Tag: Andy Toole

NEC Trade Value – The First Edition

Every once in a while we like to have fun here at Big Apple Buckets. It doesn’t always have to be “make fun of Jon Rothstein’s optimism until he blocks me on Twitter” kind of fun, but more like the “well this doesn’t make a ton of sense” kind of fun. This time, please allow me to channel my inner Bill Simmons. Continue reading “NEC Trade Value – The First Edition” →

NEC Team Primer: #3 Robert Morris Colonials

Head Coach: Andy Toole, 4th Season (68-36, 39-15 NEC)
Last Season: 24-11, 14-4 (NEC), Lost Second Round of NIT to Providence, 77-68
RPI/KenPom: 121/144
NEC Preseason Poll: 2nd out of 10 teams (tied with Bryant)
State of Program: NEC Contender
Starters Returning: 2
Key Loss(es): Velton Jones (10.6 ppg, 5.1 apg, 1.7 rpg), Coron Williams (9.1 ppg, 2.2 rpg, 41.6% 3pt%), Russell Johnson (10.9 ppg, 5.8 rpg), Lijah Thompson (didn’t play last season due to injury)
Incoming Players: Britton Lee (G), Kavon Stewart (G), Desjuan Newton (G), Jeremiah Worthem (F), Charles Oliver (G), Aaron Tate (F)

RMULogoProjected Starting Lineup:
PG: Anthony Myers-Pate (5.9 ppg, 2.2 rpg, 2.8 apg)
G: Karvel Anderson (12.5 ppg, 43.9% 3pt%)
F: Lucky Jones (11.6 ppg, 6.0 rpg)
F: Aaron Tate (So., Played at Dodge City Community College)
C: Mike McFadden (8.5 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 56.5% FG%)

Key Reserves: Kavon Stewart (G), Desjuan Newton (G), Jeremiah Worthem (F), Stephan Hawkins (F)

Major Storylines:

  • The Apprenticeship Ends – Anthony Myers-Pate has spent the past three seasons learning behind one the all-time greats in NEC history, Velton Jones. Now Myers-Pate has the unenviable task of replacing Jones in the RMU lineup. The senior’s passing skills are going to be up to snuff. Myers-Pate has shown the ability to make plays with his passing ability, but he’ll need to cut down on the turnovers a bit now that he’s in a full-time role.
  • Tradition and Respect – It needs to be noted that Robert Morris lost a lot from last year’s team that won the NEC regular season title with a 14-4 record. The Colonials will be without Velton Jones and Russell Johnson this season, two players that were the biggest cogs in the offense last season. They’ll also be without sharpshooting Coron Williams, who transferred to Wake Forest for his final season. Still, Andy Toole and his program have built up a ton of respect after being at or near the top of the NEC for the past six seasons. It’s because of that past history and Toole’s outstanding coaching that people are overlooking this team’s flaws and planning to see RMU near the top of the standings once again.
  • My Old Kentucky Home – Robert Morris pulled off one of the upsets of the season by defeating Kentucky 59-57 at home in the NIT last season. It was probably the biggest win of any NEC team last season and landed the Colonials in the national spotlight. It also showed off the team’s commitment to defense – or at least a slow pace in a 54-possession game – and a lack of intimidation. (It might also have shown why major conference teams never go play true road games during non-conference.) The rematch occurs on Nov. 17 at Rupp Arena. The atmosphere is going to be completely different and Kentucky will have that much more talent, but it’ll provide the Colonials an early measuring stick and more exposure for the NEC.

The Skinny:
The Colonials’ success or failure never hangs on just one player. No player played more than 68.0% of the team’s minutes last season. Andy Toole wants to rest players and juggles his lineups so that he can get the best available defensive match ups during a game. What will be incredibly important is RMU’s commitment to defense. The Colonials allowed 0.99 points per possession during conference play last season. It was the best mark in the high-scoring NEC. The one weakness of the Colonials defensive identity was that they fouled way too much (51.3 defensive free throw rate, the worst in the NEC). It might take this team some time to adjust to the new rules and continue to be the defensive force.

In the backcourt the Colonials will start two known commodities. Karvel Anderson showed during his first season in the NEC that he’s one of the conference’s best shooters and he should be able to continue stretching defenses with his deadly accurate three-point shooting. He’ll be teamed up with Anthony Myers-Pate, who definitely doesn’t need to replace all of Velton Jones’ production, but certainly does need to be a steady hand at the wheel and a stout defensive presence in a league with a ton of talented point guards. RMU also has added some backcourt depth in its talented recruiting class. Kavon Stewart scored 10 points in 19 minutes off the bench in the Colonials’ scrimmage against California (Pa.). Desjuan Newton will also provide a more experienced, albeit not at the Division I level, scoring guard. Newton averaged 17.4 ppg at Central Arizona College last season.

