R obert Morris will take on Alabama on Friday in the NCAA Tournament thanks, in part, to the adoption of an athletic philosophy honed at Alabama. You can’t make this stuff up, which is part of the magic and the madness of March. The connection is Colonials Athletic Director Chris King, who used to be an associate AD for the Crimson Tide.

Robert Morris’ rotation is tight. On most occasions, it goes just seven players deep. The pride of this particular team, however, extends much further. “Again,” Robert Morris coach Andy Toole began, about to repeat the team’s unofficial slogan,

Robert Morris has 4 players averaging more than 10 points per game — Kam Woods (15.1 ppg), Alvaro Folgueiras (14.1 ppg), Amarion Dickerson (12.9 ppg) and Josh Omojafo (11.4 ppg). The Colonials average 76.9 points per game, good for No. 98 nationally.