Table of Contents. 2 Robert Morris University Outlook Roster

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2 Table of Contents Robert Morris Season Preview 4 Outlook 8 Roster Robert Morris Player Profiles 10 Senior Forward Dallas Green 14 Senior Guard Jimmy Langhurst 18 Senior Guard Mezie Nwigwe 22 Senior Forward Rob Robinson 25 Senior Forward Josiah Whitehead 27 Junior Guard Gary Wallace 30 Junior Guard Khalif Foster 32 Sophomore Forward Russell Johnson / Sophomore Guard Velton Jones / Freshman Guard Karon Abraham 33 Freshman Forward/Center Brad Piehl / Freshman Forward Lijah Thompson / Freshman Guard Coron Williams 34 Robert Morris Radio / TV Spotter Chart Robert Morris Coaching Staff 36 Head Coach Mike Rice 40 Five Questions with Head Coach Mike Rice 41 Associate Head Coach Andrew Toole 42 Assistant Coach Jimmy Martelli 43 Assistant Coach Robby Pridgen 44 Administrative Staff / Student Managers Opponents 46 2K Sports Classic benefiting Coaches vs. Classic Classic Syracuse / Alcorn State / Detroit Mercy / Albany 47 Penn State / Duquesne / Cleveland State / Appalachian State / Kent State 48 Youngstown State / Ohio / Morgan State / Pittsburgh / Bryant 49 Mount St. Mary s 50 Wagner 51 Long Island 52 St. Francis (N.Y.) 53 Fairleigh Dickinson 54 Monmouth 55 Saint Francis (Pa.) 56 Central Connecticut State 57 Sacred Heart 58 Quinnipiac Season In Review 60 Season In Review 62 Game Results 63 Individual Statistics 64 High/Low Analysis 65 Game-by-Game Statistics 66 Points-Rebound-Assists 67 Miscellaneous Statistics 68 Game-by-Game Results 81 Bateko Francisco Senior Salute 82 Jeremy Chappell Senior Salute 84 Ifeanyi Ehirim Senior Salute Year-by-Year NEC History 86 The Northeast Conference 88 The Brenda Weare Commissioner s Cup 89 NEC Season in Review 90 NEC Statistics 94 All-Time vs. NEC Rivals 96 All-Time ECAC Metro / NEC Standings Program History 112 Northeast Conference Championships 114 NEC Tournament History 116 A Winning Tradition 118 NCAA Tournament Box Scores 120 Postseason Honors 121 Chipper Harris (1984 NEC Player of the Year) 122 Vaughn Luton (1989 NEC Player of the Year) 123 Myron Walker (1992 NEC Player of the Year) 124 Tony Lee (2008 NEC Player of the Year) 125 Jeremy Chappell (2009 NEC Player of the Year) 126 All-Time Letterwinners 127 All-Time Uniform Numbers 128 Year-by-Year Leaders 130 Career Coaching Records / Gus Krop 131 vs. All Opponents 132 1,000-Point Club Rebound Club 136 All-Time Results 142 NEC Statistical Leaders Robert Morris Records 144 Scoring Records 146 Field Goal Records 147 Three-Point Field Goal Records 148 Free Throw Records 149 Rebound Records 150 Assists Records 151 Steals Records 152 Participation Records 154 Charles L. Sewall Center Records 156 Team Records The University 162 About Robert Morris University 164 Gregory G. Dell Omo, Ph.D. (President) Robert Morris University Athletics 166 Robert Morris University Athletics 168 Craig Coleman, M.D. (Director of Athletics) 169 Colonial Athletic Club 170 Academic Success 172 Athletic Hall of Fame 174 The Charles L. Sewall Center 175 Joe Walton Stadium / Robert Morris Strength & Conditioning 176 Island Sports Center / North Athletic Complex 177 Robert Morris University Sports Medicine / Mission Statement 178 Administrative Staff / Head Coaches For The Media 180 Quick Facts 181 To The Media 182 Directions to Robert Morris University / Campus Map 183 Radio Coverage / Welcome to Moon Township 184 Telephone Directory / Team Travel 185 Major Media Outlets 186 NEC Composite Schedule 188 Colonials in the Community / Robert Basketball Camp CREDITS: The Robert Morris University men s basketball media guide is a product of the Sports Information Office. The guide was written and edited by Jim Duzyk with special assistance from Marty Galosi. Design and typography by Juris Silenieks of JR Graphics. Photography by Jason Cohn, Michael F. Fabus (The Pittsburgh Steelers), Dawn Geregach, Connie Karaffa, Craig Lassig and Greg Wall. Printing by Reed & Witting Company, Pittsburgh, Pa. It is the policy of Robert Morris University to provide equal opportunity in all educational programs and activities, admission of students and conditions of employment for all qualified individuals regardless of race, color, sex, religion, age, disability, national origin and sexual preference. 2 Robert Morris University