The front court has two familiar names. Lucky Jones and Mike McFadden can be all-conference performers. Jones should have the inside track for an all-conference slot thanks to his inside-outside scoring ability and tough work on the defensive end. McFadden will need to help lock down the paint against this season. The third spot in the front court is up for grabs. Aaron Tate started the exhibition game, but played only nine minutes. Another freshman, Jeremiah Worthem, comes to RMU with a good deal of hype and grabbed 10 rebounds in 19 minutes in the exhibition. Worthem also hit the two free throws that gave the Colonials a late lead. The 6’6″ Worthem had offers from a number of schools before choosing to go to Western PA. Someone is going to step up and take those minutes in the rotation. Also, while David Appolon is listed as a guard, he could play the wing at times, considering he’s 6’4″.

Overall, RMU has all the talent it needs to compete for an NEC title. The Colonials had the inside track last season, but blew it at home in the semifinals against Mount St. Mary’s. Can they return to the NEC title game again and this time get back to the NCAA tournament for the first time since the 2009-10 season? Certainly.

Coach’s Quotes:

“I don’t know yet. What I’ll say is that we had a really good summer in terms of our team chemistry in terms of our guys, including our new guys, coming in and working.” – Andy Toole on how the Colonials replace Velton Jones

“What we’ve done over the past six years at Robert Morris, the last three as head coach, I hope people understand that we try and play the right way. We try and play and compete as hard as we possibly can. I think it’s a tribute sometimes to the guys that were here previously that people still continue to pick us high and there’s responsibility that falls on the shoulders of this year’s group and our new guys to continue on the tradition. To try and leave it better than they found and to continue to try and push our program forward each and every time they get a chance to step out on the floor. It’s something that we have to explain because a lot of our guys come to the program because of the success, but they don’t necessarily understand the effort that it takes and so it’s something that we talk to them about frequently.” – Toole on expectations and the legacy at Robert Morris

“We don’t teach our guys to foul. It’s something that we talk about all the time about defending with your feet and your chest and position defense and things. I think the intent is hopefully to make the offense have more freedom of movement, but I also think that as a defender you have to be really engaged. You have to be anticipating. You have to be in the correct position. You have to be technically sound in order to defend and I think in a lot of ways that’s the way the game should be.” – Toole on the new defensive rules and fouls in general

Predictions:

Ryan – Off the record, one NEC coach said it best when explaining why Robert Morris was picked second in the preseason poll, despite losing a lot production: “Robert Morris is like the Patriots of the NEC. Until they aren’t in a position of contention, you just have to assume they’ll be there at season’s end.” I agree, but I think it could be rough sailing in the early going. They have to adjust to the new defensive rules and Toole must tinker with his rotation and team chemistry. They’ll be a legit factor come NEC time, but I think losing Velton, Coron, Russell, and Lijah will be too much to overcome. (16 wins, 9-7 NEC)

John – Lucky Jones is one of the best players in the NEC whether Andy Toole plays him enough for him to earn NEC First Team honors or not. Considering the talent around him and the youngsters Toole brought in to supplement the lineup this team should be right back in the thick of the NEC race again. It might not end in a championship, but the defense will keep this team in every game. (18 wins, 10-6 NEC)

Other NEC Team Primers:
#10 Fairleigh Dickinson Knights
#9 St. Francis (PA) Red Flash
#8 Sacred Heart Pioneers
#7 St. Francis Brooklyn Terriers
#6 LIU Brooklyn Blackbirds
#5 Bryant Bulldogs
#4 Central Connecticut Blue Devils

Unbalanced NEC Schedule Garners Mixed Reaction Among Coaches

Over the past few seasons, the NEC and their athletic directors have done an excellent job promoting their basketball league. There’s been the wonderful advent of NEC Front Row, a free online streaming service that Big Apple Buckets recently profiled. Using social media, the NEC has been aggressive in successfully promoting its product. Thanks to league initiatives, the technology in all NEC gyms has improved as well. Overall, you’d be hard pressed to find someone upset with the recent decision-making of the NEC. Continue reading “Unbalanced NEC Schedule Garners Mixed Reaction Among Coaches” →

