Game #8 • Monmouth (0-7, 0-1 NEC) vs. Robert Morris (5-2, 1-0 NEC)
2011-12 Schedule / Results 11 15 19 22 25 27 1 3 6 8 17 20 22 29 2 5 7 12 14 19 21 26 28 2 4 8 11 16 18 23 25 1 4 7
NOVEMBER (4-2) RIDER @ Saint Peter’s @ Penn # @ James Madison # vs. La Salle # @ No. 16 Pittsburgh # DECEMBER (1-0) FAIRLEIGH DICKINSON * MONMOUTH * @ Duquesne CLEVELAND STATE LOUISIANA-LAFAYETTE HAMPTON @ Youngstown State @ Memphis JANUARY (0-0) @ Ohio @ Bryant * @ Central Connecticut State * QUINNIPIAC * SACRED HEART * @ Fairleigh Dickinson * @ Monmouth * LONG ISLAND * ST. FRANCIS (N.Y.) * FEBRUARY (0-0) @ Wagner * @ Mount St. Mary’s * @ Saint Francis (Pa.) * SAINT FRANCIS (Pa.) * BRYANT * CENTRAL CONNECTICUT STATE * @ Sacred Heart * @ Quinnipiac * MARCH (0-0) NEC Tournament Quarterfinals NEC Tournament Semifinals NEC Tournament Final
Saturday, December 3, 2011 • 7:00 p.m. • Charles L. Sewall Center (3,056) • Moon Township, Pa. Radio: WPIT-AM (730) with Chris Shovlin (play-by-play) & Jim Elias (color) Audio / Video / Live Stats available at www.rmucolonials.com
W, 83-57 W, 69-52 L, 60-66 W, 82-77 W, 51-44 L, 71-81
Top Story - The Robert Morris University men’s basketball team concludes a two-game homestand Saturday when it welcomes Monmouth for a 7:00 p.m. Northeast Conference tilt at the Charles L. Sewall Center. The Colonials are coming off a 66-54 victory over Fairleigh Dickinson (12/1/11) to improve to 15-16 (.484) all-time in NEC openers. Redshirt sophomore guard Coron Williams finished 5-for-6 from beyond the arc in the first half for 15 points as RMU cruised to a 36-14 halftime advantage. Williams finished with a team-high 19 points and also added five rebounds and a pair of steals, while redshirt junior guard Velton Jones contributed 18 points, five rebounds, six assists and a pair of steals. Combined, Williams and Jones converted 13 of their 21 shots (61.9 percent) from the field against the Knights and in the first two home games of the season have combined to convert 51.9 percent (28-for-54) of their shots, including 47.8 percent (11-for-23) from downturn. Robert Morris returns to the road after hosting the Hawks Saturday, visiting Duquesne for a 7:00 p.m. tip Tuesday, Dec. 6, at the A.J. Palumbo Center.
W, 66-54 7:00 p.m. 7:00 p.m. 7:00 p.m. 7:00 p.m. 7:00 p.m. 7:00 p.m. 7:00 p.m. 7:00 p.m. 7:00 p.m. 3:30 p.m. 7:00 p.m. 7:00 p.m. 7:00 p.m. 7:00 p.m. 7:00 p.m. 7:00 p.m. 7:00 p.m. 7:00 p.m. 7:00 p.m. 7:00 p.m. 7:00 p.m. 7:00 p.m. 7:00 p.m. 11:00 a.m. TBA TBA TBA
# The Philly Hoop Group Classic (Philadelphia, Pa.) (La Salle game played at the Palestra) * Northeast Conference game
Quick Stat of the Night - The defensive pressure that Robert Morris applies to its opponents is evident in where the Colonials rank in the Northeast Conference. RMU enters Saturday’s game against Monmouth ranked second in the NEC in turnover margin at +3.57, trailing only Wagner (+5.29). Robert Morris also ranks second in the league in steals (8.57 per game) and field goal percentage defense (.409). One area Robert Morris has picked up right where it left off from a year ago is in scoring defense, as the Colonials are currently tops in the NEC, allowing an average of just 61.6 points per game. RMU led the league in scoring defense in 2010-11, yielding an average of just 65.5 points per game.
RMU vs. Monmouth
Saturday’s Opponent and The All-Time Series - Series Record ............... Monmouth leads, 31-22 Monmouth and Robert Morris will tip for the First Meeting .......... 1/23/86; Monmouth, 71-60 54th time Saturday night, with the Hawks hold- Last Meeting ...................... 2/19/11; RMU, 62-60 ing a 31-22 (.585) advantage in the all-time se- Last RMU Win ................... 2/19/11; RMU, 62-60 Current Streak ......................... Robert Morris, 4 ries. RMU has won four straight over Monmouth Toole vs. Monmouth ........................................ 2-0 as well as eight of the last nine meetings and 10 of the last 12. Last season the Colonials swept the season series from the Hawks, posting a 60-57 victory at the Charles L. Sewall Center (1/15/11) before earning a 62-60 win at the MAC (2/19/11) in West Long Branch, N.J. Redshirt sophomore guard Coron Williams came off the bench to score 15 points to lead Robert Morris in its road victory over Monmouth last season, while redshirt junior forward Russell Johnson finished with 13 points, nine rebounds and three assists. Johnson’s jumper with two seconds left helped give Robert Morris the victory.
Robert Morris Probable Starters ... # 24 34 11 2 3
P F F C G G
Name Lawrence Bridges (6-5, 225, Sr.) Russell Johnson (6-6, 180, R-Jr.) Lijah Thompson (6-7, 200, Jr.) Velton Jones (6-0, 170, R-Jr.) Coron Williams (6-2, 170, R-So.)
Pts. 4.1 10.0 7.1 17.9 15.0
Reb. 4.6 5.7 3.3 2.7 3.4
G/GS 7/7 7/7 7/7 7/7 7/7
Hometown Detroit, Mich. Chester, Pa. Philadelphia, Pa. Philadelphia, Pa. Midlothian, Va.
Quick Fact RMU owns record of 14-4 (.778) with Bridges in starting lineup Needs 72 rebounds to eclipse 500 for his career Shooting 45.7 percent (16-for-35) from the field RMU’s active leading scorer with 793 career points Coming off back-to-back 19-point performances
Robert Morris Off The Bench ... # 5 22 35 21 12
P G G/F F G F/C
Name Pts. Anthony Myers (5-11, 170, So.) 5.0 Lucky Jones (6-5, 195, Fr.) 4.4 Keith Armstrong (6-7, 230, Fr.) 2.6 Brandon Herman (6-1, 190, Fr.) 2.4 Darren Washington (6-9, 220, Fr.) 2.0
Reb. 3.3 5.9 2.9 1.4 2.0
G/GS 7/0 7/0 7/0 7/0 1/0
Hometown Washington, D.C. Newark, N.J. Raleigh, N.C. Chattanooga, Tenn. Belleville, Mich.
2010-11 Quick Fact Ranks second for the Colonials in assists (16), owns four steals Owns a team-high 41 rebounds, including 16 offensive caroms Owns 20 rebounds, two blocks, four steals Has averaged 11.3 minutes per contest through seven games Scored two points in final three minutes against Rider