3 SEASON

4 PLAYER NEC SEASON Steady progress over the last decade within the men s basketball program at Robert Morris University made the Colonials a team on the rise. Reaching the top of the mountain last season by claiming its sixth Northeast Conference tournament championship and subsequent appearance in the NCAA Tournament proved had arrived. Now, progress has been replaced with expectations. Expectations of battling year in and year out for the NEC regular-season championship, expectations of battling for the right to host an NEC Tournament championship game and expectations of being the team to represent the league in the annual madness that covers the month of March. Yet for Robert Morris, the slate has been wiped clean. Memories of s run to the 2009 NCAA Tournament are just that, and for the version of the Colonials, a new season brings new hopes. This team is going to have to learn how to win basketball games, regardless of what s happened over the last couple of years, third-year head OUTLOOK Robert Morris in the Midst of Golden Era for Men s Basketball MIKE RICE coach Mike Rice said. Every year is a new year, and you never know how a team is going to come together. One thing I ve been extremely pleased with, however, is the way our upperclassmen have taken the younger guys under their wing. We have a tight bunch of guys that interact well with each other, and they play for each other. That s at the heart of, and the beginning of, a successful team. GUARDS Karon Abraham, Khalif Foster, Velton Jones, Jimmy Langhurst, Mezie Nwigwe, Gary Wallace, Coron Williams two seasons, the 5 11, 185-pound Langhurst will slide into taking on more of an offensive role with the club this year. Jimmy is going to have a little more freedom on the offensive end this season, Rice said. He s always been kind of the guy who picked up the scraps in years past, but I m going to get him involved to manufacture some shots for him. He s earned that. He shoots a good percentage, so hopefully without lowering that shooting percentage he can play a more integral role in our offense and see a little bit more of a bump in his points per game. Langhurst enters his final season of eligibility as s active leading scorer with 697 points over the last three years. Last season he produced a 9.9 points per game average, converting 45.3 percent (107-for-236) of his shots from the field. An accurate three-point shooter, Langhurst ranks in the top 10 in the Colonial career record book for three-point field goals and three-point field goal shooting percentage. He enters the campaign ranked eighth all-time with 138 threepointers, while his success rate of 42.2 percent (138-for-327) from beyond the arc ranks fourth all-time. mezie nwigwe Rice wouldn t sport an overall record of over the last two seasons at Robert Morris without the contributions he s received on a nightly basis from the steady play from a variety of individuals at the guard position. Two years ago it was Tony Lee. Last season it was Jeremy Chappell and Bateko Francisco. Despite the success of those players in years past, Rice boasts a group in that is not only s deepest in recent years, it could be the program s deepest in school history. Senior Jimmy Langhurst highlights the group and will serve as one of its elder statesman in. A consistent contributor over the past gary wallace 4 Robert Morris University

5 khalif foster Langhurst has also proven to be clutch for the Colonials at the free-throw line, as over his career he has converted 84.9 percent (135-for-159) of his attempts at the charity stripe, the second best mark in school history. Jimmy is a shooter, pure and simple, Rice said. He also brings tangible leadership qualities and is one of five seniors that I feel are going to be important for us this season, not only for their play on the court, but their abilities off the court. The lone returning starter for Robert Morris at guard, Langhurst will have plenty of help at the position this season. Senior guard Mezie Nwigwe has been one of s top options off the bench in recent seasons but could see his name penciled in as a starter this year. In Nwigwe produced averages of 6.5 points and 3.3 rebounds