Recruiting Recap: Robert Morris, Toole Forced to Reload Roster With Six Newcomers

Can incoming freshman Jeremiah Worthem produce at an All-NEC rookie team level for Robert Morris? (Photo credit - maxpreps.com)
Can incoming freshman Jeremiah Worthem produce at an All-NEC rookie team level for Robert Morris? (Photo credit – maxpreps.com)

After enduring a wild postseason which included a devastating loss in the NEC semifinals, only to be followed by the greatest win in program history, Robert Morris is in an unusual position. Andy Toole and his staff must reload. Three fifths of the starting lineup has moved on, along with more than 45% of their possession minutes from last season. Continue reading “Recruiting Recap: Robert Morris, Toole Forced to Reload Roster With Six Newcomers” →

Kentucky at Robert Morris Preview: A Q&A With A Sea Of Blue

I sat down with Glenn Logan of A Sea With Blue to ask a few questions about John Calipari’s Kentucky Wildcats, who found themselves on the outside looking in for the NCAA tournament. Ken Pomeroy has them as the fifth best team to miss out on the Big Dance. As a result, Robert Morris will be hosting Kentucky in the first round of the NIT Tournament, since the Rupp Arena couldn’t find enough employees to operate a soda and popcorn machine tonight.

The Colonials will get a once in a lifetime opportunity to host the defending NCAA champions in their little 3,100 seat gym known as The Chuck. It should make for fascinating television on ESPN tonight at 7:30 PM! (For my answers to Glenn’s questions regarding Robert Morris, go here.)

Onto my Q&A with Glenn:

Ryan: With what you’ve seen regarding the team recently, do you expect them to be motivated to play at Robert Morris in a 3,100 seat gym? Will anyone on the team actually care, other than maybe Calipari’s family who may or may not still be in Moon Township?

A Sea of Blue: Honestly, this team is like Forrest Gump’s box of chocolates made manifest, and on steroids — you never know what you’re gonna get. Calipari doesn’t know, and if he doesn’t, there’s no way your humble correspondent and Kentucky blogger could divine what motivates this bunch. I know it’s a frustrating answer, and the truth is, some of them, and maybe all of them really do care, and will play their hearts out. I just can’t vouch for all of them, and even if they do care, their execution is so incredibly hit-or-miss, it’s just hard to say what will happen.

What I will say is that if an opposing squad is willing to consistently execute sharply and has a modicum of talent, they can beat this Kentucky team. But if you give the Wildcats confidence and let them get on a roll, they can crush almost anyone on a given night. It’s just about as impossible to predict as the weather around here. So you may see a bunch of future NBA players dunking and making shots and looking like the Miami Heat. Or, you might see a group that looks like an eccentric AAU team, throwing  the ball at random into the stands as if it were radioactive. Your guess is as good as mine, and I mean that in all sincerity.

Ryan: In your opinion, what have been the biggest reasons for Kentucky’s downfall late in the season? Obviously, things got worst with Noel’s knee injury, but was this team truly lacking a natural leader? Or do you feel their inconsistent guard play has led to their inconsistency?

A Sea of Blue: The biggest reason is simple — they can’t shoot. This team is incapable of consistently making a shot outside of eight feet.  If Archie Goodwin can’t get to the rim, he can’t score.  Alex Poythress can shoot, but he won’t. Julius Mays can shoot sometimes, but he’s undersized and needs help to get a shot. Kyle Wiltjer is in a season-long slump that shows no sign of abating. Ryan Harrow’s confidence is so fragile that if an opposing player calls him a dirty name, he’s likely to go 2 for 15.

Julius Mays tries to lead, and does a decent job. Unfortunately, the rest of them don’t seem to want to follow, and Julius just can’t be forceful enough to snap them out of their funk. Willie Cauley-Stein will play hard and do good things, but he’s raw and can’t shoot free throws. It’s just a mess.

Noel was such a huge intimidator in the paint. He made several teams so nervous with his shot blocking that they literally gave up, and tried to beat us with midrange shots. He was perhaps the greatest 6’10” athlete ever to stride the planet, and I mean that in all sincerity and with due respect to Dwight Howard. His quickness was not of this Earth. He was #10 in block % and #73 in steals % nationally, something never before seen in college basketball, and he didn’t even get to finish the season. His offensive game was raw, but a better shot blocker has never graced a college court. We would not be in the NIT if he were available. He could make teams quail just by taking the court, he was that threatening, and he played all out, all the time.

