Robert Morris defeats North Florida to win the First Four matchup. I am your host, Evan Petzold, signing out. Stay tuned with VAVEL USA as we bring you recaps and more live coverage from the NCAA Tournament events.
The VAVEL USA Player of the Game is Lucky Jones. He had 21 points, seven rebounds, one assist, five steals and one block off the BENCH.
FINAL: Robert Morris: 81, North Florida: 77
2nd Half (0:01) Lucky Jones misses the first and makes the second. Now it is over.
Hold on... The refs have put 0.7 seconds on the clock. Robert Morris is at the line, winning by three.
2nd Half (0:02) Beech hits one and misses one. The game is over.
2nd Half (0:09) Kavon Stewart is fouled and hits both free throws. That makes it a four point lead for Robert Morris.
2nd Half (0:10) Trent Mackey makes both from the stripe, that is the Ospreys 10th straight free throw. North Florida is down by just two points.
2nd Half (0:21) Kavon Stewart misses both free throws. WOW! This will be North Florida ball, down four.
2nd Half (0:22) Davenport gets fouled and makes both from the stripe. He makes it a FOUR point game.
2nd Half (0:30) Stewart gets fouled and makes 1-of-2 free throws. It is a six point lead for Robert Morris.
2nd Half (0:41) Beau Beech makes both free throws and it is a five point game.
2nd Half (0:51) Lucky Jones hits both free throws to make it a seven point game.
2nd Half (1:02) Aaron Tate misses both free throws and North Florida has the door open.
Robert Morris Timeout - Robert Morris: 75, North Florida: 70
2nd Half (1:09) Dallas Moore is fouled. He hits both at the line to make it a five point games once again.
2nd Half (1:16) Reed, a freshman, makes the layup after a pretty spin move. He puts the Colonials up, 75-68.
2nd Half (1:44) Dallas Moore hits both shots form the stripe. North Florida is down five.
2nd Half (2:04) Stewart makes a free throw to put Robert Morris up by seven.
2nd Half (2:18) The shot clock has just run out on the Ospreys. It will be Robert Morris ball, up six.
2nd Half (2:55) Rodney Pryor hits a jumper to put the Colonials up, 72-66.
2nd Half (3:48) Lucky Jones with a tip-in after the missed free throw. Robert Morris goes up by four.
Official TV Timeout - Robert Morris: 68, North Florida: 66
2nd Half (3:49) Reed weaves through about four defenders and lays it in, but wait there is more! Contact is made and he will go to the line! The young Colonial is putting on a show.
Lucky Jones just air-balled, but you will NOT see much of that during the rest of this game. Do not be fooled.
2nd Half (5:12) Jalen Nesbitt makes both free throws after being fouled. He has just tied this game at 66 each.
Over the last four minues, Robert Morris is on a 13-4 run.
2nd Half (5:30) Dallas Moore makes a jumper and it is a two point game. This is going back and forth everyone.
2nd Half (5:52) Elijah Minnie hits two free throws and Robert Morris gets their four point lead back.
2nd Half (6:24) Demarcus Daniels scores on a two point tip shot. He cuts into the Robert Morris lead.
2nd Half (6:37) Pryor with a three from the right side and Robert Morris has a four point lead.
2nd Half (7:37) Lucky Jones hits a jumper and his team takes a one point lead.
Official TV Timeout - North Florida: 60, Robert Morris: 59
2nd Half (9:00) Rodney Pryor makes a deep three! This is a one point game after a few quick buckets from Robert Morris.
2nd Half (9:48) Daniels is fouled as he makes a jumper. He ends up missing the layup, but his North Florida squad goes up 59-51.
2nd Half (10:06) Lucky Jones with a layup. However, North Florida leads by six.
2nd Half (10:24) Nesbitt with a layup to make it a six point game and then Dallas Moore does the same. North Florida is on a 7-0 run and have a eight point lead.
2nd Half (11:19) BANG! Beau Beech nails a three for North Florida. They are winning by four.
2nd Half (11:38) Rodney Pryor makes both free throws to make this a one point game.
Official TV Timeout - North Florida: 50, Robert Morris: 47
2nd Half (12:23) Rodney Pryor makes the jumper. Very nice ball movement from the Colonials on that possession.
2nd Half (13:00) Lovely up-and-under move from Jalen Nesbitt. North Florida leads, 48-45.
2nd Half (13:40) Count the bucket and the foul for Marcquise Reed. He converts the free throw to makes it a one point game in Dayton.
2nd Half (13:54) Jalen Nesbitt makes both free throws to break the 11-0 run from Robert Morris.
2nd Half (15:02) Marcquise Reed with a jumper and then on the next possession he hits another. Robert Morris are on a 11-0 run and are only down two.
Robert Morris are on a 7-0 run and North Florida have had seven turnovers on their last nine possessions.
2nd Half (15:45) Elijah Minnie hits both free throws. 44-38, North Florida.
Official TV Timeout - North Florida 44, Robert Morris 36
North Florida has a 44-36 lead.
2nd Half (16:24) Lucky Jones with a step-back three and he gets hacked while shooting. Jones misses the first free throw, makes the second, and connects on the last.
