Colonials Corner

Karon Abraham has emerged as a potential threat for the Colonials. Photo courtesy of Robert Morris athletics.

Eleven days will pass until the Robert Morris Colonials play another basketball game.

It will be the longest 11 days of this young team’s short season.

Robert Morris’ spirited comeback fell short as the Colonials dropped a 71-66 decision to Albany on Sunday to close out the 2KSports Classic benefiting Coaches v. Cancer. The loss sank the Colonials to 1-4 on the season, 1-3 in the tournament.

“I just said, ‘Thanks guys, you just gave me complete motivation for practice over the next (11) days,” head coach Mike Rice said on his post-game radio show after Sunday’s loss. “We’re going to enjoy Thanksgiving but we certainly have things to work on.”

There have been several bright moments in the Colonials’ sluggish start. For one, their competition was extraordinarily difficult. The NEC is rated by RealTimeRPI as 28th in the nation out of 32 conferences. The Colonials have played #18 Syracuse (out of the #1 Big East), Albany (out of the #12 America East), Penn State (out of surprisingly low #20 Big Ten), and Detroit-Mercy (out of #14 Horizon League). Only Alcorn State (out of #26 MEAC) was rated in a conference near RMU, and the Colonials blew them out of the water on Saturday.

“It was more like our league,” Rice said of Saturday’s 107-76 win. “Its the consistency that we struggle with. We’re happy one moment that we’re doing it right and then we get full of ourselves and we forget the details for a bit.”

Also in the good news category – while they may be a bit inconsistent, Karon Abraham and Velton Jones have emerged as potentially very good scoring options at the guard spot. Jones had 17 against Albany and 15 against Syracuse, but he’s also battled foul trouble. Abraham, a true freshman, led RMU with 18 against Alcorn State and had 13 against Syracuse, but he’s struggled with his accuracy and with fouls as well.

“He did it very efficiently,” Rice said of Abraham’s night against Alcorn State. “It’s coming, and that young man’s offense tonight is indicative of what he can do. If we can get some consistency from him, that’d be good.”

However, Abraham struggled more on Sunday, as did Russell Johnson. The sophomore forward has struggled to shake off the rust of sitting out last year offensively, although Rice likes his athleticism and his versatility. The two ended up being used in a Rice example in the postgame show to highlight the team’s early inconsistency.

“You’re a Division I basketball player. You have to finish,” Rice said Sunday. “You have to make layups. I think Russell Johnson missed three of them without anyone around him. Karon Abraham missed a couple. I was very disappointed in our offense.”

The disappointment, however, did not stretch to the decision making. While Rice finds issues in every aspect of the game, even in a blowout, the decision making hasn’t been a problem for the Colonials. Learning how to play the game at the speed of the collegiate level, consistency, and just getting shots to drop has been at the center of the Colonials’ struggles.

“If you’re not going to score, it’s just too hard,” Rice said. “We’re putting too much pressure on a defense that’s getting better but isn’t there yet. There’s only a handful of times where I was disappointed in our shots. It’s going to be a process.”

Then, there’s the mixed bag of results. Jimmy Langhurst hasn’t been fully healthy, and Rob Robinson has been one of the primary culprits of just not getting his shots to fall. One would have to believe that those two will be far more effective on offense as the season progresses.

“We don’t have that guy right now who I know is going to give me 17 points and 8 rebounds every night,” Rice said. “Hopefully the healthier Jimmy gets, the more pressure he can take off of Rob Robinson. Hopefully every night somebody steps up and pitches in.”

When the Colonials weren’t up against overly athletic, bigger, more experienced basketball players, they did well. Syracuse is turning into a huge contender in the Big East, and Detroit-Mercy isn’t even the typical Horizon League team, as they’re stacked with several Indiana University transfers. Even Albany is lengthier and more athletic than the Colonials, which is saying something considering Robert Morris’ athleticism. The Colonials’ pressed well against Penn State, only to go cold; they ran Alcorn State out of the gym; and then they simply went cold against Albany despite hanging around athletically.

“This is a team that’s going to take all of my energy and all of my voice box and everything that my coaching staff has to reach their potential,” Rice said. “I still think this team can be a VERY good team.”

Robert Morris will be off for those eleven days before they play their home opener on December 3rd. That game also serves as the Northeast Conference opener. It will be on regional television. The opponent?

Some team named Mount St. Mary’s.

“I just hope we’re ready for that type of intensity, that type of big game,” Rice mused. “After (11) days, I hope we’ll be ready. I think we will be.”