The Robert Morris men’s basketball team returns to the UPMC Events Center for a charity exhibition game against Penn State. This game will have more meaning for the Colonials team as one of their own recently went into a battle against cancer.
“Matt Sweet, one of our assistant coaches, in March of last year was diagnosed with a small tissue cancer,” Head Coach Andy Toole said. “As of September of this year, he’s been diagnosed as cancer free.”
The thought process for this game was in the works following that news. Coach Toole had connections with the Penn State program as Jimmy Martelli a former assistant coach with Robert Morris when Toole first arrived to the team in 2007.
“One of my other assistants, Dave Fedor, came up with the idea to do this to honor coach Sweet’s fight,” Toole said. “Along with raising some money for the American Cancer Society.”
The Colonials return to the UPMC Events Center for their first game since their buzzer beater against IUPUI in the Horizon League Quarterfinals. After a long summer , they’re excited to face someone not wearing red, white, and blue.
“I think you’re always excited when you get to this time of year, and you know games are close. You’re probably a little tired of playing against your teammates everyday in practice, so to be able to see people in a different uniform is always really exciting,” Coach Toole explained. “Obviously, we hope to do it in front of what will be a great crowd. That will be another level of excitement for us, and having a Big Ten team come here to play us for a good cause makes it that much more exciting.”
The preparation for the Colonial team will be the same no matter their opponent.
“On the court we know we’re going to be facing a very good opponent in Penn State,” Toole said. “They have a brand new team, 10 new guys from the team last year that went to the tournament. A new coach, but a lot of guess who have had a lot of success.”
Penn State comes into Pittsburgh off a great 2022 where they saw themselves in the Round of 32 in the NCAA Tournament. Coach Toole knows the challenges he faces ahead.
“[They have] a lot of experience, a lot of winning, and a lot of understanding. It’s a great test for our team.” Toole said. “To see how we stack up, to see how we can perform, to see where we’re at offensively and defensively. And do it all in a really good exciting environment will add to the litmus test that this is.”
The team expressed a desire to have another charity game again in the future.
“It was a unique circumstance with Coach Sweet here, with the battle of cancer he had,” Toole said. “Obviously if things arise in the future we’d love to do things on the charitable side for different causes that might affect our program or our team.”
Opening tip off will at 7 p.m. on Friday. Tickets cost $10. The proceeds will go towards the American Cancer Society and the Coaches vs. Cancer program.
