Robert Morris (23-11)
COACH: Mike Rice, three years at Robert Morris, second year in NCAA Tournament
HOW THEY GOT IN: Automatic bid (Northeast Conference)
MATCHUP BREAKDOWN: If the Colonials are to have any chance against Villanova, one of the best teams in the country and a No. 2 seed, the Colonials will have to scrap to take the ball away and be smart once they get it. If 'Nova has a weak spot beyond growing aggressive to the point of becoming foul-happy, it's turnovers. The Wildcats cough it up almost 14 times a game which the team accepts based on per-possession ratios. But even All-American Scottie Reynolds, who averaged 18.5 points and was the hero who got Villanova to the Final Four last year, has 82 turnovers. On the other end, the Colonials have to take care of the ball. Villanova is averaging 7.8 steals per game. RMU also has to deal with Corey Fisher (13.7 points per game) and Antonio Pena (10.9 points, 7.4 rebounds), meaning the Colonials will have to score in the 80s to have a chance in Providence.
GO-TO GUYS: Guard Karon Abraham was the NEC Rookie of the Year and then took home MVP honors in the league tournament. He's averaged a team-leading 13.4 points per game and is shooting treys at a 44.2-percent clip and free throws at 85.3. Forward Rob Robinson is second on a roster that has eight players averaging between 13.4 and 5.8 points per game. He is averaging 9.9 points and 5.5 rebounds per outing. Forward Dallas Green is one of those guys who just seems to make plays when the team needs them, like when he swatted away a shot that would have given Quinnipiac the NEC title.
THEY'LL KEEP WINNING IF: They get a decent draw and play their brand of defense. With all of these mid-major entries, the draw is key. RMU doesn't figure to get a great matchup in the first round of the Big Dance, but these guys will compete against anyone they play. The Colonials can play defense -- the pride of their team -- with anyone.
STRENGTHS: Start with Rice, the former Pittsburgh assistant who, in three years in Moon Township, has two NCAA trips. Then, there's his coaching philosophy. "To be honest with you, I have no idea what we do sometimes on offense," says Rice. "My whole thing is -- defend." The Colonials led the NEC in field-goal percentage defense and held potent Quinnipiac to 50 points in the NEC title game. Abraham is only a freshman, but he's one of the best players in his conference.
WEAKNESSES: The Colonials were seventh in the 12-team NEC in free-throw shooting and turned the ball over almost 15 times per game. They lost senior G Jimmy Langhurst for the season with a knee injury, and that hurt the backcourt depth. RMU was 11-8 in games played away from their home floor.
