Game #16 • Robert Morris (11-4, 2-0 NEC) @ Bryant (1-12, 0-2 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 (6-2) FAIRLEIGH DICKINSON * MONMOUTH * @ Duquesne CLEVELAND STATE LOUISIANA-LAFAYETTE HAMPTON @ Youngstown State @ Memphis JANUARY (1-0) @ 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
Thursday, January 5, 2012 • 7:00 p.m. • Chace Athletic Center (2,700) • Smithfield, R.I. Radio: WPIT-AM (730) with Chris Shovlin (play-by-play) Audio 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 - In the midst of a five-game road trip, the Robert Morris University men’s basketball team returns to Northeast Conference play Thursday night with a 7:00 p.m. tip against Bryant at the Chace Athletic Center. The Colonials, 2-1 so far during their road swing, are coming off a 70-67 victory @ Ohio (1/2/12) that closed out their non-conference schedule. Redshirt junior guard Velton Jones led RMU with 17 points and six assists in the win over the Bobcats, while redshirt sophomore guard Coron Williams added 14 points and a career-high eight rebounds. Robert Morris concluded its non-conference slate with a record of 9-4 (.692), tying a Northeast Conference record for out of league victories. The Colonials joined Saint Francis (Pa.) (9-5 in 1990-91), Monmouth (9-3 in 1991-92) and Wagner (9-2 in 2011-12). RMU’s nine non-conference wins this season also marks the second time in the last five years the Colonials have turned the trick, as Robert Morris finished 9-5 (.643) during the 2007-08 campaign.
W, 66-54 W, 69-51 W, 64-60 L, 58-62 W, 72-64 W, 64-54 W, 59-56 L, 47-64 W, 70-67 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 - Robert Morris came through with one of its best shooting nights of the 2011-12 campaign in posting a 70-67 victory @ Ohio (1/2/12), connecting on 25 of its 47 attempts from the field, a season-high shooting percentage of 53.2 percent. The win over the Bobcats marked RMU’s 23rd consecutive victory when shooting at least 50 percent from the field. The starting lineup for the Colonials was extremely efficient, as forwards Russell Johnson, Mike McFadden and Lawrence Bridges and guards Velton Jones and Coron Williams combined to knock down a solid 58.8 percent (20-for-34) of their shots, including 50 percent (7-for-14) from beyond the arc. For Johnson, who finished with 10 points @ Ohio, all six of his double-figure scoring games this year have come away from the Charles L. Sewall Center. Thursday’s Opponent and The All-Time Series RMU vs. Bryant Robert Morris and Bryant will meet on the hardwood for the fourth time Thursday, with the Series Record .............. Robert Morris leads, 3-0 Colonials having won each of the previous three First Meeting .................... 1/29/09; RMU, 72-47 meetings in the all-time series. RMU won the Last Meeting .......................... 2/3/11; RMU, 91-38 only meeting between the two programs last Last RMU Win ........................ 2/3/11; RMU, 91-38 Current Streak ......................... Robert Morris, 3 season, posting a 91-38 win over the Bulldogs at Toole vs. Bryant ................................................ 1-0 the Charles L. Sewall Center (2/3/11). In that contest forward Lijah Thompson led five Colonials in double figures scoring with a career-high 18 points, shooting 7-for-12 from the floor and 4-for-4 at the free-throw line. Guard Velton Jones added 16 points, while forward Russell Johnson and guard Coron Williams added 14 and 12 points, respectively, off the bench.
Robert Morris Probable Starters ... # 24 34 1 2 3
P F F F G G
Name Lawrence Bridges (6-5, 225, Sr.) Russell Johnson (6-6, 180, R-Jr.) Mike McFadden (6-8, 220, So.) Velton Jones (6-0, 170, R-Jr.) Coron Williams (6-2, 170, R-So.)
Pts. 3.7 8.5 8.2 16.0 12.3
Reb. 4.4 5.5 6.2 2.9 3.1
G/GS 15/15 15/15 5/5 15/15 15/15
Hometown Detroit, Mich. Chester, Pa. Newark, N.J. Philadelphia, Pa. Midlothian, Va.
Quick Fact Shooting 52.9% (9-for-17) from field last five games Active leading rebounder for Colonials with 471 career boards In first five games for RMU owns eight blocks, eight steals Has been member of starting lineup 67 consecutive games Leads RMU in three-pointers (37), three-point FG pct. (.430)
Robert Morris Off The Bench ... # 11 22 5 35 21
P C G/F G F G
Name Lijah Thompson (6-7, 200, Jr.) Lucky Jones (6-5, 195, Fr.) Anthony Myers (5-11, 170, So.) Keith Armstrong (6-7, 230, Fr.) Brandon Herman (6-1, 190, Fr.)
Pts. 7.7 6.7 5.9 2.5 1.8
Reb. 3.5 5.7 3.0 2.3 1.1
G/GS 11/10 15/0 15/0 15/0 12/0
Hometown Philadelphia, Pa. Newark, N.J. Washington, D.C. Raleigh, N.C. Chattanooga, Tenn.
2010-11 Quick Fact Returned to lineup @ Ohio, scored five points in 14 minutes Of his 86 rebounds, team-high 38 have come on offensive glass Ranks second for RMU in assists (40); third in steals (18) First career double-figure scoring game (11 pts) vs. Monmouth Averaging 8.7 minutes per contest on 2011-12 campaign