In a defensively-minded game, the Colonials came out on top of Central Michigan 64-55, in a game where both teams could not find the shot from inside or outside the arc. Sophomore, Artemis Spanou, led Robert Morris with a game-high and season-high 24 points.
“I got more confident this game and the team passed me the ball. They trust me and the ball just went in,” said Spanou on her game tonight.
Despite having three Colonials each score in double-figures the first two games, only Spanou with 27 points, while tracking down 13 rebounds, and senior forward Mary Durojaye passed that mark with 16 points and picked up 10 boards.
The impressive freshman-duo of Crystal Bradford (guard) and Jas’Mine (forward) were the only true scoring outlets for Central Michigan scoring 17 points and 21 points respectively.
In a low-scoring effort from both clubs, Robert Morris led the Chippewas 21-18 at halftime. Spanou led all scorers for the Colonials with seven points; 2-6 from the field. Bracey went 3-4 from the floor and 2-2 from the free-throw line.
Junior guard, Briannica Tye, did not find the touch like she did against the Golden Flashes of Kent State, only scoring 9 points and dishing out 8 assists.
Sophomore guard Niki DiGuilio hit three 3-pointers to give the Chippewas a 43-41 lead at the 8:00 mark. That was Central Michigan’s first lead of the game since the first minutes of the game.
During the 16:32 and 9:24 mark of the first half, the Chippewas did not score a single point. That allowed Robert Morris to come out to an early lead that they kept the rest of the half.
Neither team excelled in a certain category as statistics were split down the middle. Robert Morris collected 52 rebounds to Central Michigan’s 50. The Chippewas turned the ball over 21 times turning into 18 points.
Both teams struggled from the field as each team shot fewer than 35.0%. Central Michigan was a total, 21-72 and Robert Morris shot 20 and 64.
This is the first time the Colonials have started 3-0 in 30 years. The 1980-81 season saw a Colonial squad reach four straight wins to start out the regular season, which is the current school record.
Robert Morris came into this game with a 2-0 record, tied for second in the NEC with Central Connecticut State. As for the Chippewas, they were ranked No. 1 in the MAC West Division, but a season-opener loss to Northwestern of the Big 10 dampened their top-ranked run.
Central Michigan was the preseason-ranked No. 24 in the CollegeInsider.com Top 25 Mid-Major poll.
This was the first time Buscaglia and his Colonial team has ever met the Central Michigan Chippewas in history.
Head Coach Sue Guevara will take on Pittsburgh on the Sunday at the Rose Arena in Mount Pleasant, Michigan. Robert Morris will travel to Stony Brook on November 23rd in their first road game of the season.
After that contest, the Colonial’s next home game will be on December 3rd and then on the fifth, hosting Fairleigh Dickinson, which will begin NEC competition.
Spanou commented on the road trip and their team’s first 3-0 start since 1980-81, “We continue to pick each other up and that is how we win games. We must stay confident and win the next game.”
She continued, “We must continue to work hard and the team doesn’t get confident about that. We will go into the next game and try to hit the 4-0 mark.
