SMITHFIELD, R.I. – Although it might seem obvious from the final score, simply watching Robert Morris’ 84-53 thumping of Bryant on Thursday went about as well as the coaching staff could have drawn it up. The Colonials won with defense and getting points from it, played a disciplined game and also look like a team continuing to develop the kind of depth that will give them a chance when the Northeast Conference Tournament rolls around.
“I was happy with a lot of it, for sure,” said head coach Andy Toole. “I was happy that we were able to keep some guys’ minutes in check, because when you go Thursday and Saturday, having a little bit of depth definitely helps.”
Robert Morris isn’t an especially good offensive team, although you wouldn’t know it on this night or in their prior game. The Colonials entered the night shooting just 40.4 percent from the field on the season and averaging 14.8 turnovers per game, and with 36 more turnovers than assists. They came in averaging a little under 66 points per game, a mark they surpassed before the halfway point of the second half.
Thursday night, none of that mattered. The Colonials didn’t turn the ball over until several minutes into the game and had just six on the evening. After shooting a season-high 53.2 percent in their prior game at Ohio, they shot 48.4 percent on Thursday, including 51.5 percent in the second half.
“It’s hard to be really good at both ends of the floor, so we want to make sure we’re as solid as we can be and as good as we can be defensively,” said Toole. “In the last couple of games, our shot selection has been really good, I think we’ve shared the ball very well, and we’ve taken higher percentage shots, shots that maybe we’re more capable of making.”
Where the Colonials win is at the defensive end. They hold opponents to 40.5 percent shooting, force 15.5 turnovers per game and out-rebound opponents by more than six per game. They can win by locking an opponent down or turning them over.
Robert Morris also showed what they’re made of with specialty stats, as they had big edge in points off turnovers (31-11) and second-chance points (29-8). That went right with the idea of getting points from the defense, as well as winning in the effort areas. With the easy baskets they got off turnovers, the field goal percentage goes up, and the offense doesn’t have to work as hard. They also didn’t give the ball away much, turning it over just nine times on the night to the 23 Bryant turnovers they forced.
The Colonials also showed their depth. They are nine deep, and all nine players had scored by the second media timeout of the game. Only Coron Williams, at 31.3 minutes per game, averages more than 30 minutes, and on Thursday freshman David Appolon played a career-high minutes, and they weren’t simply garbage time minutes in a blowout as he surpassed his season average of 7.7 in the first half.
Appolon could be the tenth man in the rotation. He was injured before practice began, so he had some ground to make up, but he seems to be getting there of late. His emergence would only make this team tougher to beat.
“If we can get him developed as we go deeper into Northeast Conference play, I think it’s just going to pay dividends for Coron Williams and Anthony Myers and Velton Jones if they can play a couple less minutes and be more productive,” said Toole.
The Colonials now have a 6-3 road record as they head into Saturday’s showdown with Central Connecticut in New Britain. That’s another sign of what this team is capable of, and Toole knows that’s a key to success in the conference. It’s also a sign of what the upperclassmen have done from a leadership standpoint, something he sees being shaped by the success of recent seasons when they were younger.
“They’ve been seasoned,” said the Colonial mentor. “They’ve been through a lot in this league, and I think when we’re playing really hard and playing together, I think we’re a pretty good team.”
The Colonials head into the showdown with Central Connecticut off a win that went about as well as they could have scripted. It was on the road, with the offense playing better and the defense keying everything, and their depth continued to develop and help them. It’s the kind of win that shows why they will contend in the conference as the season goes along.
