Moon Township, Pa. - After you settle into your seat at the Charles L. Sewall Center Saturday evening when Ohio University visits Robert Morris University, take a minute or two to think back to three seasons ago when these teams last played at "The Chuck.''
And then take another minute or two - don't worry, you'll have time if you arrive well before tipoff - to reflect on what happened with these same two teams two and-a-half months later that season in Providence, R.I.
Finally, think about this. Saturday's game is the final go-round in a four-game series between the Colonials and Bobcats that's produced a bunch of thrills.
Not to mention three Robert Morris victories.
"I think it's a pretty remarkable achievement to beat them three times, including twice at their place,'' RMU head coach Andrew Toole said. "The games have all been incredibly close.''
Starting with that first one. The Colonials prevailed, 81-79.
That was in early January, and neither team figured it would see the other until the next season.
However, both wound up in the same arena in mid-March. The Colonials won their second straight Northeast Conference Tournament championship, while the Bobcats won the Mid-American Conference Tournament championship. Both teams were sent to Providence for an NCAA Tournament regional.
You'll recall the Colonials arguably should have defeated second-seeded Villanova in the first round, only to lose in overtime. Later that day, Ohio University stunned third-seeded Georgetown, 97-83.
RMU and Ohio played again in Athens the next season, and again the Colonials won a nail-biter, beating the Bobcats, 79-76, in overtime.
Then last season, Robert Morris once again edged the Bobcats, this time 70-67, despite having more turnovers (31) than field goals (25).
After that game, somebody asked Toole how in the world his team could overcome 31 turnovers and win.
"I don't know how,'' he said. "I have no idea, to be honest.''
Almost a year later, Toole still hasn't come up with an explanation.
"Still haven't,'' he said the other day. "I think it's just one of those things that you're thankful it worked out like it did and you move on. You obviously discuss how you can try to be a little bit better taking care of the ball and in your decision making, but every once in a while there's a statistical anomaly and you just go with it.''
The three-point decision in Athens last season meant that RMU's three victories against the Bobcats have been achieved by a total of only eight points.
Here's something else to ponder - briefly. The Colonials recently beat Bowling Green, another MAC team, 71-60. So their 11-point win in that game was a relative laugher compared to their successful struggles against Ohio University.
That win against BG made RMU teams coached by Toole - either as associate head coach or head coach - 6-3 against MAC teams.
There are no other MAC teams on the Colonials' schedule this season. And there aren't any on next season's schedule - yet.
However, Toole would like to have at least one MAC team on the Robert Morris schedule every season.
"Based on proximity, for one thing,'' he said. "And they are quality opponents. And they are quality opponents. Each year they're definitely teams we contact and contact us, so I'm sure we'll continue to have MAC schools on our schedule. They will be great challenges for our program to see how we stack up against a league like the MAC.''
Saturday's game is yet another test on a Colonial schedule that at the very least would have to be ranked "solid.''
"I'd say it's above solid,'' Toole said. "I'd love to play a game that maybe we'd be favored in.''
Ohio University unquestionably will be favored to win Saturday's game. The Bobcats have a strong nucleus returning from a 29-8 team that last season won two NCAA Tournament games before losing, 73-65, in overtime to North Carolina in the Sweet Sixteen.
John Groce, whose final three OU teams won 70 games, moved on after last season and landed the head coaching job at Illinois.
The Bobcats haven't missed a beat under coach Jim Christian - which doesn't surprise Toole.
"Jim Christian's been in this situation before,'' he said. "He took over Kent State after they went to the Elite Eight (in 2002), and they didn't miss a beat. So he obviously has some experience with this. I think, from watching film, their style hasn't changed much. He's probably intelligent enough to go back and figure out how they've had such success and continue to have it. There have been some small tweaks, but I think when it comes down to it the core of what they're trying to do is very similar.''
Christian is not unfamiliar with Robert Morris. He was an assistant coach at Saint Francis (Pa.) from 1992-94 and soon after an assistant at Pitt (1996-99). He took the Ohio job after four seasons at Texas Christian.
The Bobcats are 6-0 after turning back St. Bonaventure, 69-64, Wednesday evening. That was their closest game of the season. They won their first five games by an average of 25 points per game.
"It's going to take a lot of effort to win (Saturday),'' Toole said. "They're playing excellent. They've absolutely been killing people. And they're doing it in a number of different ways. They have (scoring balance). They shoot a high percentage (50.2 percent from the field). They average 18 assists a game. They really share the ball. And they make it difficult for you to run your offense. Hopefully we can learn some lessons from Savannah and can play with great energy and togetherness.''
The Colonials, who played very well while defeating Bowling Green and Cleveland State early last week, lost at Savannah State, 61-52, Monday night. That dropped their record to 3-4.
The Colonials might catch a bit of a break against Ohio University because this will be the Bobcats' first road game this season.
'It will be a little bit of a different environment (for the Bobcats),'' Toole said. "I'm sure (Christian) will try to use it as a challenge. (He can tell his team), 'OK, now we've won six games at home. Can we go out and play similarly on the road? Can we go and really step it up on the road?' I think especially your first road game can sometimes keep your guys a little bit focused (on having) them rise to the challenges of playing a road game.''
D.J. Cooper leads a quartet of Bobcats whose scoring averages are in the low teens. The senior point guard averages 14 points and 6.7 assists per game.
"Cooper not only has the capability to score, but he's also one of the guys who initiates their offense,'' Toole said. "His dribble penetration (and) his decisions on ball screens (are outstanding). To use a hockey term, he gets hockey assists. His pass is sometimes the pass that leads to the pass that gets them a score. He gives them their advantage. He makes the defense get behind and then usually makes pretty good decisions with the ball and then the other guys know what to do with the ball from there.
"Sometimes his initial penetration will lead to a kick out. That might not be the shot, but now the defense is in a help situation and they're rotating like crazy and they make one extra pass and get a wide open shot. He doesn't get credit for (the assist), but he's the one who really made the play happen.''
The Colonials' point guard, senior Velton Jones, leads an offense that recently has featured rising sophomore star Lucky Jones, who last season was voted to the NEC's All-Rookie Team. Jones in his past three games has averaged 13 points and 7.0 rebounds a game while making 11-of-21 field goal attempts and 13-of-14 free throw attempts.
"My confidence has grown,'' Lucky Jones said, "but I still don't feel I'm better than last year. I don't think I've played as well as I did last year and not at the level I need to be to help my team as a sophomore. It's been kind of a slow start, but I'm trying to get back and be even better than last year.''
After this game, the Colonials have just one other home game (Duquesne, Dec. 15) before beginning NEC play Jan. 3 against Bryant at the Sewall Center.