per contest, converting 41.3 percent (76-for-184) of his shots from the field. Without a doubt Mezie is probably the most physically gifted athlete we have on our roster, Rice said. He can be inconsistent at times, and he can be his own worst enemy, but he has really grown over the past couple of years. He brings pure energy to the court, and he s physical and intense. He s a bulldog and has the ability to shine in our system this year. Nwigwe, 6 4 and 195 pounds, has given the Colonials spot starts in the past couple of seasons, as had junior guard Gary Wallace, one of the most unselfish players for Robert Morris. Last year the 6 3, 200-pound Wallace started 12 games while producing per game averages of 5.9 points and 2.2 rebounds. He also finished with 64 assists and 32 steals and is another Colonial Rice hopes flourishes with an expanded role in the offense in. Gary is sometimes too unselfish, but that s just the type of player he is, Rice said. Again, he s another physically gifted athlete, and I d like to see him become a little more selfish on the offensive end this year. He needs to create for himself a little more for us to be a top contending team in the Northeast Conference. He has the ability to do that, and hopefully he s ready to take the next step. He s always going to be the heart of our team by the way he plays, whether it s on the offensive or defensive end, but for us to be successful he s going to need to play a more integral role in our offense. Despite being selective on offense, Wallace proved to be able to knock down shots when given the opportunity last season. He converted 46 percent (69-for-150) of his shots from the field but really excelled at hitting the three-pointer, draining an amazing 49.2 percent (29-for-59) of his shots from long range. Junior Khalif Foster, 6 3 and 210 pounds, has battled injuries his first two seasons with the program, but despite that, Rice feels he has a player that has the ability to not only knock down shots, but provide the team with toughness and grit. Khalif showed flashes last year, but he unfortunately has always been hampered by some sort of injury, Rice said. He s yet to be at his full potential, but he ll fight for playing time as long as he shows he s healthy. I look forward to watching him develop and fight for extended playing time. In addition to the returning players for Robert Morris in, the Colonials should be bolstered by the addition of three players who will see their first collegiate action this season. Sophomore Velton Jones sat out the campaign after being declared a partial qualifier by the NCAA. He spent the year practicing with the squad but was unable to compete in games, and the 6 0, 170-pound Jones is a pure point guard that could push for playing time this season. Velton got a lot of experience and has an advantage over the other younger guys we have in the program because he was able to practice last year, Rice said. The one thing we ve lacked we have in Velton Jones, and that s a pure point guard who penetrates to pass. We ve had Jimmy and Gary at the point guard in the past, but Velton is an aggressive penetrator who has an ability to create shots for others. If he can overcome ROB ROBINSON SEASON PLAYER NEC Men s Basketball Media Guide 5

6 SEASON OUTLOOK OUTLOOK OUTLOOK OUTLOOK OUTLOOK OUTLOOK PLAYER NEC some injuries, he has the ability to be successful because of the way we play. Robert Morris will also look to a pair of freshmen with the ability to contribute right away. Karon Abraham and Coron Williams each bring solid credentials to the Colonials as both defensive minded players who can create instant offense. Physically, Karon is ready to come in and play right away because of how quick and athletic he is and because he ll bring a change of pace, Rice said. He ll come off the bench and provide an instant spark. He ll play a little bit at point guard, but mostly he ll see time at the two guard. He really has the ability to create his own shot because of his speed. He can be isolated on the wing and create a high percentage shot for himself. He needs to be a sponge and continue to improve, but I think he can be successful in our program. While the 5 9, 150-pound Abraham can play both the point and two-guard