Kentucky’s guard play can best be described as follows: A quick, talented point guard with fragile confidence who’s as likely to pass the ball to get rid of it as to any real purpose, and a shooting guard of surpassing athletic talent who can’t shoot and turns the ball over 21% of his touches. The third guard is an undersized 2 guard who shoots it well, but can’t get his own shot.

Ryan: The Colonials lack players with any real size down low, so do you expect Calipari to exploit this mismatch agasinst Robert Morris with a heavy dose of Wiltjer, Poythress, and Cauley-Stein? Is there any way for a small team to counter Kentucky’s size?

A Sea of Blue: Calipari will try to exploit the Colonials size — who wouldn’t? Cauley-Stein is a superb athlete and 7’0″ tall, so we’re going to go to him early and often. Unfortunately, if you have enough fouls, you can just put him on the line, where he shoots under 50%. Alex Poythress is a shrinking violet, although if you don’t intimidate him early, he can lose his mind and go off for 20 and 12. He’s best described by Tubby Smith’s former quip about Kelenna Azibuike:  “Looks like Tarzan.  Plays like Jane.”

Goodwin is the one player that you can’t account for, because if he somehow realizes what you are doing, he can kill you by getting in the paint. The problem is, he doesn’t seem to know how to play under enough control to avoid help charges consistently, so if you can catch him a few times, you can get him in foul trouble. Also, if you don’t break Harrrow’s confidence down early, he can kill you getting into the paint and get on a roll shooting the ball. You don’t want that.

Ryan: Do you have a prediction for the game? Do you feel the Wildcats are in serious danger of getting upset?

A Sea of Blue: Honestly, I have nothing. We could win, or lose, by 20. This team is a mystery even to themselves, and there is simply no way I can predict anything about them.  Even Coach Cal has literally thrown up his hands and accepted the simple fact that he has a better chance of winning the Powerball Lottery than predicting what these guys will produce on a given night.

We beat one of the best teams in the nation the Saturday before last, then turned around six days later and got blown out by a 16-16 team that was even younger than we are, and the game was never close. This Kentucky team could probably confound God himself, and therefore any prediction is far beyond my humble intellect.

Thanks again to Glenn for stopping by and be sure to follow A Sea of Blue on Twitter here. And don’t forget to tune in tonight, in what will be the most important game Robert Morris has ever played on its Moon Township campus. Rocky, meet Apollo Creed!

Velton Jones Goes Down, Brent Jones Steps Up In SFC Win

Just 1:41 into St. Francis Brooklyn’s game against Robert Morris everything changed. In an NEC season full of injuries down went RMU’s star point guard Velton Jones. He was clutching his shoulder. Jones, one of the toughest players in the NEC, tried to return but couldn’t go. Without him the Colonials’ defense struggled and the Terriers got back into the NEC race with a 71-61 victory. Continue reading “Velton Jones Goes Down, Brent Jones Steps Up In SFC Win” →

NEC Opening Week: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly

With NEC conference play finally opening up this past week, we have plenty to discuss in this week’s version of The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly. Let’s jump right into it, beginning with perhaps one of the biggest surprises of the country.

