Moon Township, Pa. - Like so many visitors to Savannah do, the Robert Morris University Colonials took one of the city's famous Ghost Tours last Sunday evening.

But as unnerving as that tour might have been for at least some members of the Robert Morris traveling group, the really, really scary thing that happened to the Colonials occurred the next night.

Playing against the Savannah State Tigers, the Colonials shot a frighteningly horrid 28.6 percentage from the field in a 61-52 loss that exorcised their modest two-game winning streak.

Someone suggested to RMU head coach Andrew Toole that perhaps the Ghost Tour had a carryover effect.

"Could have,'' he said. "Probably the spirits came and took our ability to make a shot. That might have been it.''

Toole managed a slight smile. Yet that was it for giggles as he reflected on the defeat that dropped the Colonials to 3-4 this season.

"We were out-toughed,'' Toole said. "We were out-Robert Morris-ed. Savannah State was extremely physical. They really controlled both sides of the floor with their physicality. And some guys we thought could have maybe made some more plays were kind of taken out. We needed guys to make plays and make good decisions for themselves or for their teammates, and really Velton Jones was the only one capable of making a play.''

Jones, the Colonials' standout senior guard who like so many of his teammates had a miserable shooting night, did manage to negotiate his way through the offensive wreckage and had seven assists.

"They definitely put their will on us and not the other way around,'' Toole said.

Toole conceded he was surprised by his team's performance considering the Colonials had strong all-around efforts in victories over Bowling Green and Cleveland State early last week at the Charles L. Sewall Center.

Against Bowling Green, the Colonials shot 46.2 percent from the field. The next night, they were even better, hitting 48.9 percent of their shots against Cleveland State. The Colonials scored 71 points in each game.

"I knew Savannah State was very good defensively,'' Toole said, "but I thought we'd be able to execute and do some of the things we did last Monday and Tuesday that allowed us to shoot a high percentage and have a lot of assists and score in the 70s. But we didn't do that. We didn't do that at all. It's a shame that we didn't stick to what was successful for us.''

A shame because going in this appeared to be a winnable game for Robert Morris.

"I think when we watch the film guys are going to be disappointed,'' Toole said before Wednesday's practice. "As talented as Savannah State is, as good as they are, as well as they followed their formula whether it was controlling tempo offensively or defending like they did, maybe if we played them next week we'd win the game because our guys would truly understand what was going to happen. Maybe it was a little bit of lack of respect for the opponent or whatever it might be, but we didn't have the same focus that we did for our two home games.''

If there's any consolation for the Colonials it's that they did about as badly against Savannah State's defense as the rest of the Tigers' opponents this season. No Division I team, including highly-ranked Florida, has managed to score even 60 points against Savannah State, which will bring its slow-down offense and pesky defense to the Sewall Center for a game next season.

The game Monday night was not without a bright spots for the Colonials. They did get out to a 6-1 lead.

"After that we kind of stalled offensively,'' Toole said. "We had some good looks that we missed. We had some good looks that we rushed maybe because Savannah State was flying around. They were physical. They were beating us down a little bit. And we didn't respond like I believe that we should have or that we're capable of doing.''

The Colonials were down, 43-24, with eight minutes left, but rallied to make a game of it. They trailed just 48-42 with two and-a-half minutes remaining, but Savannah State secured the decision at the free throw line.

"We played with great urgency for the last eight minutes of the game and not so much urgency for the first 32,'' Toole said.

Sophomore forward Lucky Jones led the Colonials with a career-high 18 points, including 12 during that late rally.

"It's not really an adjustment I'm worried about at all,'' Anderson said. "It's not a problem for me. I'm confident that when I do get my shot I'm going to make it. I'm a very unselfish player. I don't mind taking a 'back seat' -- especially to the players I'm playing with. There's great talent on this team that's spread throughout. From the top to the bottom, we have a great amount of talent. I know I'm never looking to shoot 20 times a game like I did in junior college. That's not my role. I'm here to play defense and when it's my opportunity step up and make the shots that are given to me.''

His teammates seem to have confidence in Anderson's shot-making ability.

"We've seen him make thousands of shots in practice and pick-up games. We know he's a great shooter,'' redshirt junior guard Coron Williams said. "When I need an assist, I'm looking for him.''

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You're probably used to Northeast Conference teams beginning the league schedule this weekend, but times have changed. Conference play won't start until the first weekend in January this season.

However, in order to make you feel comfortable - or to get you thinking about NEC play - we offer these league tidbits.

Bryant, which visits Robert Morris in an NEC opener Jan. 3, appears to be vastly improved over the previous Bulldog teams that went 20-99 in their first four seasons in Division I.

Last Sunday, Bryant won at Boston College, 56-54, to run its record to 3-2, the first time in their Division I history the Bulldogs have been over .500 at any point in a season. What's more, the victory gave Bryant a three-game winning streak.

Bryant missed four free throws in the final minute but hung on for a milestone win.

"I knew we were hugely improved, but the only way to validate that is to get some wins,'' said Bryant coach Tim O'Shea, who graduated from Boston College in 1984. "When you think about our journey over the past four years, to finally start to turn it around is pretty emotional really.

"Five years ago, the biggest game on (then-Division II) Bryant's schedule was Bentley. Five years later, we've just beaten Boston College on the road. It's a big deal.''

Bryant's win was an NEC team's first over an Atlantic Coast Conference team since Robert Morris won at Boston College 57-51 Jan. 7, 2008.

NEC NUGGETS: Robert Morris won at Ohio University last season despite committing 31 turnovers in the game. On Nov. 20, Saint Francis (Pa.) committed only two turnovers in its game against visiting Colgate - and lost, 85-76 ... Coach Bashir Morgan, who succeeded Dan Hurley at Wagner, got his first win as a head coach when the Seahawks slogged their way to a 38-36 victory at North Carolina Central several days ago. It was Wagner's lowest point total in a victory since it beat Brooklyn College 33-31 in February, 1946 ... "Right now, it doesn't feel a whole lot like a win,'' Mason said shortly after the game. "I guess after I've had a while to relax and reflect on it I'll appreciate it more.'' ... Monmouth, under second-year coach King Rice, forced 166 turnovers through its first seven games. The Hawks (4-3) turned those turnovers into 161 points ... LIU Brooklyn, voted by the league's coaches as the favorite to win the NEC again this season, lost at then-No. 8 Kentucky 104-75 Nov. 23. "That's a good team,'' Kentucky coach John Calipari said. "That's a senior team. They'll win their league. I'll be stunned if they don't.'' You'll recall that Calipari graduated from Moon Area High School, just a few three-point shots from the Sewall Center.