positions, Williams, 6 2 and 170 pounds, is a pure scorer with the ability to knock down the three-point shot. He should see time in the rotation as a top option off the bench. Coron and Jimmy are our best three-point shooters, and I think Coron has the ability to be one of the best shooters from long range in the NEC, Rice said. He plays to his strengths very well. He shoots the three and can score the basketball very well, but he ll need to learn the defensive aspect of our system. dallas green FORWARDS Dallas Green, Russell Johnson, Brad Piehl, Rob Robinson, Lijah Thompson, Josiah Whitehead Anyone that was witness to Robert Morris cutting down the nets and celebrating the 2009 NEC Tournament championship at the Charles L. Sewall Center knew how important the forward position was to the program s success last season. Senior Rob Robinson became the true inside presence that had lacked in the post in recent seasons, while senior Dallas Green etched his name into program lore by hitting a jump shot with just 2.5 seconds to play that lifted the Colonials over Mount St. Mary s in the NEC Tournament title game. Add to that pair senior Josiah Whitehead, who started strong and was a key contributor off the bench down the stretch of the campaign, and the nucleus of a solid front court presents itself for Robert Morris this year. The 6 8, 215-pound Robinson is s top returning scorer and rebounder this season, having averaged 11.2 points and 5.6 rebounds a year ago while establishing a new Robert Morris single-season record for blocks with 35. Robinson was just as effective on the offensive glass as on the defensive boards and will be counted on to provide the Colonials with leadership. Rob is a true post presence for us, Rice said. I knew I had a lot of pieces set last year, but he s really what brought us along. I m going to ask a lot of Rob this year, because now teams are going to attack him the way they attacked Tony and Jeremy in the past couple of seasons. Can Rob be as consistent as they were? I certainly think he has that ability. Hopefully with him having a year in the program under his belt, he ll continue to develop and be a go-to option for our team. He s certainly as gifted and as talented as any of the players that have been on the court the past couple of seasons. After sitting out the 2008 fall semester to concentrate on academics, Green joined the starting lineup in early January, and Robert Morris thrived. The 6 8, 210-pounder gelled perfectly with Robinson at the forward position, giving the Colonials toughness and also becoming a key defensive presence for Robert Morris. Dallas is the ultimate glue guy, Rice said. He s really comfortable with the role he plays. He knows where to get his shots and where to get his rebounds. He s a guy that understands how we want to play basketball on both ends of the floor, and he s a big reason we ve been successful the last two years. Dallas thrives in his role, and he does so in a very efficient manner. In 27 games last season, Green posted averages of 6.6 points and 4.4 rebounds per game, but those averages jumped to 7.0 points and 4.7 rebounds per contest with Green in the starting lineup. More importantly, with Robinson and Green starting as forwards last season, the Colonials posted a record of Whitehead got off to a strong start in his first season at Robert Morris last season and settled into a key role player off the bench in the second half of the year, averaging 4.2 points and 2.7 points per game while shooting 48.1 percent from the field. The 6 6, 225-pound Whitehead should see his playing time expand this season given his penchant for a bulldog mentality down low and the ability to be physical. Josiah is in his second full year in our program, and with his physical tools you d think he s ready to take the next step, Rice said. Last year he wasn t as instinctive on the court. He was always thinking and being reactive instead of proactive, but he has the ability to set a tone in the low post that will help us be successful. He s worked on his game over the summer, and I think he has the ability to be a huge positive for us this year. Joining the fray at the forward position in are sophomore Russell Johnson and freshmen Brad Piehl and Lijah Thompson. The 6 6, 180-pound Johnson sat out the josiah whitehead 6 Robert Morris University

