Meyer on Morris Link

Moon Township, Pa. – Jan. 4, 2014 – RMU's game at Oklahoma State on the last Monday of the 2013 calendar year was, first and foremost, a business arrangement.
 
Sixth-ranked Oklahoma State took care of its end of the business by beating Robert Morris, 92-66.
 
The Colonials handled their end of the deal by collecting a rather tidy chunk of change.
 
It was what's known in college athletics as a "buy'' game or a "guarantee'' game. Oklahoma State "bought'' a win, the Colonials received a guaranteed sum to travel to Stillwater and lose.
 
"It's part of what it is,'' RMU coach Andrew Toole said. "I don't think anyone likes having to do it, but everyone understands it's part of what's required in order to continue to try to fund your program, to continue to try to build infrastructure within your program, to generate funds. It's not everyone's favorite thing to do because they're very, very difficult games and they're always on the road, obviously, but it's part of what needs to be done.''
 
The Oklahoma State game was one of two the Colonials will play this week in their effort to generate funds. Tonight they'll play at Alabama, which will be another tough test on the court but will net them another good-sized check before they get down to their real business -- competing for the Northeast Conference championship.
 
Robert Morris played another "buy'' game in November when it lost at Kentucky. The fallout from that 87-49 loss has long been forgotten. However, it's another thing to play back-to-back "buy'' games just before beginning conference play.
 
"I don't love the way it shook out, to be honest with you,'' Toole said of the scheduling situation. "I would have liked to have had them over and done with (earlier) and try to build some momentum going into conference play. But I think the good thing about them is they give our guys an opportunity to play against the best. It gives them an opportunity to experience some really first-class facilities, some really great arenas and maybe create some memories for themselves. It also gives us an opportunity to put our name out there on a national stage.''
 
There are, of course, different ways to get your name "out there on a national stage.''
 
The Colonials did that in a very positive manner last March when they beat Kentucky, 59-57, at the Charles L. Sewall Center in a first round game in the National Invitation Tournament.
 
Another school, heretofore almost unknown Champion Baptist College, put its name on the national stage last Monday evening in a rather embarrassing fashion. On the same night Robert Morris lost by 26 points at Oklahoma State, Champion Baptist College lost at Southern University by 104 points, 116-12.
 
That was another "buy'' game, but the visiting Tigers' check from Southern was considerably smaller than RMU's from Oklahoma State.
 
The Colonials' game at Alabama is next up.
 
"They are tough games,'' RMU junior Lucky Jones said, referring to "buy'' games, "but I want to continue to strive to get better. I know a lot of people don't project us winning, and our season's been up and down, but basketball is unpredictable. You never know what can happen. As long as we just go there hungry and be excited to go out there in front of the crowd, excited to play against a team from a bigger conference, we should be fine.
 
"Like coach Toole has told us, we have to be thankful. We have to be grateful, especially because a lot of people don't have the kind of opportunity we have to be able to go out there and play big school after big school after big school. You never know the outcome is going to be, but look at it as us against the world. Not only that, but these types of games help prepare us for the NEC. At the end of the day, we know we're not going to get an at-large bid (to the NCAA Tournament). We have to win the conference, and all these games prepare us for that. It's going to work out for the best."
 
The Colonials last season played at Arkansas, like Alabama a member of the Southeastern Conference, in another "buy'' game and came close to pulling off an upset. Robert Morris had an eight-point lead midway through the first half, led by four points early in the second half and trailed by only three points late in the game before the Razorbacks held on for a 79-74 victory.
 
Granted, Arkansas last season wasn't all that good by SEC standards. The victory over Robert Morris made Arkansas 6-4. The Razorbacks finished 19-13.
 
Alabama this season is similar to Arkansas last season.
 
The Crimson Tide stands 5-7 after losing at UCLA, 75-67, last Saturday. Alabama won three of its first four games this season before losing six of eight.
 
"They've had a tough start,'' Jones said. "They're very athletic, very good, but at the same time (this is) one of those places where we can try and sneak out of there with a win. We just have to do everything  that's in our power to stay humble and do everything coach is saying and go out there and just play.''
 
Jones plans to tell his newer teammates about last season's Arkansas game.
 
"Of course,'' he said. "We need to just go out there and give it our all. You never know what can happen.''
 
Whatever happens for the Colonials at Alabama, just having the experience of having played there is something to remember.
 
"I know as coaches we like going into these games and being able to play against some of the best players and kind of show our guys what's out there, show them how we stack up, show them where we need to get better,'' Toole said. "I like that aspect of it. And I would hope (the players) get excited about it. I mean, if you're a competitor and you're a guy who really believes you can play and compete at any level you should want to be able to step on the floor against people who are the best of college basketball and go out and play.
 
"As we watch film, we're always looking for ways we can take advantage of some of our strengths against our opponents -- just like every other game. We prepare like it's any other game with the expectation that we're going to go out and follow our formula and play the way we know we're capable of and see what happens.''
 
Losing these "buy'' games can be tough on a player's psych, though.
 
"Just the fact that you can actually play well and still lose the game or compete the way you're supposed to and still take some lumps -- that's the downside,'' Toole said. "Obviously it's easier to feel good about yourself when you win games, (but) they're difficult games to win.''
 
The Oklahoma State game fell into that category.
 
The Colonials fell behind early, rallied to close their deficit to under double digits late in the first half and then faltered and lost by those 26 points.
 
"You hope that guys blossom in this kind of atmosphere and not shrink,'' Toole said. "Some of our new guys looked a little overwhelmed. One of the things we're going through is we have some new bodies who don't understand what it takes. They're kind of living in the name that some other guys helped build and they don't understand what it takes to go out on the floor and play at that level. We're trying to teach them how to make the right decisions in any kind of environment, and it's difficult. Sometimes it's uglier than it is pretty.
 
"You should be comfortable making the right decisions in any environment. Certain decisions should be universal. If you want to play against good teams, if you want to beat good teams and if you want to be considered a good team, you have to be consistent. (Oklahoma State) is incredibly talented and has great athleticism, but we didn't do the things we needed to do to compete against a team like this. If we're going to lose games, lose them by making good decisions. I thought we could have showed more than we did. Some of our breakdowns at this point in time are not what I think we should be seeing. It's frustrating the way we executed.''
 
The Colonials have one more opportunity to correct stuff, to learn stuff, before they begin their Northeast Conference schedule.
 
Yes, that one more opportunity is against Alabama of the SEC, but …
 
"Any time you lose, you're not always thinking about that as your first thought,'' Toole said. "You're thinking about what you could have done better. I hope, down the road, guys realize that these things will make you tougher and make you stronger. If we can really teach and they can absorb what we're teaching and they can understand where they can be better, then we hope it pays off.''
 
And not just in the checking account balance.

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