When: Saturday, November 30th, Noon EST
Where: Bob Carpenter Center, Newark DEL
Ken Pom: RMU 190, Delaware 87
Story line: The Colonials look to avoid a three game losing streak as they stay on the road to take on the Blue Hens, who have won three of their last four.
Link: This is the link provided by Delaware: http://www.bluehens.com/liveEvents/liveEvents.dbml?SPID=110416&db_oem_id=29100
Note: It's expected that Kavon Stewart will be back in the lineup for the Colonials against Delaware. He's been suspended since the opening game.
Getting to know the Blue Hens: (By CoBL's Andrew Koob)
Blue Hens senior guard and leading scorer Devon Saddler was suspended just over a week ago due to a team and university violation, but that doesn’t mean Delaware doesn’t have other options.
Guard Jarvis Threatt has taken over the scoring load, netting over 20 points in the first two contests since Saddler’s suspension. Threatt, along with backcourt mates Davon Usher and Kyle Anderson, combine for just over 48 points of the Blue Hens’ 85.3 scoring average, 49th best in the country.
Monté Ross’ team is a force on the boards, and the task doesn’t just fall to the frontcourt. While forward Carl Baptiste is the biggest man on the team at 6-foot-9, the senior is currently fourth on the team in rebounds with 6.3 boards per game. Usher (7.8 rebounds), Threatt (6.4) and 6-foot-7 forward Marvin King-Davis (6.4), who took Saddler’s spot in the starting rotation, are all ahead of Baptiste in terms of rebounding in the young season.
Most of the minutes have gone to upperclassmen for the Blue Hens so far, but a couple of underclassmen in sophomore King-Davis and freshman Devonne Pinkard have both been playing 20-plus minutes. King-Davis, on top of his second-best rebounding mark for the team, is averaging 7.8 points and 2.5 blocks per game, while Pinkard is averaging 3.8 points and grabbing 2.8 boards.
Colonials perspective:
This will be the best team RMU has played this season outside of Kentucky. They have a boatload of talented guards, and have actually played their best ball since senior guard and leading scorer Davon Saddler was suspended, winning three of four and that lone loss by just four points at Villanova (who beat Kansas last night). Threatt and Usher will be tough to contain, and Delaware has nice size that will give the Colonials fits.
Offensively RMU is doing just fine. They averaging over 106 points-per-100 possessions. It's the defense that continues to be the big problem, giving up 107.9 points-per-100 possessions. That is way worse than where the Colonials are typically at in the Mike Rice/Andy Toole era. They usually come in around 100 or less points per-100 possessions.
The fouls continue to be a huge problem, especially for the big men --specifically Mike McFadden--.
Delaware is quite frankly a TERRIBLE match-up for the way RMU is playing. They can score, and they can attack the basket.
If RMU does not find a way to win, they will be face-to-face with their first four game losing streak in quite some time. A loss in Newark would be their third in a row, and another road game at Youngstown State on Wednesday will once again provide a stiff challenge.
Want a sign of consistency? Robert Morris hoops has not had a losing streak longer than 3 games since a 4-game skid in 2004-2005. #RMU
— Andrew Chiappazzi (@achiappazzi) November 29, 2013
Prediction: Ken Pom is taking the Blue Hens in this one, 89-78. It's tough to argue that prediction, given how both teams are currently playing.
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