Colonials strive to achieve the breakout season in the HL they’ve been seeking
By Tristan Freeman
The coaching carousel greatly impacted the Horizon League, with five teams making coaching changes. It was almost six, with coach Andy Toole and Robert Morris taking a step back last season, finishing 10-22 overall and 9th place in the standings. One big issue was the defensive issues, with Toole noting during Horizon League Media Day, “we were disappointed in our ability to defend and rebound.”
He’s back for his 15th season with the program, but his coaching staff and roster underwent many changes. Will it be good enough? The Colonials had to replace four starters, including all-league performers Josh Corbin and Markeese Hastings. Eight transfers from various places are joining the team to get them back into HL contention.
Projected Starters
G: Kam Woods – His impact last season at NC State was limited due to not being cleared by the NCAA until midway through. The stats to judge him were the year prior, averaging 17.3 ppg and 3.3 apg on 39% shooting at NC A&T. Toole is high on the impact Woods can have, saying on Horizon League Media Day, “he’s one of the guys we’re going to rely upon to be big playmaker for us.” With Corbin gone, it’s a hint that Woods could have the ball in his hands more and be the new point guard for the team.
G: Justice Williams – The former 5-star prospect was solid in his first year with the program, averaging 12.3 ppg on 37% shooting. He had 12 games with at least 15 points and 10 single-digit scoring outings. The inconsistencies were notable, and Toole discussed them on Media Day.
“There were certain nights where he was one of the better guards on the floor, and then there were nights where he wasn’t as effective as he needed to be.”
A backcourt pairing of Williams and Woods could be one of the best in the Horizon League this season, but they’ll both have to improve their efficiency.
SF: Josh Omojafo – The 6-5 wing comes over from D2 program Gannon, leading them with 20 ppg. He was part of the program’s big turnaround, going from three total wins to 20+ last season. His scoring ability will be needed for the Colonials, and he could be one of the top impact newcomers to the conference.
PF: Alvaro Folgueiras – The 6-9 forward from Spain had a slow start as a freshman but came on in the second half of the season, averaging 5.3 ppg and 4.5 rpg overall in 17 mpg off the bench. The stretch forward had a trio of double-digit scoring games late, including 13 points and 11 rebounds against Oakland.
C: Ismael Plet – The replacement for Hastings inside will be Plet, who is coming off averaging 7.5 ppg and 7.4 rpg at Arkansas-Pine Bluff. The 6’7 forward had five double-doubles and produced 15 points and 11 rebounds versus Mississippi Valley State. There’s not much frontcourt depth this season, but Plet is easily the best pure rebounder on the team, and his size should be fine at this level.
Rotation Pieces to Watch
Chris Ford – The raw numbers (3.2 ppg) and shooting 18% from the FT line don’t look great. However, Ford started 10 games due to his strong defense and glue-guy ability. They’ll need him to be more of an offensive threat that can’t simply be fouled to slow down the offense but the 6-5 wing will be part of the rotation.
DJ Smith – The 6-0 guard played just eight games last season at Bowling Green, but in the two years prior at Little Rock averaged 8.4 ppg and 2.5 apg as a starter. Smith gives them a veteran backup guard that can score and a capable ball-handler that can play with either Williams or Woods in the backcourt.
Amarion Dickerson – The 6-7 forward was one of the best shot-blockers and overall defenders at the JUCO ranks, averaging over 12 ppg at Mineral Area College last season. His athleticism makes him an intriguing player to watch, and despite being built more like a guard/wing, he should see most of his minutes in the frontcourt.
Ryan Prather Jr. – The 6-5 guard/wing was limited to just 15 games last season at Akron but did have an 8-point game against Northern Illinois, including a couple of made three-pointers. He’s one of several big guards/wings added to improve the overall size, but he will have plenty of competition for minutes there.
Outlook
It’s been a rough time for Robert Morris since entering the Horizon League, always having to catch up on talent. But almost all of the stars throughout the conference have either moved on or transferred to the high major ranks. It’s the best chance that the Colonials will have to move up the conference ladder. They were closest when they had Enoch Cheeks and Kahliel Spear, two quality two-way players.
Do they have that on this current roster? Woods and Williams are great scorers, but defending will be the question. The big storyline is how big of a sophomore leap Folgueiras has. He’s the frontcourt’s focal point, and his spacing will be key to them. An all-conference campaign performance from him is pivotal. They’ll need at least one of the incoming wings to break out to provide depth, which has recently limited RMU’s ceiling in this league.
Of all of the teams in the Horizon League, this season will be most consequential for Robert Morris. They’re either going to finally take the step to be a legit threat in the conference, or a head coach change could be coming, something the program hasn’t wanted to do. The circumstances are there for the Colonials to make noise, but it could come down to how dynamic the backcourt duo can be.