2nd Half (16:55) Stewart is fouled on the free throw. He will shoot two. He makes the first, but misses the second. 10 point game.
VAVEL USA had some technical difficulites, but we are back. There is 17 minutes left in the second half. North Florida leads, 44-33.
We will be back with you for the second half.
The Colonials have struggled shooting 36 percent from the field, 13 percent from the three point line and 57 percent from the charity stripe. He only have three assists during the first half.
Elijah Minnie has six points, five rebounds and one assists for Robert Morris in the first half. He has gotten help from bench star Lucky Jones, who has seven points and one rebound.
North Florida is shooting 58 percent from the field, 55 percent from deep and 25 percent from the stripe. They have 10 turnovers, but have made up for it with multiple assists and an outstading shooting percentage.
The Ospreys are led by Beau Beech with 13 points, one rebound and one assist in the first half. They have gotten help from Jalen Nesbitt as well. he has six points, five rebounds and two assists.
HALFTIME: North Florida has a 35-29 lead over Robert Morris.
1st Half (0:02) Stewart turns the ball over and North Florida will have the last shot of the half. The shot goes off the glass after a deep three point jumper.
Robert Morris will hold for the last shot.
1st Half (1:00) Rodney Pryor makes the layup for Robert Morris. He has been the go-to guy lately.
Robert Morris Timeout - Robert Morris: 27, North Florida: 35
1st Half (1:11) Trent Mackey misses the three, but Daniels gets the baord and puts it in the hole. North Florida leads, 35-27.
1st Half (2:16) Luckey Jones is fouled on a deep three pointer. He goes to the line and hits 2-of-3. It is a six point game.
Official TV Timeout - North Florida: 33, Robert Morris: 25
1st Half (2:37) WOW! Dallas Moore with a nifty ally-oop pass to Demarcus Daniels. The big man throws it down with authority. North Florida leads, 33-25.
1st Half (3:22) Trent Mackey DROPS the three pointer. 31-25, North Florida.
1st Half (4:05) Jalen Nesbitt nails the three point jumper! He gives North Florida a three point lead.
1st Half (4:35) Chris Davenport scores on a bunney jumper. That two point shot ties the game at 25 all.
1st Half (5:33) Dallas Moore with a very tough angle, but he gets the floater to go! Two point game in Dayton.
1st Half (6:48) Marcquise Reed with a jumper to put Robert Morris up, 25-21.
1st Half (7:05) Beau Beech hits another jumper. This guy has been on fire to help make it a two point game.
Official TV Timeout - Robert Morris: 23, North Florida: 19
1st Half (7:37) Lucky Jones makes a jumper for Robert Morris and Devin Wilson makes a jumper for North Florida. That keeps things at a four point game.
1st Half (8:11) Beau Beech AGAIN! He connects for three to make it a four point game.
1st Half (8:34) Reed with a jumper of his own. He makes it 21-14 for his Colonials.
1st Half (9:11) Beau Beech with another jumper that drops. He cuts makes it just a five point deficit.
1st Half (9:37) Kavon Stewart isolates North Florida and he lays it in for two. 19-12, RMU.
Official TV Timeout - Robert Morris: 17, North Florida, 12
1st Half (10:28) Rodney Pryor makes the layup and gets the foul. He make it a five point lead for Robert Morris. The free throw is missed.
Turnover after turnover from both teams. This is such a sloppy game with about 10 minutes left.
Robert Morris is 1-for-8 from deep, which could be a huge problem later in the game.
1st Half (12:42) Rodney Pryor has been able to isolate North Florida. He has just scored his four bucket of the game. 15-12, Colonials.
1st Half (13:11) North Florida gets another three off the hands of Beau Beech. Very pure shot.
1st Half (13:34) Lucky Jones with a pleasant move and shot to make it 13-9, Colonials.
1st Half (13:56) Nesbitt is hit while going up for a layup. He will go to the line to shoot two free throws. The first shot is good, that ends a 9-0 run for Robert Morris. Nesbitt misses the second shot.
1st Half (14:52) Lucky Jones hits one-of-two from the stripe. 11-8 lead for Robert Morris.
1st Half (15:33) Reed with a great dribble drive and dish to Andre Frederick and throws it down. 10-8, Colonials.
Official TV Timeout - NF: 8, RM: 8
1st Half (16:39) Minnie makes the layup. Wait, COUNT THE BUCKET AND THE FOUL! He makes the free throw to complete the and-on. We have a tie ballgame on our hands.
1st Half (17:27) Elijah Minnie with a three of his own. We knew this was going to be a three point shooting game and it has been to this point. North Florida leads, 8-5.
1st Half (17:54) Beau Beech knocks down a three, yet another assist from Davenport. 8-2, Ospreys.
1st Half (18:52) Dallas Moore with a huge three pointer. Nice assist from Chris Davenport. North Florida up 5-2.
1st Half (19:41) Jalen Nesbitt makes the layup, then Rodney Pryor hits a jumper. We are tied early.
WE ARE UNDERWAY FROM DAYTON!
Lucky Jones, from Robert Morris, was told he did not have a chance to live at a very young age. The doctors said they did not think he would make it, but he pulled through. The Colonials are very lucky to have their top player alive.
