Game Notes (PDF)

GAME #36
Robert Morris (22-13) @ Belmont (25-9)
2014 National Invitation Tournament Second Round
Friday, March 22, 2014 • 9:30 p.m.  EST
Curb Event Center (5,085) • Nashville, Tenn.
 
TV: ESPNU
TV Talent: Roy Philpott (play-by-play) & Paul Biancardi (color)
Radio: 970 ESPN AM
Radio Talent: Chris Shovlin (play-by-play) & Jim Duzyk (color)
 
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Top Story - The Robert Morris University men's basketball team travels to Nashville, Tenn., Friday for a 9:30 p.m. EST tip against Belmont at the Curb Event Center in the second round of the 2014 National Invitation Tournament (NIT). The Colonials opened the 2014 NIT with an 89-78 victory @ St. John's (3/18/14), the first victory in program history for RMU against a Big East foe. Against the Red Storm, senior guard Karvel Anderson tied a Robert Morris single-game record with nine three-pointers en route to a career-high 38 points. The Colonials never trailed in the contest against St. John's as junior forward Lucky Jones scored 20 points in the first half en route to compiling 25 points, nine rebounds, a career-high five assists and a pair of steals. Also finishing in double figures against the Red Storm was senior guard Anthony Myers-Pate, who finished with 11 points and eight assists. RMU, which claimed the 2014 Northeast Conference regular-season championship, is making its second straight appearance in the NIT as well as its sixth postseason appearance in the last seven years. All-time in the NIT the Colonials are 2-2 (.500).

  
 
Quick Stat of The Night - Known for its ability to convert from beyond the arc over the course of the last decade, Robert Morris came through with another virtuoso performance from long range in an 89-78 win @ St. John's (3/18/14) in the first round of the 2014 National Invitation Tournament (NIT), tying an RMU single-game record with 16 three-pointers. In addition to senior guard Karvel Anderson tying the individual single-game mark with nine triples, junior forward Lucky Jones connected for a career-high six. The performance against the Red Storm marks the fourth time in school history the Colonials have connected for 16 three-pointers in a game, as well as the second time under fourth-year head coach Andrew Toole. In the quarterfinals of the 2012 Northeast Conference Tournament, Robert Morris hit 16 triples in an 87-68 win over Monmouth (3/1/12). Under Toole, RMU is 30-5 (.857) when hitting at least 10 three-pointers in a game.  
 
Friday's Opponent and The All-Time Series - RMU and Belmont meet for the first time on the hardwood Friday in the second round of the 2014 National Invitation Tournament (NIT). The Bruins are one of four opponents, and the second straight, on RMU's 2013-14 slate the Colonials are playing for the first time this season. In addition to its 89-78 win @ St. John's (3/18/14) in the first round of the NIT in its first tilt with the Red Storm, Robert Morris earned an 88-81 victory over UT Arlington (11/21/13) in its first meeting against the Mavericks, while dropping a 64-56 decision @ Alabama (1/4/14) in its first game in school history with the Crimson Tide. 
 
Surf Board - Junior forward Lucky Jones has been a consistent presence on the glass for Robert Morris in 2013-14, and he led the Colonials in an 89-78 victory @ St. John's (3/18/14) in the first round of the 2014 National Invitation Tournament (NIT) with nine caroms. The performance against the Red Storm pushed the season total in boards for Jones to 237, which is tied for fourth in the RMU single-season record book with former forward Anthony Dickens (1985-90). Dickens finished with 237 rebounds in his first season with the Colonials in 1985-86. Jones enters Friday's game @ Belmont with 653 career boards, less than 100 shy of the Robert Morris career record of 751 that is shared by Dickens and former guard Tony Lee (2004-08). Jones and sophomore forward Aaron Tate, meanwhile, have combined for 385 rebounds this year, just 15 caroms shy of becoming the seventh Robert Morris duo to combine for at least 400 rebounds in a season.
 
Double Nickel On A Dime - Senior guard Anthony Myers-Pate recorded a game-high eight assists in an 89-78 win @ St. John's (3/18/14) in the first round of the 2014 National Invitation Tournament (NIT), helping him move into sixth place all-time at Robert Morris for career dimes. Myers-Pate enters Friday's game with 446 career assists and so far this season owns 131 assists against 58 turnovers. He ranks fourth in the NEC in assist-to-turnover ratio (2.26) while ranking eighth in the circuit in assists per game (3.74).
 
Exclusivity - Junior forward Lucky Jones joined the Robert Morris 1,000-point club in a 74-73 setback to Central Connecticut State (2/1/14), as his layup at the 12:07 mark of the first half helped him become the 22nd player in program history to join the fraternity. Jones finished with 22 points and 10 rebounds against the Blue Devils and enters Friday's game @ Belmont with 1,175 career points. Earlier this season, Jones also joined the RMU 500-rebound club when he finished with seven boards in RMU's final non-conference tilt of the 2013-14 campaign @ Alabama (1/4/14). Jones is one of just 13 players in school history to eclipse career totals of 1,000 points and 500 rebounds and, based on his current averages, is slated to finish the season with 1,189 points and 660 rebounds, totals that would rank 16th and sixth, respectively, in the career record book.
 
Mission Accomplished - Many have tried over the years, and many have failed. Yet senior guard Karvel Anderson was the one that came through and established a new RMU single-season school record in a category that had stood for almost a quarter of a century. Thanks to a trio of three-pointers in a 71-70 overtime victory over St. Francis Brooklyn (2/22/14), Anderson set a new single-season record for triples and on the year owns 115. That total surpassed the old single-season school record of 93 that was established by former guard Scott Shepherd (1988-91) during the 1988-89 campaign. In 68 career contests, Anderson has drilled 197 three-pointers, an average of 2.90 per game that would also establish a new career record.
 
