconds remaining put RMU ahead for good.
Nina Augustin led the hosts with 12 points on 4-of-7 shooting and three steals.
On March 12, 2017, the Colonials captured their seventh NEC Tournament championship with a 65-52 win over Bryant in the final game at the Charles L. Sewall Center. RMU received a game-high 23 points and nine caroms from Anna Niki Stamolamprou '17, who became a two-time NEC Tournament MVP.
Scouting the Bulldogs
Bryant is 5-14 overall and 3-5 in NEC play this season under the direction of 29th-year head coach Mary Burke. The Bulldogs knocked off Long Island (57-53) at home and Fairleigh Dickinson (57-45) and Mount St. Mary's (72-67) on the road, and three of their five league losses have come by single digits.
It's been a balanced attack for Bryant this year, but the production starts with senior forward Sydney Holloway. Holloway, who has come off the bench in the Bulldogs' nine games, is averaging team bests in scoring (10.1) and rebounding (9.2). Freshman guard Nicole Gallagher is right behind her in the scoring category at 9.3 points per game, adding a team-high 2.3 assists per game and 32 three-pointers. Eight players are averaging 4.5 points or more, which matches the Colonials.
Bryant has always been one of the better teams on the glass in the NEC, ranking third on the circuit this season in rebounding margin (+1.47). The Bulldogs have struggled offensively, however, ranking ninth in scoring (57.79) and scoring margin (-8.89), 10th in assists (10.63), three-point percentage (.278), and made (4.84), and 11th in field goal percentage (.359) and free throw percentage (.661).
In February, We Wear Pink
It has been a tradition for Robert Morris to don pink alternate jerseys during select February games to raise breast cancer awareness. It has also been a tradition for the Colonials to win those contests. Since the 2013-14 season, RMU has accumulated a 26-1 record when wearing pink jerseys.
RMU has averaged 15.0 more points than its opponents in the tint, with 21 of its 26 triumphs coming by double figures. Last season, the Colonials went 6-0 in pink with a 13.8-point average margin of victory, and finished 3-0 in 2017-18 and 4-0 in 2016-17.
Bench Brigade
The Colonial bench has produced all season long, averaging 24.0 points per game and 11.3 more than their opponents' reserves. The unit has tallied double-digit points in 17 consecutive games and 19 contests overall, while hitting the 20-point mark in nine straight contests.
Charlie Buscaglia has always had a strong bench since taking over as head coach prior to 2016-17. RMU received 23.5 points per game from its reserves in 2018-19 and 20.0 in 2017-18.
The Colonial bench has scored 30 or more points three times this season, highlighted by hitting a season-high 39 points this past Saturday against Central Connecticut. Since 2016-17, RMU is 16-1 when it receives 30 or more points from its reserves.
30 Rock
For the first time since the 2007-08 campaign, Robert Morris can boast four victories of 30 points or more. The Colonials first accomplished this on Nov. 27 against Pitt-Johnstown (63-30), and since turned the trick on Jan. 2 at Central Connecticut (86-56), Jan. 20 against Sacred Heart (73-43), and this past Saturday once again against the Blue Devils (80-42).
RMU now has 58 30-point wins in its all-time history, with the 38-point rout of Central Connecticut tied for the 18th largest margin of victory in program annals. The 2006-07 Colonials own the most victories by 30 points in a single season, meeting that mark five times - three times in NEC play..
Instant Offense
Junior guard
Laura Carrasco had a quarter to remember this past Saturday against Central Connecticut. Checking in at the 7:59 mark of the frame, Carrasco caught fire from her first touch and finished with a career-high 14 points. She went 3-of-3 from the field - including a 2-of-2 mark on three-pointers - and made 6-of-7 attempts at the free throw stripe.
Carrasco's 14 points is the most for a Colonial in a single quarter since Feb. 6, 2017 at LIU Brooklyn. Anna Niki Stamolamprou '17 poured in 15 points in the final frame of a 64-54 victory, going 4-of-5 from the field and 6-of-6 at the foul line.
The Defense (Never) Rests
Robert Morris prides itself on its defense and this season is no different. The Colonials entered the weekend ranked 15th nationally in turnovers forced (21.42), 17th in steals (11.1), 19th in turnover margin (+5.79), 41st in scoring defense (57.5), 67th in field goal percentage defense (.371), and 90th in three-point field goal defense (.291) - the first four numbers also topping the conference circuit.
Last season, RMU slotted 12th in the NCAA in scoring defense (55.3), 24th in turnovers forced (20.18), 26th in turnover margin (+4.18), and 32nd in steals (9.9). The Colonials have posted a top-25 scoring defense in each of the last three seasons, coming in at 25th in 2016-17 (57.0), and eighth in 2017-18 (54.1). The 2017-18 mark in a school record, breaking the previous standard set the year prior.
RMU is in the midst of an impressive streak, causing double-digit turnovers in each of its last 151 games. In 70 of those contests, the Colonials have forced 20 or more turnovers from their opponent - a number that includes 12 such instances this season.
Insurmountable Lead
Robert Morris has never lost a game in which it has held the lead at the end of the second half. The Colonials are 14-0 in such situations this season, and went 22-0 last season. All-time, RMU is 634-0 when holding the lead at the final whistle.
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