Coming off the previous week where RMU took one off the chin against Purdue Fort Wayne and followed up it with slightly more competitive showing for league stud Cleveland State, Robert Morris faced a weekend homestand where it had no choice; sweep or else!
RMU opened their homestand this past week on Thursday welcoming Milwaukee to the UPMC Events Center in Moon Township, PA. Not having to face one of the nations top recruits in Patrick Baldwin Jr was something welcomed by Robert Morris considering what he did to them the first time around. RMU, still without Kam Farris however, seemed up to the task early and often in this one.
Enoch Cheeks came out more aggressive than I have seen him at any point this season, he was making smart decisions both with the basketball and without, helping create for everyone in a Colonial uniform. Robert Morris did not exactly set the world on fire from the field in the first 20 minutes, only shooting 35%, with Khaliel Spear leading the way with 11 points.
Spear, who is becoming more and more this teams lynch pin, lead the way with 25 points, helping Robert Morris win convincingly 77-53, which is their largest D1 win this season.
Sunday, RMU welcomed Green Bay to finish up their brief 2 game homestand, where the Colonials were trying avenge their previous 70-58 loss back in December. RMU did not open the contest with much fire power, only making 9 of their first 29 shots from the field, shooting a bleak 31%. Trailing 27-26 after the first half, Robert Morris needed to dig deep in the second half, and as assistant coach Jimmy Langhurst told me Friday night, “We gotta have it on Sunday!”
Well, with Michael Green III leading the way, RMU was able to claw and scratch out a 62-60 win, giving them their first back to back league wins in almost 2 years. Green was clutch for the Colonials, scoring a game high 21, shooting 4 of 8 from beyond the arc, and stepping up the way he did was massive. With Spear only scoring 9 points on 3 of 11 shooting, RMU is going to need a lot more of this from Green if they want a deep run in March.
I speak often with Langhurst, and I have been getting the sense lately he has felt his team was close to breaking out, they have suffered some close losses but have fought to the bitter end night in and night out. Robert Morris is headed on the road for two games against UIC and IUPUI this week. Can RMU continue their streak and start stacking some Ws?
Since I have known coach Andy Toole, I have always joked that the closer the calendar gets to March, the better his teams seem to play; are we seeing that again with this team?