Pictured Above – Redshirt sophomore Joellen How, who scored a career-high 11 points at Robert Morris on Saturday afternoon (Credit: Dave Saffran)
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Moon Township, PA – Sophomores
Taylah Simmons and
Joellen How each scored in double figures but it wasn't enough as Wagner fell to the Robert Morris University Colonials, 69-46, at the North Athletic Complex on Saturday afternoon.
With the loss, the Seahawks are now 5-13 overall and 3-4 in Northeast Conference (NEC) play, while the Colonials remain perfect in league contests at 7-0 and move to 10-8 overall on the year.
Simmons finished with a team-leading 15 points on 7-of-14 shooting from the field while grabbing five rebounds, dishing out two assists, and recording two steals in her 30 minutes of action.
Today's double-digit performance by Simmons marked the 25th time in her career that she has scored ten or more points and extends her double-figure scoring streak to eight straight games, as today's output was the 13th time she netted double-digits.
How, who scored six of her 11 points in the second half, set a career high for points, surpassing her previous best of ten, which was recorded back on March 2, 2018 at Robert Morris. How logged a career-high 29 minutes off the bench.
Robert Morris had three players score in double figures, led by a pair of 14-point efforts by Honoka Ikematsu and Nina Augustin. This tandem combined to shoot 10-for-21 from the field, including 50.0 percent from three-point range, as each player netted four treys four treys in the contest. Nneka Ezeigbo finished with a double-double, scoring 13 points while grabbing a game-high 17 rebounds.
Wagner opened up the game with the first five points in the quarter, as junior forward
Jordan Hobson, who finished with seven points, connected early and often for the visitors before RMU's Ikematsu ended the Seahawk outburst with a three-pointer to spur a 6-0 run and a 6-5 Colonials' lead.
The Seahawks answered right back on the strength of a 9-2 run over the next three minutes in taking a 14-8 lead. The Green & White hit 4-of-6 during this span, with How scoring five of the nine points while the Seahawk defense limited the Colonials to just one made basket in six chances. Augustin hit on a three before the close of the first quarter as Wagner led 14-11.
The visitors scored the first four points of the second quarter in building an 18-11 lead as Simmons and Hobson continued to power the Seahawk offense early on. Robert Morris closed the gap to three, 20-17, after a mini 6-2 run of its own over a one-minute stretch as Ezeigbo was able to hit on a mid-range jumper.
RMU outscored Wagner, 8-6, over the final 5:37 of the frame but it was Wagner who entered the break with a 26-25 advantage. For the half, the Seahawks shot 46.2 percent from the field while limiting the Colonials to just 32.3 percent shooting. Robert Morris held a 20-16 edge on the boards. Simmons led all scorers with ten first-half points on 5-of-9 shooting.
Both teams traded baskets early on in the third quarter before Ikematsu dialed up from long range in putting RMU ahead 33-30. Wagner responded on its ensuing possession, as How was able to drill a three of her own to knot the game at 33 at the 6:42 mark.
After the Colonials built a four-point lead, 37-33, following Ezeigbo making one-of-two from the free throw line with 5:24 left in the quarter,the Seahawks closed the gap once more, as
Alayshia Dailey was able to finish after senior guard
Nakylia Carter threaded a pass through the Colonials defense, bringing Wagner to within two, 37-35, at the 4:05 mark. Robert Morris ended the stanza by outscoring the visitors, 11-8, in taking a 48-43 lead into the final quarter.
Robert Morris capitalized in the fourth en route to the win, as the Seahawks were held to just three made free throws in the quarter while RMU scored 21 points on 7-of-16 shooting in the final quarter.
For the game, Wagner shot 36.0 percent from the field and under 25.0 percent from three-point range. The Colonials, who finished the contest shooting 41.0 percent from the floor, controlled the battle of the boards, out-rebounding Wagner, 46-32 overall, including a 15-7 edge on the offensive glass.
Wagner concludes its three-game road trip on Monday, January 28, as the Seahawks head to Loretto, PA to tangle with defending NEC champions, the Saint Francis U Red Flash. Tipoff from DeGol Arena is set for 7:00 p.m.
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