Game #5 • Robert Morris (3-1) vs. La Salle (2-2) The Philly Hoop Group Classic
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 (3-1) RIDER @ Saint Peter’s @ Penn # @ James Madison # vs. La Salle # @ Pittsburgh # DECEMBER (0-0) 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
Friday, November 25, 2011 • 4:30 p.m. • The Palestra (8,722) • Philadelphia, Pa. Radio: WPIT-AM (730) with Chris Shovlin (play-by-play) & Jim Elias (color) Audio available at www.rmucolonials.com
W, 83-57 W, 69-52 L, 60-66 W, 82-77 4:30 p.m. 5:00 p.m.
Top Story - The Robert Morris University men’s basketball team concludes play in the 2011 Philly Hoop Group Classic with a pair of games after the Thanksgiving holiday, beginning with a 4:30 p.m. tip against La Salle in a neutral site contest at the Palestra in Philadelphia, Pa., Friday afternoon. RMU will close out the tournament with a 5:00 p.m. tip @ Pittsburgh Sunday, Nov. 27. The Colonials own a record of 1-1 through two games of the tourney thanks to an 82-77 victory in their last contest @ James Madison (11/22/11). Redshirt junior guard Velton Jones led Robert Morris against the Dukes with a career-high 38 points, converting on 10 of his 15 shots from the floor, including 3-for-4 from beyond the arc, and a 15-for-19 showing at the free-throw line. Jones tied the fourth highest single-game scoring total in school history and produced the most points since former Colonial A.J. Jackson (2003-08) dropped 39 in an 89-77 win over Quinnipiac (2/12/06) at the Charles L. Sewall Center. Jones also became the 21st different student-athlete in school history to eclipse the 30-point plateau in a game at Robert Morris.
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# The Philly Hoop Group Classic (Philadelphia, Pa.) (La Salle game played at the Palestra) * Northeast Conference game
Quick Stat of the Night - For Robert Morris to be successful, an ability to crash the glass is one reason why the Colonials could produce victories on a regular basis. Through four games of the 2011-12 season, RMU has done exactly that, outrebounding three of its first four opponents and averaging 34.8 caroms per contest. Robert Morris is coming off an 82-77 victory @ James Madison (11/22/11) in which it finished with a margin of +10 in rebounding, finishing with 37 boards compared to 27 for the Dukes. Redshirt junior forward Russell Johnson paced RMU with a seasonhigh nine rebounds. Through their first four games of the season, the Colonials own a rebounding margin of +4.7, which ranks second in the Northeast Conference and trails only Quinnipiac. Friday’s Opponent and The All-Time Series RMU vs. La Salle Robert Morris has never squared off against La Salle on the hardwood in its 36-year Division I Series Record .............. 0-0 (Inaugural Meeting) history, as Friday’s game marks the inaugural First Meeting .......................................... 11/25/11 meeting between the two programs. The Explor- Last Meeting .................................................... NA Last RMU Win .................................................. NA ers are one of four teams that RMU will face for Current Streak ................................................ NA the first time in school history in 2011-12, joining Toole vs. La Salle ............................................. 0-0 fellow Philly Hoop Group Classic participant Penn (11/22/11), which defeated the Colonials, 66-60, in the inaugural meeting, LouisianaLafayette (12/17/11) and Hampton (12/20/11). RMU’s tilts with the Ragin’ Cajuns and Pirates in December are the beginning of a home-and-home series that will be concluded in 2012-13.
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. 3.3 8.3 7.5 20.8 15.5
Reb. 3.3 5.3 2.5 2.5 2.3
G/GS 4/4 4/4 4/4 4/4 4/4
Hometown Detroit, Mich. Chester, Pa. Philadelphia, Pa. Philadelphia, Pa. Midlothian, Va.
Quick Fact RMU owns record of 12-3 (.800) with Bridges in starting lineup Season-high nine rebounds @ James Madison (11/22/11) Shooting 80 percent (12-for-15) from the free-throw line Career-high 38 points in 82-77 win @ James Madison (11/22/11) Owns team-high 11 three-pointers, shooting 44% from arc
Robert Morris Off The Bench ... # 5 22 21 35 12
P G G/F G F F/C
Name Pts. Anthony Myers (5-11, 170, So.) 7.5 Lucky Jones (6-5, 195, Fr.) 4.5 Brandon Herman (6-1, 190, Fr.) 3.8 Keith Armstrong (6-7, 230, Fr.) 2.0 Darren Washington (6-9, 220, Fr.) 2.0
Reb. 3.0 6.8 1.8 4.0 2.0
G/GS 4/0 4/0 4/0 4/0 1/0
Hometown Washington, D.C. Newark, N.J. Chattanooga, Tenn. Raleigh, N.C. Belleville, Mich.
2010-11 Quick Fact Shooting 57.1 percent (8-for-14) from the field, owns 11 assists Owns 27 rebounds, including 10 offensive caroms Has averaged 12.8 minutes per contest through four games Owns 16 rebounds, two blocks, three steals Scored two points in final three minutes against Rider