By Paul Meyer
www.rmucolonials.com
December 2, 2010 

Meyer on Morris Link

Moon Township, Pa. - We're barely into December. Most basketball teams haven't even played half their non-conference schedule.

And yet two Northeast Conference teams, Central Connecticut State and Monmouth, already have played a league game. And by the end of Saturday, the other 10 NEC teams will have played at least one conference game.

Seems strange for teams to be playing games in early December that will impact their situations in March.

"It's strange,'' Robert Morris University coach Andrew Toole said, "but it also makes sense. Everything you do year round impacts March. When we get on campus on August 31 and we have our first conditioning, that impacts March. So this is really no different. It's another opportunity for us to hopefully put ourselves in position to compete and win a conference championship. But that's the same mindset we have two weeks after the season's over and we're preparing for the next March.''

The Colonials, who have won or shared the past three NEC regular-season championships and won the past two NEC Tournament championships, begin league play on the road this weekend at Long Island tonight and St. Francis (N.Y.) Saturday afternoon.

Playing at those Brooklyn-based schools is never an easy assignment. But this trip's difficulties are compounded by the fact that the Colonials have six players, including red-shirt freshman Coron Williams, who have never played in an NEC game.

Yes, those non-conference games thus far against Saint Peter's, Kent State, Duquesne, Pitt and Cleveland State were tough tests.

But this is the NEC. And NEC games are different.

"They're absolutely different,'' Toole said. "Your league opponents know so much about you - even this early in the season - just from past experience, from past scouting reports. And then there's always that intensity level of a conference game. There's an intensity level that just kind of magnifies all the details of the game.
"Hopefully our nonconference schedule has prepared us to handle the kind of intensity and pressure we're going to face in our league games. And hopefully we learn from some of our league games how important all the details of the games are.''

The league's coaches picked Robert Morris to finish second this season. Long Island was just behind in third place in that poll, another reason why this is a tougher than normal NEC opener for the Colonials (2-3).

Long Island (4-1) began the season with four straight victories, its best start since a 20-0 run in 1967-68, before losing at Saint Peter's.

The Blackbirds last season finished 11-7 in the NEC, good enough for fourth place, and seem primed to continue their recent success - they were 15-3 in NEC home games in the previous two seasons -- despite the graduation loss of standout point guard Jaytornah Wisseh.

"He had such an impact on our program,'' coach Jim Ferry said. "He's probably one of the five best players who ever played here. It's going to take us a little time to adjust (to not having him).''

However, the Blackbirds gladly welcomed back forward Julian Boyd this season. Boyd, a 6'7" sophomore, was the NEC Rookie of the Year in 2008-09 but missed all of last season because of a heart problem.

Boyd, who's playing an average of 22 minutes per game, is averaging 8.6 points and 7.6 rebounds a game.

"Huge,'' Toole said of Boyd's impact on LIU's team. "He gives them another physical presence. He has great experience from his freshman year. He understands what they're trying to do. I also think the fact that he had to sit out the entire year probably makes him appreciate his opportunity a little more - which makes him more dangerous.

"I think when you have something that you care about as much as it seems that Julian Boyd cares about basketball taken away from you and the possibility of it never being given back and then you get a second chance on it, that's pretty special. I think that's probably something that would drive him on a daily basis to make sure he takes full advantage of this opportunity.''

The Blackbirds also feature 6'5'' senior guard Kyle Johnson (14.6 ppg, 6.2 rpg) and 6'7" sophomore forward Jamal Olasewere (13 ppg, 5.4 rpg). Plus, junior Michael Culpo offers three-point expertise off the bench.

"Coach Ferry's done a great job,'' Toole said. "Coach Ferry actually recruited me out of high school when he was at Bentley College. He was a great recruiter then. He's a great recruiter now. You know, LIU is not the easiest sell, (but) they have very talented players. He gets them to compete. He gives them a great plan to provide some success for them.

"You can see (improvement) each and every year. They're always taking a step in the right direction toward an NEC championship. They're on the brink of breaking through and winning an NEC championship.''

The Colonials are not without their strengths as they begin NEC play.

For one thing, they have a recent history of spectacular success in the league. In the previous three seasons, they were an incredible 46-8 in NEC play - including an almost unbelievable 23-4 in NEC road games.

And this season, despite a lack of size, they've actually rebounded pretty well.

Only Pitt outrebounded the Colonials, who are +3.4 on the glass.

"We haven't been hurt on the backboards as much as I was afraid we would,'' Toole said. "That's obviously a good sign. We've obviously emphasized rebounding a great deal - defending and rebounding - and I think we've done a pretty good job of that."

And they've played the trademark great defense that was such a huge part of their success in the previous three seasons. They're limiting the opposition to just 57.4 points per game. Only Pitt scored more than 63 points against RMU.

"We've really emphasized the defending and the rebounding part because we knew early in the season that would allow us to be able to compete and be in games,'' Toole said. "So far, we've done that.''

However, the Colonials' offense seems to have a ways to go. Robert Morris is averaging only 57.8 points per game.

"Hopefully our offense can start to catch up,'' Toole said. "I think you're seeing a couple things with us offensively. One, guys in new roles having to do some different things and some new things. On top of that, we have new guys just trying to figure out how you have to play to score at this level. It's not easy.''

So … after five games with a team that has only one senior, where does Toole think his team stands?

"I see us making progress in certain aspects,'' he said. "I see us kind of staying the same in other things, which is worrisome. But I think that for the most part we have a group of guys who are hungry to continue the success that we've had here. Even (Monday night in the loss at) Cleveland State where we could have packed it up after a dismal first half we competed and we fought and we were one possession away with a minute to go.

"We as coaches have to figure out a way to capitalize on that, limit some of the negative stuff that we did in that game and then kind of magnify some of the positives we did so we can have success come conference play.''

Sophomore forward Russell Johnson clearly was a positive at Cleveland State, finishing with 22 points.

So was sophomore forward Lijah Thompson, who had 12 points and six rebounds in his best college performance to date.

"I'm not sure why it takes being down 16 points (at halftime) at Cleveland State five games into your sophomore year for you to realize that if you play really, really hard good things are going to happen for you and for your team,'' Toole said. "(But) I hope that sticks in his brain and that he remembers it every game and every day from here on out for the rest of his career. Sometimes it takes a little longer for certain guys to have the light go on, but either way he's somebody that we need to produce like that in order for us to have success.''

The Colonials enter this weekend unsure about the availability of two of their players.

Junior forward Lawrence Bridges sustained a concussion when struck hard on his chin by an elbow during a rebound tussle.

"He was knocked out on his feet and then he slammed his head (when he fell to the floor),'' Toole said. "It was definitely something scary. (Monday night) after the game was over, he thought we were going in for halftime, so he was clearly knocked for a loop.''

Bridges has undergone evaluations since Monday night and could be cleared to play at Long Island.

Sophomore guard Karon Abraham, who missed the past two games while on suspension, is still in limbo.

"He's served a lot of his punishment already,'' Toole said. "We're trying to be as proactive as we (can) with his punishment.''