The Good

  • Bulldog Bullying – Never in my wildest dreams did I believe Bryant would still be undefeated after I witnessed their tough loss on the road to Navy last month. But since then, Dobbs has run the offense masterfully (4.0 assists/game, 1.7 A/TO), Dyami Starks is stretching the defense with his outside shooting (17.9 points/game, 38% 3PT%), and Alex Francis is once again dominating in the low post (15.8 points, 7.8 rebounds per game). Through two conference games, Bryant has a sizzling 1.17 points per possession and an effective field goal percentage of 58%. What can stop these emerging Bulldogs now? Well, the lack of depth is certainly an issue moving forward and warrants monitoring. It’s a good problem to have if you’re Tim O’Shea, but he’ll need to be careful of not overusing his starting five, especially when February rolls around. One injury to the big three and this team easily drops a tier or two.
  • The Pioneers Are Back, Baby! – OK, maybe they aren’t really back, but protecting their home court for the first two conference games – after losing seven straight non-conference games – is a nice start. On Thursday night, Louis Montes enjoyed a career performance (35 points, eight rebounds, two steals, and two blocks) in leading SHU past an undermanned LIU Brooklyn club. On Saturday afternoon, it was Shane Gibson’s turn to shine, as the senior poured in 28 efficient points including the final four points to slide past the St. Francis Brooklyn Terriers. Justin Swidowski, in effect, saved the game for SHU by scoring 14 points in the second half to spark a run that put the Pioneers back in the game. Looking ahead, the Pioneers embark on a difficult four game road stand which includes CCSU, Quinnipiac, and a pissed off Robert Morris club. More on the Colonials later…
  • Say Goodbye to a Winless Season – A home blowout loss to Bryant aside, kudos goes to head coach Rob Krimmel for earning his first career victory, when his Red Flash surprisingly dispatched CCSU last Thursday, 79-70. In the win, sophomore Earl Brown went off, grabbing 25 rebounds to go along with 16 points. It was the most rebounds a Division I player had ever secured in a game since 2009. In fact, Brown was only eight rebounds shy of out-rebounding the entire Blue Devils team in the game! Overall, it was a nice start to the season for St. Francis, who will surely struggle at times with a young collection of talent. But at the same time, the Red Flash won’t be an easy victory more often than not when teams venture into the wilderness of middle Pennsylvania.
  • Dan Hurley Who? – One team that expectedly took care of business last week was Bashir Mason’s Wagner Seahawks, who held both NEC opponents to a combined 0.80 points per possession. Sophomore Mario Moody, in particular, helped push Wagner to victory as he’s now averaging 12.5 points, 10.5 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks per contest. Moody and teammate Naofall Folahan’s presence in the interior has made life incredibly difficult for opposing offenses and has certainly made Mason’s job a lot easier in leading this roster since Dan Hurley left for the A10. The Seahawks are the best bet to earn a home playoff game in the NEC postseason, although these days, predicting future NEC results is nearly impossible. Which leads me to my final bullet point for The Good…
  • The Wide Open NEC – I need a show of hands, who had Bryant and Sacred Heart at 2-0 and Robert Morris winless after a week of conference basketball? Anyone? The overused sports cliché of “any team can win on any given night” holds true for this conference with six underdogs winning half of the 12 conference games this past week. For NEC fans, it will make any game a must watch, even if the number of gray hairs increases exponentially over the course of the season. Races will be wide open and that is an absolute win for the conference. That is unless you’re an elitist.

The Bad

  • An Early Hole – The shorthanded LIU Blackbirds performed admirably considering the conditions, but nonetheless dropped two straight road games in Connecticut versus Sacred Heart and Quinnipiac. Jason Brickman was spectacular in the losses and is quietly having the best season of his already excellent career, posting averages of 10.5 points and 8.3 assists per game with a phenomenal 2.6 A/TO. Despite the diminutive point guard’s contributions though, the Blackbirds must regroup with Jamal Olasewere and C.J. Garner in a hurry when the Seahawks make the trek across the Verrazano Bridge on Thursday evening. After Wagner, the schedule gets a little easier with games against Mount St. Mary’s, Fairleigh Dickinson, and Monmouth. The goal for Jack Perri should be to have his team at 3-3 after six conference games.

The Ugly

  • Panic in Moon Township? – Do yourself a favor and head to Pittsburg Post-Gazette writer Craig Meyer’s Twitter (@craig_a_meyer) timeline for some entertaining post game quotes from Andy Toole after their upset loss to CCSU on Saturday night. Suffice it to say, he wasn’t happy with the team’s effort, which saw the Colonials lose two NEC games in a row to start the season for the first time since … ever! Defense has been the major culprit for the sudden slide, but there’s plenty of time to alleviate these issues. A road trip to NJ to square off against the offensively challenged FDU Knights and Monmouth Hawks may just be what the doctor ordered. Toole’s upcoming practices (I bet he ran one early Sunday morning after the CCSU loss) may also influence his players to once again care on defense. Regardless, it’s weird to see Robert Morris possess the second worst NEC points allowed per possession number at 1.11.
  • Monmouth’s Lid on the Basket – The heart is there, the tenacious defense is there, and even the offense execution is there as well. THe problem is Monmouth is having great difficultly making open shots, as evident by their brutal 42.7% effective field goal percentage. After Saturday night’s loss, King Rice was still upbeat and confident his players would eventually hit those open looks, but the reality is this team will struggle more often than not without the presence of a true playmaking athlete. Without a bevy of turnovers and pristine execution on the offense end, the Hawks must scratch and crawl their way toward every win. So far when the offense isn’t there, Monmouth has fallen short twice. They should pick up their first NEC victory this Thursday over St. Francis (PA), but a tough three game stretch versus Robert Morris (home) and the Brooklyn schools (away) will tell us if this team is ready to get out of their funk. If not, King Rice and company could be staring at a 1-5 conference record in the blink of an eye.