Robert Morris has been painstakingly close to the NCAA Tournament over the past five years. They finally, after four tries out of five, got it right. Robert Morris upset top seed St. Francis (NY) 66-63.
It was quite a surprise seeing as Robert Morris was under .500 just less than three weeks ago. They seem to have peaked at the right time, and ended St. Francis (NY)’s dream of making the NCAA Tournament. The Terriers have never been to the NCAA Tournament and are one of only five teams to have that dubious distinction. Army, William & Mary, Northwestern, The Citadel, and St. Francis (NY) are the only original division one teams to never go dancing. Both William & Mary, and St. Francis (NY) both had chances this week, and just like death and taxes both came up short.
The big story is the rise of head coach Andy Toole.
Toole has led RMU to the NEC title game four out of the past five years and came up short, but in 2013 he made noise by upsetting #1 seed Kentucky in the NIT. This win puts a stamp on a rising coaching career which is great for him, but probably bumps up his rise to a higher mid major or even major program sooner than Colonial fans would like.
Glenn Sanabria (St. Francis NY) drained a straightaway 3-pointer from beyond NBA range to put St. Francis within one point with 16.2 seconds to go. Terrier fans shook the rafters with glee and excitement. Lucky Jones hit the ensuing two free throws for Robert Morris to give RMU a three-point lead. Then a mental mistake almost cost RMU. A brain lock of potential epic proportions happened. It is March after all, so the ridiculous is expected. RMU’s Elijah Minnie fouled Tyree Jewell on a 3-point attempts with 2.4 to go.
Minnie said after the game he was glad the gym was so loud, because he did not want to hear Toole and he was not about to look in his direction. Jewell like a Good Samaritan bailed out Minnie.
The 65 percent foul shooter missed the first, and then missed the second. The third try was an intentional miss, and RMU got the rebound and was quickly fouled. The game should be on ice with RMU at the line with two fouls shots right?
Well RMU saw Jewell’s gift giving and tried to give right back. Lucky Jones missed both shots, and St Francis (NY)’s heave by Lowell Ulmer hit back rim, and popped at least eight feet in the air. For a split second everyone in the gym, and on national TV held their breath (like Gordon Hayward‘s heave against Duke in the 2010 National Championship), but the shot just missed by inches.
So St. Francis (NY) heads to the NIT thinking “When are we ever going to push through into the NCAA Tournament?”, and Robert Morris is dancing like it’s 2010 all over again. Unlike in 2010 Toole and RMU hope they do not scare a high seeded major team like they did against #2 seed Villanova, but can slay the giant this time around. Hey Kentucky would you like to see Robert Morris again say in the Midwest first round?
Photo Credit: Nicole Sweet-USA TODAY Sports
