By Paul Meyer
www.rmucolonials.com
Jan. 25, 2011
Meyer on Morris Link
Moon Township, Pa. - That the Robert Morris University Colonials head to Connecticut this week still afloat in the logjam of contenders for the Northeast Conference regular-season championship is a reality that seemed anything but that late in the first half of their game against visiting St. Francis (N.Y.) last Saturday night.
With 2:30 left in that half, the Colonials, not very fresh from being inundated by Long Island in the second half two nights earlier, found themselves floundering under a series of waves from international waters created by the Terriers.
A trio of three-pointers by nemesis Stefan Perunicic and another trey by Ricky Cadell highlighted a 19-5 surge that sent St. Francis (N.Y.) to a 24-14 lead.
The Colonials appeared in danger of not only falling to 4-4 in the NEC but also losing back-to-back home league games for the first time since Feb. 10 and 12, 2005.
In addition, there was this seemingly unthinkable thought: Could the Colonials, staring ahead at road games this week against Quinnipiac and Sacred Heart, really be in some danger of falling out of the NEC race and eventually not qualifying for the league tournament?
Things truly did not look good.
However, the Colonials grabbed their life jackets and, swimming upstream, managed to fend off the Terriers, 54-51, for what might have been a season-saving survival.
"Not a season-saver,'' senior Gary Wallace said. "I'd say more of a morale-saver after knowing we (tossed) away a game Thursday. I think the (previous) two days we were just walking around like we've got to win this (St. Francis) game because we can't afford to give away games that we should be winning.''
"In the shoot around, we weren't moping around, but there wasn't as much energy,'' sophomore Velton Jones said. "We came out and we played hard. It was a morale-saver.''
And it spotlighted one of RMU coach Andrew Toole's firms beliefs.
"We have pretty competitive kids,'' he said. "They don't like to lose, especially in our league. They have a dislike and distaste for losing.''
The fallout left the Colonials one of four 5-3 teams and a game behind NEC-leading Long Island, but also just a game ahead of three 4-4 teams in a very jammed-up league race.
That RMU is still above .500 in the NEC can be attributed to this number: 34.6.
That's the percentage St. Francis (N.Y.) shot from the field in the second half Saturday.
And that drove home what almost certainly has to be the Colonials' strength over their final 10 regular-season league games - defense.
"No matter what happens on offense, our defense comes first,'' Wallace said. "I'm not saying we can't score, but we're not going to go out there and drop 90. We can play so hard on defense that it helps generate our offense and gets us going. When we all (play defense) and everybody's on the same page, it's a wonderful feeling. So if we can continue to play defense and work on it every day and hold each other accountable we'll be fine.''
"Our formula is defend first,'' Toole said. "We have to defend. I told our guys (last Friday), 'This isn't an insult to your ability to make shots, but let's realize who we are. You have to defend and we'll grind out offensive possessions and we'll use each other and be good teammates to get offensive plays done.' If we can keep teams in the 50s or low 60s, I think we have a good chance to win games. If we play in the 70s or 80s, we're in trouble.''
"If you defend, you're going to be in games,'' sophomore Karon Abraham said. "If you're stopping the other team, it doesn't matter if you're scoring. It's going to be a close game.''
Close NEC games have been the norm for the Colonials this season.
Six of their first eight league games were decided by five points or less, five of those eight by three points or less.
"We're going to have a lot more close games,'' Toole said. "Hopefully, the number of close games we've played (has) helped us mature. Hopefully, we understand situations, understand how to execute. Hopefully, we understand how to come up with stops. Hopefully, we can start to execute and make the winning plays.''
It could be quite a scramble over the final five weekends of NEC play. The nine teams just behind Long Island are separated by only two games. The top eight teams qualify for the NEC Tournament.
"I think every team has two or three good players who on any given night can go off and get 15-plus (points),'' Toole said. "If you have guys who can go and get 15, 20 points in a game, you can be dangerous on any given night. I don't care who it is. Everybody has one, two or three of those guys who can really give you trouble.
"I think every coach in the league is now really pushing guys. Getting guys to play hard. Everybody has weapons offensively. You've got to make sure you're bringing your best night in and night out.''
Perunicic offered proof of how troublesome he can be for opposing defenses in the first half last Saturday. He dropped in a trio of rainbow treys in just over a three-minute span.
That brought back memories of Perunicic's first NEC game as a freshman Dec. 4, 2008, at the Charles L. Sewall Center. He made 7-of-11 from deep en route to a 28-point performance that carried the Terriers to an 87-79 win against the Colonials.
"Once he makes one, he can get on a run,'' Toole said. "Thankfully, we were able to cut it off right there. He's an incredible weapon when he's making shots. He puts so much pressure on your defense because he can shoot it from anywhere and he has such great size (6'6") that if you don't have a hand up at all times that's all the space he needs to knock one down.''
Saturday night, hampered a bit by foul trouble, Perunicic was "just'' 4-of-6 from beyond the arc and scored 14 points.
Jones led the Colonials with 18 points. He was 6-of-10 from the field.
"I think he should go 6-for-10 every night,'' Toole said. "Those floaters and pull-up jumpers in the middle of the lane should be his game. Sometimes maybe because of good defense he'll settle for jump shots when I think he needs to attack the rim because that's what he does best.''
UP NEXT: Quinnipiac (4-4), still playing without standout senior Justin Rutty, lost its third consecutive game Saturday, falling at Mount St. Mary's, 72-63. The Bobcats were 8-of-15 from beyond the arc but just 11-of-34 inside it and were 17-of-26 from the free throw line. Deontay Twyman led Quinnipiac with 16 points.
Mount St. Mary's (5-3), which has won three straight games, outrebounded the Bobcats, 37-28.
NEC NUGGETS: Long Island fell behind, 44-25, at Saint Francis (Pa.) and lost, 86-71. The Blackbirds were 5-of-22 from deep and 12-of-26 at the foul line … The Red Flash received 24 points from Umar Shannon and made 31-of-35 free throw attempts … Saint Francis (Pa.) has won four straight games and is 6-1 at home. However, the Red Flash are 0-12 on the road … Sacred Heart made 30-of-34 free throw attempts in its 79-76 win at Wagner. Pioneer guard Shane Gibson scored 34 points in his 30 minutes. He was 12-of-15 from the field … Central Connecticut State edged visiting Fairleigh Dickinson, 72-67, in overtime. Ken Horton (23 points, 10 rebounds) and Shemik Thompson (22, 10) each had double-doubles for the Blue Devils … FDU hurt itself by making just 9-of-18 from the free throw line … Monmouth, trailing, 50-39, with 13:26 remaining, rallied to win at Bryant, 81-76, in overtime. Jesse Steele was 5-of-7 from downtown and finished with 19 points for the Hawks … Bryant's Cecil Gresham and Matthew Lee scored 26 points apiece and were a combined 13-of-24 from beyond the arc … The Bulldogs launched 42 shots from deep and made 17.
