Game Preview: Robert Morris Colonials vs Syracuse Orange

WEDNEDAY NOVEMBER 11, 2009

Robert Morris Colonials (0-0) vs Syracuse Orange (1-0)

The No. 25 Syracuse Orange will be looking for their second win of the season when they host the Robert Morris Colonials on Wednesday.

The last time these two teams met was on Mar. 18, 2008. The Orange walked away with a hard fought 87-81 victory.

Syracuse is coming off its first win of the season with on Monday night in the 2K Sports Classic, after blowing out the Albany Great Danes 75-43. Arinze Onuaku scored 14 points; Scoop Jardine and Wes Johnson each had 12 for the Orange. Syracuse’s defense excelled against Albany, and its big men dominated inside. Syracuse held a 30-6 edge in the paint, scored 19 points off 20 turnovers, and had 14-0 edge in fast break points. Head Coach Jim Boeheim, 65, became the eighth Division I coach to reach 800 wins with the victory. Boeheim got his first victory, 75-48 over Harvard back on Nov. 26, 1976.

The Colonials will make their season debut in Wednesday’s game and will look to notch their first win of the year. The Colonials set a Northeast Conference record for wins over two seasons (50) and was the league’s regular-season champion the past two years. The team will return three senior starters — guard Jimmy Langhurst and forwards Dallas Green and Rob Robinson. Robinson, a 6-foot-8 senior forward, averaged 11.2 points and 5.6 rebounds per game last season and will be needed to repeat last years performance in order to keep the Colonials in the hunt for an NEC title this season. The team announced earlier this week that they would be without the sharp shooting, Langhurst, who smashed the tip of his index finger on his right hand — his shooting hand — while lifting weights last week.

The odds makers currently have Syracuse as –18 point favorites.

The Colonials will need to contain the Orange in the paint and look for offensive opportunities.

Look for Syracuse to post another dominating win, covering the spread.

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Matt Martz is a sports writer for the Bakersfield Californian located in Central California. Blessed is the gambler who expects nothing, for ye shall not be disappointed.