MOON TOWNSHIP — Once again the Robert Morris men’s basketball team finds themselves with eyes on them as March approaches.
Last season, the team ended their regular season on a seven-game win streak. This season they sit at five with two games remaining.
Last year, the Colonials deployed the Horizon League player of the year, and once again, this year they have a contender for the same award.
And finally, yet another successful season has seen praise from Pittsburgh-targeting head coach Andy Toole and the work done by his men.
With trends like this, one might suspect a lot more than just one rotational player remained with the team from last season’s historic run. And while the venues, coaching staff, and main man himself, Andy Toole, remained, Ryan Prather was the sole returner from a team largely gutted by the transfer portal.
Yet as described above, a lot seems to be backing the Colonials for another successful run. One of the two final roadblocks is one of the hottest teams in Detroit Mercy.
Like many of the teams in the Horizon League this season, results have come at a premium, but many teams have gone on runs, like the Colonials have recently.
Teams like Oakland and Youngstown, regular powerhouses in the conference, have seen early success teeter off down the stretch. Others, like Cleveland State, saw a five-game win streak over January halted and haven’t won a game since and now sit 6-12 and second to last in the standings.
But the Titans and Colonials have seen success in the most important time: the final weeks before March.
Something’s going to give tonight at the UPMC Events Center, as Detroit Mercy, who’s riding a four-game winning streak, strolls into town. The Colonials, who are holding their own five-game streak, are once again forced to try to fend off wannabe successors while simultaneously fighting for a share of regular season glory.
With wins in their final two games and losses from top-placed Wright State, the Colonials would clinch a share of the one seed, as well as the confidence and intimidation factor to hold over the rest of the league.
Detroit Mercy can’t quite find that same success in their final games, but wins would mean extending their win streak and beating two of the best teams in the conference, RMU and Oakland. While second-year Titan’s head coach Mark Montgomery would all but lock up coach of the year, turning a program that sat at 8-24 the year prior into a contender, the team would be one to reckon with as they likely pack for a trip to Indy.
What’s clear about Wednesday night’s heavyweight matchup is what separates contenders from pretenders. Detroit Mercy leads one category in the Horizon League: rebounds. Who sits second? The Robert Morris Colonials.
RMU’s roster boasts the likes of freshman of the year candidate Darius Livingston, who picked up a hat trick of freshman of the week awards on Monday; Desean Goode and Ryan Prather, who are contending for the conference’s player of the year award; and, of course, the reigning coach of the year Andy Toole on their bench.
Experience and newfound chemistry have guided the Colonials back to the doorstep that they stood upon last season, but they need to overcome the other contenders, which they have so far.
If Detroit Mercy wants to finally sign off on the new narrative surrounding their team, it starts with a win on the reigning champion’s home court.
A loss for either will not only see winning streaks cease, but also the most vital of runs end just days before the beginning of March.
RMU takes on Detroit Mercy at the UPMC Events Center tonight at 7 P.M. The game will be broadcast on SportsNet Pittsburgh and available to stream on ESPN+.
