Meyer on Morris Link

Moon Township, Pa. - Mike McFadden's debut Saturday for Robert Morris University should be exciting for Colonial fans.

For sure, it will be emotional for McFadden.

"When I first step on the court, I might drop a tear because I've been thinking about (this) every day,'' McFadden said.

Understandable when one considers that McFadden last played in a college basketball game since March 6, 2010.

That was for Iona in the quarterfinals of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Tournament against Niagara. McFadden played eight minutes in the Gaels' 84-68 loss and scored two points.

Those were the last two points McFadden would score for Iona, for which he started 24 games in its 21-10 season, averaging 4.8 points and 2.4 rebounds per game as a freshman.

On March 29, 2010 Iona coach Kevin Willard, who'd recruited McFadden, left to take the Seton Hall job. Less than two weeks later, Iona hired Tim Cluess as its new coach.

"(Cluess) and I had some differences,'' McFadden said.

Still, McFadden considered staying at Iona.

"It was close to home,'' said the 6'8'' product of Newark, N.J. "It was only 40 minutes or so from home. I felt they would be a good team. They were young, but I thought it would be a good team as it matured. And it actually turned out to be a good team.''

But when McFadden sustained a wrist injury and couldn't play, he re-considered his decision to stay at Iona, which became more of a zone defense team that didn't attack defensively and played more of a controlled style offensively.

"I thought it would be a good time to transfer because I wasn't playing anyway,'' McFadden said.

McFadden remembered that Andrew Toole, the current Robert Morris head coach, had recruited him in high school when Toole was an assistant coach at RMU. He also remembered that the Colonials had won the first of back-to-back Northeast Conference championships during his senior high school season.

"It was a good program,'' McFadden said. "Toole (had become) the head coach, so I thought this would be a nice opportunity to play for somebody who actually recruited me as a head coach for a good team.''

McFadden transferred to Robert Morris last winter. Thus, he'll have two and-a-half seasons of eligibility beginning Saturday against Louisiana-Lafayette at the Charles L. Sewall Center.

It's been a long wait.

"Over a year,'' McFadden said. "I just checked off every day, especially when I got here last year after I transferred. Game day is this Saturday. I've just been waiting for it. It's definitely special, but my preparation's the same, work out before practice, practice, then work out after practice.

"I'm a little anxious for it, but hopefully if my preparation is right my game should go the way I plan for it to go.''

McFadden's game is built around rebounding, playing hard and scoring inside.

Which his teammates have noticed during practices.

"Mike's a really good player,'' junior guard Velton Jones said. "He's tough. He can finish around the rim. He can knock down mid-range jump shots, rebound, so he's going to be a good addition for us.''

"I think he'll be another physical, energetic guy in our lineup,'' Toole said. "He's a physically strong kid. He's an aggressive rebounder. I think he'll add a level of energy and toughness to our front line that will complement Lijah (Thompson) and Keith (Armstrong) and Lawrence (Bridges) and Darren (Washington).

"I think the other thing he'll add is that we'll be able to get our rotation set, which I think is a positive. Russell (Johnson) doesn't have to play as much at the four or we don't have to go small-ball as much because we'll be able to have four or five guys who we can play in those two frontcourt spots, and that will help.

"I think he's more suited to this style than maybe he was to Iona's style. We're glad we have him. He's had a good preseason. He's had a good early practice situation. He cares. He's competitive.''

McFadden seems a bit like Colonial freshman, Lucky Jones, who's also from Newark, N.J., and lives about two minutes from McFadden's home. Jones has demonstrated an uncanny ability to get loose balls and grab rebounds.

"(Mike's) like a big man version of Lucky,'' Velton Jones said. "He never stops. He's always going to get rebounds. I think he can come in and be able to make an impact.''

McFadden and Lucky Jones went to different high schools, but Jones has played with McFadden on summer teams.

"He's a strong, physical player who works hard,'' Lucky Jones said. "I like playing with him. He's going to work hard until the finish.''

McFadden should add some offense in the paint for the Colonials.

As a junior in high school at Newark Tech, he averaged 20.6 points and 11 rebounds per game. As a senior, he averaged 19 points, 12 rebounds, five assists and two blocked shots per game.

At Iona, he had two notable performances as a freshman.

Against Baylor in just his fifth collegiate game, he scored 13 points and had seven rebounds in 32 minutes of a 72-62 loss. Against NEC member Long Island, which beat the Gaels 80-64, he scored 16 points and had seven rebounds in 26 minutes.

Think McFadden wouldn't like putting up numbers like those for the Colonials against NEC teams?

"He's been talking about (his first game) for a while,'' Velton Jones said. "I know he's going to be excited to get back and play. I'm anticipating it.''

"I try to keep my feelings inside,'' McFadden said, "but at the same time I actually can't wait for the day to come. I'll have a big smile on my face. I can't explain the feeling. I'm expecting it will be something I've never really experienced because I never sat out playing basketball this long in my life.

"But I can't let that affect me at game time. I'm just trying to step on the court and play hard. That's all I can do. Maybe it will affect me after the game. I just want to get on the court and play hard.''

Again.

And, of course, finally.

NOTES: McFadden isn't the only member of the 2009-10 Iona roster who transferred to an NEC school. Guard Ben Mockford transferred to St. Francis (N.Y.) and this season leads the Terriers in scoring with an average of 13 points a game ... Louisiana-Lafayette, which back in the day was the University of Southwestern Louisiana (remember Dwight "Bo'' Lamar?), is 5-7 following a 66-54 loss at Mississippi Wednesday night ... The Ragin' Cajuns average 71.7 points per game and allow 67.1 points a game ... Leading scorer is Kadeem Coleby at 10.9 points per game ... This is Louisiana-Lafayette's second visit to Western Pennsylvania in less than a month. On Nov. 26, the Ragin' Cajuns lost at Duquesne, 84-65. On that same trip, they also lost at Kent State, 76-67, Nov. 28.