Robert Morris men's basketball preview: Colonials set to embark on 2nd season in Horizon League after tough debut

Robert Morris enters its second season of men’s basketball in the Horizon League with the idea of concentrating on … basketball. The other stuff that seemingly got in the way last year — covid-19, dissension, defections — shouldn’t be a distraction again this season.

Except, sometimes, when you least expect it, things happen.

“It’s always tumultuous,” said coach Andy Toole, who welcomed back two starters and three letterwinners following an offseason of turnover in college basketball like no other. “There’s not a season goes by that you don’t have things that arise that you never anticipated.”

The Colonials are hoping for the best, at least to start the year, Toole’s 12th at Robert Morris. They’ll be on the road for the first three games beginning Wednesday against Central Florida.

A trio of tests in the Kentucky Classic follow: Robert Morris is at No. 10 Kentucky on Friday — its second trip to Rupp Arena since the Colonials’ stunning 2013 opening-round NIT victory over the Wildcats. A trip to Ohio on Monday will be followed by the home opener Nov. 19 against Mount St. Mary’s at UPMC Events Center.

“Our nonconference schedule, as always, is incredibly challenging,” Toole said. “A lot more games in road uniforms than home uniforms, but that’s how it’s always been in my time here at Robert Morris.

“And this year’s no different.”

The fast-approaching clash with Kentucky is sure to stir some bitter memories among the Bluegrass faithful at Rupp Arena.

Robert Morris defeated an injury-marred, underachieving Kentucky squad, 59-57, on March 19, 2013, at the former Sewall Center in Moon on Mike McFadden’s two free throws with 8.7 seconds left just a year after the Wildcats had won a national championship.

In the following season, however, then-No. 1 Kentucky routed Robert Morris, 87-49, at Rupp Arena.

How does Toole feel about playing another game at Kentucky and its hall of fame coach, Moon native John Calipari?

“I feel like some of the guys on our team weren’t even born when that game was played,” Toole said. “It feels like it’s getting to be distant from us.”

With a new season upon him, Toole is looking for leadership from all angles, including from his two returning starters: senior forward Kahliel Spears, who last season ranked fourth in blocks (1.3 per game) in the Horizon League, and sophomore guard Kam Farris.

Nine new players are part of the roster, led by graduate transfers Rasheem Dunn (St. John’s) and Ferron Flavors Jr. (Oklahoma State).

Dunn, a 6-foot-2 guard, has scored 1,407 career points at St. John’s and St. Francis Brooklyn, where he began his college career.

Robert Morris is Flavors’ fourth Division I school. He also played at Fairfield and California Baptist, where he led the Western Athletic Conference in 3-point field goal percentage (43.9) in 2019-20.

“We’ve got to kind of microwave connectivity,” Toole said. “This group has been really good so far in their desire to figure out how we can get connected, create some chemistry and do it as quickly as possible. I don’t think it’s fully there yet, but guys are open to that.

“It will all get shaken up when those lights go on, and we’ll see who’s ready and who’s not.”

Amid the stoppages in a covid-shortened season, Robert Morris managed to play a total of 19 games in its initial season in the Horizon after a long run as a member of the Northeast Conference. But the results were less than spectacular.

The Colonials finished the year at 4-15 (3-12 Horizon), limping to the finish line without disgruntled forward AJ Bramah, who was leading the league in scoring (21.0 ppg) and was second in rebounding (10.1 rpg) when he left the team.

Bramah entered the transfer portal in February and originally settled on Arizona State before backing away and choosing Nevada, where coach Steve Alford in June responded by labeling the 6-foot-7 Bramah “a tremendous addition to our team.”

“Some of the issues that arose in games were a direct reflection of what was happening off the court,” Toole said. “Guys aren’t able to compete at the level of their expectations and coaches end up kind of battling battles outside the normal battles of being a coach. Some of the stuff had nothing to do with basketball, but they’re still being evaluated on their basketball.”

Following the Kentucky Classic, Robert Morris travels to Davidson on Nov. 27 before playing its first Horizon League contest on Dec. 2 at Green Bay.

“You create in your mind how your year’s going to flow and where you’re going to be successful, and last year, that was blown up even more than ever before,” Toole said. “It certainly feels better (now) than the alternative. Just the idea to be able to be in places where there’s going to be fans, there’s been a sense of normalcy.”