Robert Morris has a great 2-3 zone and if things start slow, they can bring out their sixth-man, Lucky Jones. He comes off the bench and can get buckets with ease. The 2-3 zone will have to shut down the outside shooting, which means the defense will NEED to move their feet and work as a unit.
The winner of this game will take on the No. 1 ranked Duke Blue Devils.
North Floirda is focusing on attacking and trapping. They will keep the momentum up to take down Robert Morris. The Ospreys love to hit three pointers. They are the Birds of Trey because they are not afraid to shoot.
The road to the Final Four begins in Dayton, Ohio tonight as the Robert Morris Colonials square off with the North Florida Ospreys. Welcome to VAVEL USA's live coverage of the 2015 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament. My name is Evan Petzold and I will be your host tonight. This game will tip at 6:40 PM EST.
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Alright everyone, we are about 10 minutes from this First Four game.
Both teams love shooting three pointers. Robert Morris hit 211/555 over 34 games in the regular season. North Florida made 308/788 attemps over 34 games. This is going to be a three point shootout between both parties.
We are about 50 minutes away from tip-off. Stay here to get updates before, during and after the game.
"It's hard to come in completely cold on Duke," Toole said. "They kind of have their own channel. They rule the world. They only play on TV, like, four times a week."
Robert Morris coach Andy Toole expressed his excitement to play in the First Four game because the winner plays Duke. He wants his team to come in hot, not cold.
"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."
According to ESPN, Robert Morris had an average of 1,106 people attend their home games. North Florida had 2,725 attend on average. This game will have 12,495 in the stands and so many will be watching on television. Hopefully, the nerves will not slow down the Ospreys' hope of a NCAA Tournament win.
"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 scoring bench player 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."
This is North Florida's first NCAA Tournament and it is a good thing they understand how much this really matters.
Demarcus Daniels (F) - 9.4 PPG, 5.9 RPG, 1.1 APG
Chris Davenport (F) - Sophomore - 11.5 PPG, 6.5 RPG, 2.2 APG
Beau Beech (F) - Junior - 12.5 PPG, 5.7 RPG, 0.3 BPG
Jalen Nesbitt (G) - Senior - 10.8 PPG, 5.6 RPG, 3.4 APG
Dallas Moore (G) - Sophomore - 15.9 PPG, 3.0 RPG, 3.6 APG
The projected starters for North Florida with their season averages:
Aaron Tate (F) - Junior - 4.o PPG, 4.4 RPG, 0.4 APG
Elijah Minnie (F) - Freshman - 6.8 PPG, 4.8 RPG, 0.3 APG
Kavon Stewart (G) - Sophomore - 6.3 PPG, 2.4 RPG, 4.5 APG
Marcquise Reed (G) - Freshman - 14.8 PPG, 2.5 RPG, 2.1 APG
Rodney Pryor (G) - Junior - 15.2 PPG, 4.7 RPG, 1.8 APG
The projected starters for Robert Morris with their season averages:
For the Ospreys, they rank 25th in points per game, 162nd in rebounds per game, 53rd in assists per game and 39th in field goal percentage. They average 76 points per game, 35 rebounds per game, 14 assists per game and they shoot 45 percent from the field.
The Colonials are ranked 133rd in points per game, 218th in rebounds per game, 204th in assists per game and 104th in field goal percentage. They shoot 45 percent from the field and average 69 points per game, 33 rebounds per game and 12 assists per game.
North Florida made the tournament after winning the Atlantic Sun Conference Tournament against the South Carolina Upstate Spartans, 63-57. It was a tight one to the end. This is a very good basketball team. They defeated the Purdue Boilermakers, 73-70. They lost to the Iowa Hawkeyes by just 10 points. North Florida lost to the Northern Iowa Panthers, who are also in the NCAA Tournament, by 17 points. They can contend with just about anyone they play and keep this close most the game. The Ospreys lost by 20 or more points just once. Surprisingly enough, it was the first game of the season.
During the regular season, the Colonials struggled early, but finished by winning 14-of-20. Robert Morris lost to: North Carolina: 103-59, Georgetown: 80-66, Buffalo: 74-59. Those are a few notable teams that are in the Big Dance to help compare with Robert Morris. It was obviously a rough season. If they win the play-in game, they probably will not be able to contend with Duke.
Robert Morris made the NCAA Tournament after winning the Northeast Conference Tournament with a three point win over St. Francis BRK Terriers.
Today’s game is part of the South Region where the winner will become the 16th seed. Their reward will be a second round matchup with the #1 team in the South. That opponent is Duke. That game will take place in Time Warner Cable Arena in Charlotte, North Carolina. Join VAVEL writer Addison Hunsicker for live coverage of that game on Friday night starting at 7:10 pm ET.
Good afternoon and welcome to VAVEL USA’s live coverage of the 2015 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament. Our game today is the third game of this year’s tournament from Dayton, Ohio. It is the First Four matchup between the Robert Morris Colonials (19-14) and the North Florida Ospreys (23-11). My name is Evan Petzold (@EvanPetzold) and I will be your host for today’s game.