DAYTON, Ohio (AP) No one on the rosters of First Four opponents Robert Morris and North Florida has stepped into the brightest of spotlights in the NCAA Tournament.
But they understand what's at stake.
''We've got to make sure we don't do what a lot of other teams from mid-major programs or conferences might do,'' said Robert Morris sixth-man Lucky Jones. ''This is not like a party event. We're here to make history and get a win or two in the NCAA Tournament.''
Funny that he mentioned history, since his school's namesake famously provided his autograph on the Declaration of Independence, the Articles of Confederation and the U.S. Constitution.
The Colonials (19-14), winners of the Northeast Conference Tournament, meet the Ospreys (23-11), champions of the Atlantic Sun Tournament, on Wednesday night.
Robert Morris' average home attendance was 1,106; North Florida's was 2,725. A capacity crowd of 12,495 will be at the University of Dayton Arena and millions will be watching on TV, so there's bound to be some nerves.
''It's human nature to have jitters,'' Ospreys forward Chris Davenport said. ''After the first couple of minutes of the game, me and my teammates will just treat it as any other game.''
SOUND FAMILIAR: A mobile squad that likes to pump up 3s and plays above average defense - that description fits both teams.
The Ospreys average 76 points; Robert Morris 69.0. North Florida hits 38 percent behind the arc to the Colonials' 39.1. Both like to get out and run.
''They shoot the 3 - they shoot it a lot,'' said Rodney Pryor, Robert Morris' top scorer at 15.2 points a game. ''They've got a few guys that go at a fast clip. So we've got to be on high alert.''
The Ospreys say the same about the Colonials.
ROAD CONSTRUCTION: To collect guarantees to supplement the athletic department's budget, North Florida played 13 of its first 16 games on the road. The Ospreys traveled to nine states and Mexico this season.
They don't figure they'll be back on their heels by being in a foreign environment now.
''We don't ever want to play those games, but we need the money,'' coach Matthew Driscoll said. ''There's not a hotel, a bus, a restaurant that we haven't been to.''
REMEMBER `NOVA: This is Robert Morris' eighth trip to the NCAA, but first since 2010. In their most recent game, they came close to rocking the hoops world.
As a No. 15 seed in the opening round in Providence, Rhode Island, the Colonials nearly knocked out No. 2 Villanova. They led 55-47 with 4:19 left before the Wildcats took advantage of several late turnovers to force overtime, escaping with a 73-70 victory.
DUNK CITY II: Even if you don't know the Atlantic Sun, you may know something about the recent noise the conference has made in the tournament.
Two years ago, Florida Gulf Coast, nicknamed ''Dunk City'' for its above-the-rim approach to offense, captured the nation's attention by throwing it down all the way to the Sweet 16.
''(That) almost got me fired,'' said Driscoll, joking about a rival making such waves.
A year ago, Mercer, then an Atlantic Sun member before switching this year to the Southern Conference, shocked third-seeded Duke in its backyard with a stunning 78-71 upset in Raleigh, North Carolina. Mercer, seeded No. 14, came from five down with 4:52 left before a decidedly pro-Blue Devils crowd.
SPEAKING OF WHICH: The Robert Morris-North Florida winner draws No. 1-seeded Duke in the Tar Heel state (Charlotte), on Friday night.
As might be expected, the coaches and players say they're only focused on the first-round game on Wednesday night. But both teams have assistants watching game film, making calls to coaches who played against Duke and formulating game plans to hit the ground running if they should advance.
But they already know quite a bit.
''It's hard to come in completely cold on Duke,'' Robert Morris coach Andy Toole said. ''They kind of have their own channel. They rule the world. They only play on TV, like, four times a week.''
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