Game preview: RMU at Sacred Heart

Anthony Myers-Pate is hitting his stride and hopes to kick off conference play right (p/c Justin Berl)

Robert Morris (5-10) at Sacred Heart (3-12)

When: Thursday, December 9 at 7:00 p.m.

Where: The William Pitt Center

KenPom: RMU 180, Sacred Heart 280

Storyline: Robert Morris’ roadtrip hits four games as they tip off NEC action

Getting to Know the Pioneers

For four years Sacred Heart was defined by one man: Shane Gibson. Gibson, arguably the most prolific scorer in the history of the NEC, played on some bad teams but always scared opponents for his ability to score. He could win a game by himself. Sacred Heart does not have him anymore and the transition has been a bit of a struggle.

Sacred Heart is following the NEC trend of poor defensive play, coming in with KenPoms 314 defensive efficiency rating. They don’t do a bad job of forcing turnovers or defending the three but struggle with just about everything else. Opponents are shooting 55 percent from two. That tells me Sacred Heart has really struggled defending the block.

Some names to know: guard Phil Gaetano is one of the more underrated players in the NEC. I love his game. He’s smart with the ball, creates opportunities for his teammates, and has a nice jump shot (he’s shooting 43 percent from three on the year). Evan Kelley and Chris Evans lead the in scoring with 14.1 and 12.7 points per game, respectively. Louis Montes doesn’t do anything spectacular but will certainly shoot a lot. Steve Glowiak is the guy to watch around the perimeter, attempting 97 three pointers and making 39 of them (40.2 percent).

The injury watch is officially on

Mike McFadden (knee) missed Sunday’s game at Alabama in what was described as a minor injury. He had a full practice Wednesday, per Andrew Chiappazzi, and is expected to play the NEC opener. The low post presence McFadden brings is going to be very key for RMU’s 16 remaining games. If you can recall, McFadden actually left the team last year due to some of the nagging injuries he was suffering. Keeping him healthy and happy could decide the NEC.

Low post dominance?

Sacred Heart is really struggling on defense, committing a lot of fouls and giving up a lot of two point buckets. This should translate into nice games from Jeremiah Worthem and Mike McFadden. As we’ve said before, McFadden is excellent with his back to the basket. As long as he commits himself to limiting his jump shots and backing down opponents he should be okay.

When it counts

NEC time is what really matters. No team goes to the big dance without winning the NEC title. In Andy Toole’s time as Robert Morris head coach, RMU has a combined record of 39-15 in conference play with nine of those losses being on the road.