Given the new format for the Horizon League Tournament, it was advantageous to finish at least in the top three in the standings. That’s because if you win your first round tournament game, you’re automatically in the semifinals and don’t have to play another play-in game.
That’s what Robert Morris (22-10, 13-7) was able to do, thanks to ending the regular season on a seven-game win streak. From there, they got the 68-53 home win over Youngstown State, advancing to the semis as the 3-seed. They look to complete a second three-game season sweep against Detroit Mercy (16-14, 12-8), coming off a dominant 84-63 home win over Milwaukee in their tournament victory.
The Titans have won six of the last seven games, with the lone loss coming on the road at Robert Morris. With this game in Indy on a neutral site, can Detroit find a way to pull off the upset and advance to the finals?
Here are three keys to the matchup.
1. RMU’s second-half barrages
One trend with the Colonials has been slow starts, with the game close, followed by a massive second-half scoring outburst to put the game away. It happened against Youngstown State last week, and it occurred in both matchups with Detroit Mercy, with the Titans holding a halftime lead, only for the Colonials to blow them out in the second half, scoring 47+ points in the final 20 minutes both times. Detroit showed it can stay with RMU for a while, but it will have to make it a 40-minute effort for a shot at the upset.
2. Detroit finding a 3rd scorer to go with Nadeau and Lovejoy
Orlando Lovejoy is playing the best basketball of his career, averaging close to 20 ppg in his last 10 outings. He had TJ Nadeau, who has multiple 20+ point outings in recent weeks, played well against Robert Morris, combining to score 35+ points in both games. But it was the lack of overall help that prevented them from keeping up with RMU, with no one else having more than 12 points in either game. Guys like Legend Geeter and Tyler Spratt, and anyone else, will need to come through for the Titans.
3. Detroit dealing with the best frontcourt in the Horizon League
Part of what makes this a difficult matchup for Detroit is the lack of overall size in the frontcourt, with guys like Geeter, London Maiden, and Ryan Kalambay giving them big minutes. But it’s tough against the Colonials, led by the Horizon League Player of the Year DeSean Goode, along with Nikolaos Chitikoudis, who produced double-doubles in both wins, while Goode averaged 16 ppg in efficient numbers. Saying the Titans need to win the matchup down low isn’t overly realistic, but how they handle them both in the paint and on the boards will be a massive storyline to watch.