7 10 OUTLOOK OUTLOOK OUTLOOK OUTLOOK OUTLOOK OUTLOOK SEASON 09 campaign to concentrate on academics and did not participate in practice but is expected to give the Colonials an immediate boost. Russell is as talented a basketball player we have, but he just needs to do it on a consistent basis and on an everyday level, Rice said. He needs to be a sponge and learn from the upperclassmen. He s showed flashes of being a very, very good basketball player for our program, and he ll have the opportunity to contribute this year. He s motivated to make an impact on our team, and he just needs to improve and get better. Thompson has been one of the pleasant surprises for Robert Morris, as the 6 7, 200- pound freshman spent the summer of 2009 at Robert Morris taking classes and playing, along with other Colonials, in the Pittsburgh Basketball Club Pro-Am Summer League. Lijah s rebounding and finishing in the post are as good as anyone that we have on our team, Rice said. He is one of our most explosive players, and he doesn t need any set plays run for him because he has the ability to get second-chance points. He also rebounds. He brings intangibles to the court that I love. He s a tough kid, and with his effort and consistency, he shows an urgency when he steps on the court that is going to help us be successful. Piehl is another solid frontcourt player that brings with him a winning mentality to Robert Morris. Piehl played his prep career at New Knoxville High School in New Knoxville, Ohio, which went 60-0 over the last three years. Brad is very skilled on the perimeter and can help down low, and he has a skill set that is going to allow him to be successful at the Division I level, Rice said. Again, he needs to be a sponge and soak everything in and learn from the upperclassmen. He can hit shots from the outside, and we ll need him to use his big, strong body to bang down low. All we re asking him to do, much like we ask all of our players, is to learn every day and improve. SCHEDULE Robert Morris opens the campaign by taking part in the 2K Sports Classic, which benefits Coaches vs. Cancer. The Colonials will travel to the Carrier Dome Wednesday, Nov. 11, to take on Syracuse before playing three games in three days at the SEFCU Arena in Albany against Detroit Mercy, Alcorn State and Albany. Also on the non-conference slate for Robert Morris in are road games at Penn State (Nov. 16), Duquesne (Dec. 12), Cleveland State (Dec. 15), Youngstown State (Dec. 30) and Pittsburgh (Feb. 8) and home contests against Appalachian State (Dec. 19), Kent State (Dec. 22), Ohio (Jan. 2) and Morgan State (Jan. 4). A direct result of our success over the last two years is that it s a difficult task to try to find nonconference games, Rice said. Our non-conference schedule is going to challenge us with teams like Syracuse, Penn State, Duquesne, Cleveland State and Pitt, but it s also going to prepare us for the rigors of the Northeast Conference. History has shown over the last two seasons how much parity there is in the NEC, and I don t expect that to change this season. The two-time defending champion of the NEC regular season, Robert Morris will open league play Thursday, Dec. 3, with a 7:00 p.m. tip against rival Mount St. Mary s at the Sewall Center in a rematch of the 2009 NEC Tournament championship game. The Colonials earned a win over the Mount to claim their sixth NEC Tournament championship in the last meeting between the two programs and own a record of 8-4 against Mount St. Mary s over the last four years., which has posted a record of (.797) at the Sewall Center over the last four seasons, will also host Wagner in a 7:00 p.m. league contest Saturday, Dec. 5. The Colonials begin league play in earnest with a two-game swing through Brooklyn, N.Y., in early January, visiting Long Island (Jan. 7) and St. Francis (N.Y.) (Jan. 9). SUMMARY Does Rice feel any pressure heading into his third season at the helm of the program, especially jimmy langhurst with the success that has transpired the last two years? I m definitely afraid of losing a basketball game, afraid of failing, Rice said. That scares me more than pressure. I don t feel pressure that way. Losing is the worst feeling in the world, and that s what motivates me. What motivates me is getting the most out of our guys on a daily basis to help them improve. We have expectations now within this program, and I like the expectations because that means you re successful. Expectations are interesting, because our guys may think that by just putting on a Robert Morris uniform they re going to be successful. That s not the case. My job is to get them to continue to work hard in order to be successful. PLAYER NEC Men s Basketball Media Guide 7