Dynamic Duo - While senior guard Karvel Anderson has been RMU's leading scorer so far this season thanks in large part to his ability to convert from beyond the arc, junior forward Lucky Jones has developed into a solid outside shooter, as well. Jones enters the second round of the 2014 National Invitation Tournament (NIT) ranked eighth in the NEC three-point field goals made per game (1.91). The duo of Anderson and Jones has combined for 182 three-pointers, an average of 5.20 per game, which has established a new single-season school record for three-pointers by a Robert Morris tandem. The old record of 156 was established in 2012-13 by Anderson and former guard Coron Williams (2009-13). Anderson hit 82 triples last season, while Williams connected for 74.
 
Defense Wins Championships - At the heart of the resurgence of the Robert Morris basketball program over the last seven seasons has been defense. Thanks to a 60-57 win over Saint Francis U. (3/8/14) in the semifinals of the 2014 Northeast Conference Tournament, RMU improved to 123-24 (.837) since the beginning of the 2007-08 campaign when holding its opponent to less than 70 points. In four seasons under head coach Andrew Toole, the Colonials are 72-17 (.809) when turning the trick.
 
Tag Team - Senior guard Karvel Anderson and junior forward Lucky Jones, just the second tandem in school history to combine for at least 1,000 points in a season, established a new single-season school record for points by an RMU duo in a 60-53 victory over Fairleigh Dickinson (3/5/14) in the quarterfinals of the 2014 NEC Tournament. Through 35 games of the 2013-14 campaign, Anderson and Jones have combined for 1,171 points, eclipsing the record of 1,028 points that former Colonials Myron Walker (1990-94) and Ricky Cannon (1988-92) combined for during the 1991-92 season. Anderson enters the second round of the 2014 National Invitation Tournament (NIT) with a single-season school record 687 points, while Jones has 484 for RMU. 
 
Consistency - If there is one thing that 2014 Northeast Conference Player of the Year Karvel Anderson has been over the course of the 2013-14 campaign, it's been consistent.  Thanks to a career-high 38 points to pace the Colonials in the first round of the 2014 National Invitation Tournament (NIT) @ St. John's (3/18/14), Anderson recorded his 18th game of the year eclipsing the 20-point plateau, extending his own RMU single-season school record. The old mark of 15 was held by former Colonials Myron Walker (1990-94), Gene Nabors (1995-2000) and Maurice Carter (2001-05). Walker turned the trick twice, first as a sophomore in 1991-92 in leading RMU to the NEC Tournament championship and again as a senior in 1993-94. Nabors reached the 20-point plateau in 15 games as a senior in 1999-2000, while Carter finished with at least 20 points in 15 contests during his sophomore season in 2002-03.
 
Comeback Kids - Robert Morris has proven throughout the 2013-14 campaign that no lead is safe for an opponent. RMU enters the second round of the 2014 National Invitation Tournament having climbed out of a double-digit deficit in four of its last eight games. In a 60-57 victory over Saint Francis U. (3/8/14) in the semifinals of the 2014 NEC Tournament, the Colonials erased a 10-point deficit in the first half, 16-6, to earn the win. RMU also erased a 15-point deficit in the second half of a 69-64 win @ Fairleigh Dickinson (2/27/14) and fell behind by 16 points against LIU Brooklyn (2/20/14) before charging back to grab a 73-64 win. In a 71-70 overtime victory over St. Francis Brooklyn (2/22/14), Robert Morris eclipsed a 12-point deficit in the second half to post a win. The win over the Red Flash marked the 15th time RMU has climbed out of a double-digit deficit to earn a victory in four seasons under head coach Andrew Toole. 
 
Grand Concourse - Senior guard Karvel Anderson became the 23rd member of the Robert Morris 1,000-point club in RMU's 2013-14 regular-season finale @ Wagner (3/1/14), as his three-pointer at the 18:07 mark of the first half helped him join the fraternity. In 68 career games with the Colonials, Anderson has scored 1,100 points, an average of 16.2 points per contest. Anderson is just the third player in school history to eclipse 1,000 points while playing just two seasons at Robert Morris. The only other Division I player to turn the trick at RMU was former guard Gene Nabors (1995-2000), who scored 1,029 points with the Colonials from 1998 to 2000 after transferring from Louisiana State University (LSU). The first player to accomplish the feat was junior college guard Don Mackey, who scored 1,034 points from 1963 to 1965.
 
Rise Up - Senior guard Karvel Anderson continues to the move up the rankings in a number of different top 10 lists in single-season history at Robert Morris this year, and in a 60-57 win over Saint Francis U. (3/8/14) in the semifinals of the 2014 NEC Tournament he established a new single-season record for points scored. Anderson, who scored a career-high 38 points @ St. John's (3/18/14), enters Friday's game @ Belmont with 687 points this season. That total eclipsed the old single-season mark of 614 points that former guard Myron Walker (1990-04) scored as a sophomore in 1991-92.
 
Board Games - Part of following the formula in regard to being successful for Robert Morris over the last seven seasons has been the program's ability to crash the boards. Since the beginning of 2007-08, Robert Morris owns a record of 117-19 (.860) when the Colonials are even or better in rebounding in a game, including a 112-17 (.868) mark when outrebounding their opponent. In Andrew Toole's four seasons as head coach, Robert Morris has posted a record of 60-13 (.822) when outrebounding its opponent, including a mark of 16-2 (.889) in 2013-14.

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