How many times can Andy Toole say it?

How many times can the longtime Robert Morris basketball coach explain the process of becoming a consistent winner?

“We’ll say it as many times as we have to,” said Toole, whose Colonials are deep into their fourth season in the Horizon League with little to show after a long run as one of the top programs in the Northeast Conference.

The frustration continued Thursday night at UPMC Events Center, when Robert Morris fell short of a rare marquee victory in an 81-76 overtime loss to Green Bay, the surprise team of the Horizon.

Noah Reynolds scored 32 points for his fifth game of at least 30 this season to lead Green Bay (16-9, 11-3) and Preston Ruedinger converted four of the Phoenix’s eight free throws in the final 35 seconds to help seal the victory.

Reynolds, a Wyoming transfer whose season high of 39 came in a Dec. 29 victory against Wright State, shot 10 for 21 against Robert Morris.

“Some of those shots he made in the first half were some tough-guarded shots,” Toole said.

It marked the third loss in four games for Robert Morris and represented the eighth single-digit setback and third this season in the Horizon.

“We’re not far away, but being close is not good enough,” said Toole, in his 14th season at Robert Morris, where his teams were consistent winners in the NEC, reaching 20 victories in a season five times during a 10-year span beginning in 2010.

The most the Colonials have been able to muster in a season since joining the Horizon in 2020 was 16 a year ago.

How long until the Colonials (9-15, 5-8) climb back over the hump and return to an ultra-competitive state? How many times can Toole coax for more?

“Until (someone) tells us we’re not allowed to say it anymore, or we figure it out,” he said. “When we do figure it out, you’ve got to keep reminding them all the time. It’s what it is. You can’t coach effort. That’s really what you’re doing. A lot of our time now is trying to coach the proper level of effort and the proper level of competition. Every day.”

To Toole, the repetitiveness has become mind-boggling.

“We have some great guys in that locker room,” he said. “We have some very competitive guys in that locker room. We have some noncompetitive guys in that locker room. Trying to get those guys up to the level of competition you need to compete at to win games is our daily chore.”

Seems as though Green Bay has gotten it figured out.

The Phoenix, predicted to finish last in the Horizon, seized sole possession of the conference lead by outscoring Robert Morris in overtime on the strength of 8 of 10 free throws.

It wasn’t an easy task for Green Bay, lightly regarded to start the year but finding itself atop the standings in February, thanks largely to the play of Reynolds, who averages 19.3 points per game after finishing at 14.5 a year ago at Wyoming, a Mountain West member.

“He’s so poised,” Toole said. “It’s really hard to speed him up. He uses his strength to get into your body and get you off balance. He’s a great finisher at the rim.”

Green Bay won for the fourth straight time and completed a season sweep of Robert Morris. The Phoenix moved into sole possession of first as co-leader Oakland lost to Horizon preseason favorite Northern Kentucky, 99-89, in another overtime affair.

Ruedinger added 16 points and Elijah Jones finished with 12 points and a team-leading eight rebounds before fouling out for Green Bay.

Markeese Hastings’ 25 points led Robert Morris. Josh Corbin added 23 for the Colonials, including 13 of 14 from the free-throw line.

Robert Morris trailed by 12 points in the first half but fought back to keep it close at halftime before rallying to send the game into overtime on two free throws by Corbin with 23 seconds left in the second half.

It was the Colonials’ first OT loss in three such games this season.

“I’m proud of our effort. For 36 minutes of regulation, we really competed, defensively.” Toole said. “Part of the problem is we got down 12. We just can’t seem to be willing to go for it. Just put that foot down on the pedal, all the way to the floor, and go.

“We came up with some great stops in the second half. We battled in the second half. But, again, it’s just not enough.”

Robert Morris grabbed its first lead to start the second half before the Colonials quickly trailed again. Hastings scored five points to put Robert Morris ahead 33-32, but Green Bay used a 7-0 spurt, keyed by Reynolds’ five points, to go back in front.

After Green Bay built a 24-12 lead to start the game, Robert Morris closed within 32-27 at halftime, outscoring the Phoenix 15-5 over the final 9 minutes, 7 seconds.

The Colonials are back on their home court Saturday afternoon against Milwaukee in a rematch of their 78-75 road loss Dec. 29 in one of those all-too-familiar, single-digit outcomes.

“It’s the life we’ve chosen,” Toole said, “and so, we’ll keep trying to urge them on, keep trying to push it forward, and keep trying to explain, and show, and beg, and watch film and provide as many examples from other coaches that maybe they think are good, and other teams that win.

“This is how you have to compete.”

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