GAME 5
RMU (2-2) vs. Mercer (2-3)
Hostilo Hoops Community Classic
Friday, November 25, 2022 • 9:00 p.m.
Enmarket Arena (9,500) • Savannah, Ga.

TV: BeTheBeast Event Live+ App ($)
Audio: RMU Athletics Gameday App
Talent: Chris Shovlin (pxp)
Twitter: @RMUMBasketball • Instagram: RMUMBasketball
 
Opening Tip
 
- The RMU men's basketball team closes out the month of November with three games in three days in Savannah, Ga., as part of the Hostilo Hoops Community Classic at Enmarket Arena. The Colonials open the tournament Friday, Nov. 25, with a 9:00 p.m. tip against Mercer.
 
- The Colonials opened a seven-game road trip, which includes the holiday weekend's games in Savannah, Ga., with a 60-51 setback @ No. 21 Dayton (11/19/22). Junior guard Enoch Cheeks paced RMU against the Flyers with 15 points and also added five rebounds, three assists, three blocks and two steals.
 
- Junior guard Josh Corbin contributed 12 points against the Flyers, while fifth-year forward Kahliel Spear registered his first double-double of the 2022-23 season with 11 points and 11 rebounds. Of Spear's 11 caroms, five came on the offensive glass.
 
- The Colonials concluded a two-game homestand at the UPMC Events Center with a 111-56 victory over West Virginia Wesleyan (11/16/22). Guards Enoch Cheeks (21) and Josh Corbin (20) combined for 41 points on the strength of an 11-for-16 performance (68.8%) from beyond the arc.
 
- Also scoring in double figures in the win over the Bobcats for the Colonials was sophomore guard Chris Ford (12) and senior forward Matt Mayers (11). As a team RMU knocked down 62.5 percent (40-for-64) of its attempts from the floor, including 65.4 percent (17-for-26) from beyond the arc.
 
- The Colonials notched their first win of the 2022-23 campaign with an 84-49 victory over Pitt Greensburg (11/9/22) to open their homestand. Junior guard Enoch Cheeks paced RMU in the triumph with 20 points while also adding four rebounds, two assists, two steals and a block.
 
- Junior guard Josh Corbin contributed 12 points, three rebounds and three dimes in the win over the Bobcats, while sophomore guard Jackson Last tallied 10 points and three assists. As a team, RMU converted 50.8 percent (33-for-65) of its shots from the field in the victory.
 
- The Colonials opened their 47th season of NCAA Division I basketball @ Ohio State (11/7/22), dropping a 91-53 decision. Junior guard Enoch Cheeks scored 17 points to lead RMU and also recorded two rebounds and a block.
 
- Freshman Stephaun Walker earned his first collegiate start in his collegiate debut @ Ohio State (11/7/22), contributing 10 points and six rebounds in 22 minutes. He knocked down four of his eight shots from the field.
 
 - RMU will also take on Evansville (11/26/22) and South Alabama (11/27/22) as part of the Hostilo Hoops Community Classic with tips Saturday at 5:00 p.m. against the Aces and Sunday at 2:30 p.m. against the Jaguars.

HOSTILO HOOPS CLASSIC LINKS
- RMU Game Notes (PDF)
- Audio
- Video ($)
- Live Stats (Mercer | Evansville | South Alabama)
- RMU Athletics Gameday App
 
The All-Time Series (Mercer | Evansville | South Alabama) – Friday's opening game of the Hostilo Hoops Community Classic marks the first meeting ever between the Colonials and Bears. Mercer is one of three opponents RMU has never faced prior to the 2022-23 campaign in school history. RMU is 2-0 in such games this season, having defeated Pitt Greensburg (11/9/22), 84-49, and West Virginia Wesleyan (11/16/22), 111-56, in the first-ever meetings between the programs. Elsewhere, RMU is 0-1 all-time against Evansville and 0-2 in the all-time series against South Alabama. The Colonials dropped a 64-50 decision to the Aces (12/3/96) in the third game of a three-game road swing to open the 1996-97 campaign. In that contest former forward Keith Jones (1995-99) paced the Colonials with 13 points and four rebounds. The Colonials and Jaguars haven't met on the hardwood since the 1976-77 season, RMU's first as an NCAA Division I member. South Alabama earned a 77-74 win over RMU Jan. 27, 1977, in the opening game of the home-and-home series at John Jay Center before South Alabama downed the Colonials in Mobile, Ala., 100-80, Feb. 21, 1977.
 
Dayton Notes - The matchup against the Flyers marked just the third in the all-time series between RMU and Dayton ... UD now owns a 2-1 (.667) edge ... The Colonials converted 34.5 percent (20-for-58) of their attempts from the field, while Dayton knocked down 42.1 percent (24-for-57) overall ... The Flyers owned a 40-37 edge on the glass, including a 12-11 advantage in offensive rebounds ... Dayton held slim margins in points in the paint (30-26) and points off turnovers (13-11) ... The reserves for the Flyers outscored the RMU bench, 15-2 ... Toumani Camara notched a double-double for Dayton thanks to 11 points and a game-high 14 boards.
 
Dynamic Duo - The 2022-23 season isn't three weeks old, but the Colonials look to have a pair that can dial long distance on a consistent basis. Juniors Enoch Cheeks and Josh Corbin enter the Hostilo Hoops Community Classic ranked first and fourth, respectively, in three-point field goal percentage. Cheeks has converted 14 of his 21 attempts (66.7%), while Corbin is 14-for-33 (42.4%) from international waters. Cheeks also ranks second in #HLMBB in the early going in field goal percentage (58.7%), trailing only Trey Townsend of Oakland (62.5%). Corbin, meanwhile, has knocked 14 of his last 27 attempts (51.9%) from downtown.
 
At The Rim - Fifth-year 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 54 career contests at RMU, Spear owns 67 dunks (1.24 per game), including three so far during the 2022-23 campaign. On the defensive end, Spear has rejected 59 shots in his RMU career, an average of 1.09 per contest, and has compiled 89 career blocks in five seasons at the NCAA Division I level.
 
Mo Cheeks - Each student-athlete has its own line of development, and one starting to blossom for RMU is junior guard Enoch Cheeks. Cheeks has paced the Colonials in scoring in each of the first four games of the 2022-23 campaign, including 21 points in a 111-56 victory over West Virginia Wesleyan (11/16/22), which tied a career high. Cheeks has now scored in double figures in each of his last six games dating back to last season. During that span he is averaging 17.6 points, 4.2 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 1.8 blocks per contest while shooting 54.5 percent (36-for-66) from the floor.

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