8 Roster PLAYER Alphabetical Roster Breakdown NEC SEASON No. Player Pos. Ht. Wt. Yr. Hometown / High School (Junior College) 4 Karon Abraham G Fr. Paterson, N.J. / Harp Academy 15 Khalif Foster * G Jr. Philadelphia, Pa. / Academy of the New Church 24 Dallas Green ** F Sr. Indianapolis, Indiana / Northwest 34 Russell Johnson F So. Chester, Pa. / Chester 3 Velton Jones G So. Philadelphia, Pa. / Northeast 12 Jimmy Langhurst *** G Sr. Willard, Ohio / Willard 2 Mezie Nwigwe *** G Sr. Hyattsville, Md. / High Point 25 Brad Piehl F/C Fr. New Knoxville, Ohio / New Knoxville 1 Rob Robinson * F Sr. Waldorf, Md. / Globe Institute of Technology 35 Lijah Thompson F Fr. Philadelphia, Pa. / Monsignor Bonner 14 Gary Wallace ** G Jr. Montclair, N.J. / Seton Hall Prep 44 Josiah Whitehead * F Sr. Portsmouth, Va. / Cecil C.C. 5 Coron Williams G Fr. Midlothian, Va. / Christchurch School Numerical No. Player Pos. Ht. Wt. Yr. Hometown / High School (Junior College) 1 Rob Robinson *... F Sr. Waldorf, Md. / Globe Institute of Technology 2 Mezie Nwigwe ***... G Sr. Hyattsville, Md. / High Point 3 Velton Jones... G So. Philadelphia, Pa. / Northeast 4 Karon Abraham... G Fr. Paterson, N.J. / Harp Academy 5 Coron Williams... G Fr. Midlothian, Va. / Christchurch School 12 Jimmy Langhurst ***... G Sr. Willard, Ohio / Willard 14 Gary Wallace **... G Jr. Montclair, N.J. / Seton Hall Prep 15 Khalif Foster *... G Jr. Philadelphia, Pa. / Academy of the New Church 24 Dallas Green ***... F Sr. Indianapolis, Indiana / Northwest 25 Brad Piehl... F/C Fr. New Knoxville, Ohio / New Knoxville 34 Russell Johnson... F So. Chester, Pa. / Chester 35 Lijah Thompson... F Fr. Philadelphia, Pa. / Monsignor Bonner 44 Josiah Whitehead *... F Sr. Portsmouth, Va. / Cecil C.C. * letters earned Head Coach: Mike Rice (third ; third year overall; Fordham 91) Associate Head Coach: Andrew Toole Assistant Coaches: Jimmy Martelli, Robby Pridgen Director of Basketball Operations: Dave Scarborough Video Coordinator: David Richards By Players Lost (4): No. Name Pos. Ht. Wt. Yr. GP/S PPG RPG APG 21 Jeremy Chappell *** G Sr. 35/ Ifeanyi Ehirim ** F Sr. 35/ Bateko Francisco * G Sr. 35/ Will Royal F So. 4/ By Players Returning (8): No. Name Pos. Ht. Wt. Yr. GP/S PPG RPG APG 15 Khalif Foster * G Jr. 20/ Dallas Green *** F Sr. 27/ Velton Jones # G So Jimmy Langhurst *** G Sr. 35/ Mezie Nwigwe *** G Sr. 35/ Rob Robinson * F Sr. 32/ Gary Wallace ** G Jr. 35/ Josiah Whitehead * F Sr. 35/ * letters earned # partial qualifier in By Newcomers (5): No. Player Pos. Ht. Wt. Yr. Hometown / High School (Junior College) 4 Karon Abraham G Fr. Paterson, N.J. / Harp Academy 34 Russell Johnson $ F So. Chester, Pa. / Chester 25 Brad Piehl F/C Fr. New Knoxville, Ohio / New Knoxville 35 Lijah Thompson F Fr. Philadelphia, Pa. / Monsignor Bonner 5 Coron Williams G Fr. Midlothian, Va. / Christchurch School $ Sat out the campaign By Class: Seniors (5): Dallas Green, Jimmy Langhurst, Mezie Nwigwe, Rob Robinson, Josiah Whitehead Juniors (2): Khalif Foster, Gary Wallace Sophomores (2): Velton Jones, Russell Johnson Freshman (4): Karon Abraham, Brad Piehl, Lijah Thompson, Coron Williams By State: Indiana (1): Dallas Green Maryland (2): Mezie Nwigwe, Rob Robinson New Jersey (2): Karon Abraham, Gary Wallace Ohio (2): Jimmy Langhurst, Brad Piehl Pennsylvania (4): Khalif Foster, Velton Jones, Russell Johnson, Lijah Thompson Virginia (2): Josiah Whitehead, Coron Williams By Height (Team Average: 6 4 ) 6 8 Dallas Green, Brad Piehl, Rob Robinson 6 7 Lijah Thompson 6 6 Russell Johnson, Josiah Whitehead 6 4 Mezie Nwigwe 6 3 Khalif Foster, Gary Wallace 6 2 Coron Williams 6 0 Velton Jones 5 11 Jimmy Langhurst 5 10 Karon Abraham 8 Robert Morris University