HORIZON LEAGUE SHOWDOWN SET AS COLONIALS HOST NORSE COROOPOLIS, Pa. (Interstat) — A pivotal early Horizon League men’s basketball matchup is on tap Monday as the Robert Morris Colonials host the Northern Kentucky Norse at the Charles L. Sewall Center. Both teams enter the Dec. 29 contest with winning non-conference records and momentum to build upon as league play intensifies. Robert Morris (10-4) has won four of its last five, including a 79-70 road victory at Saint Francis (Pa.) on Dec. 20. Northern Kentucky (9-5) looks to rebound from an 85-74 home loss to College of Charleston on Dec. 21, which snapped a two-game win streak. The game features two of the conference’s top offensive threats. Northern Kentucky’s Kael Robinson has been on a scoring tear, averaging 20.9 points over his last seven games. The guard is coming off a 22-point, 9-rebound performance in the loss to Charleston. Robert Morris counters with forward DeSean Goode, who is averaging 17.7 points per game. Goode is fresh from a 24-point, 8-rebound effort against Saint Francis and has scored in double figures in five straight contests. The Colonials have shown resilience in close games, winning in overtime against Youngstown State and edging Green Bay on the road this month. Their defense will be tested by a Norse offense that averages 81.4 points per game and has scored 90 or more points four times this season. Northern Kentucky’s recent results have been a rollercoaster, with its five losses coming by an average of just 5.6 points, including narrow defeats to Oakland (82-77) and Purdue Fort Wayne (79-77). Robert Morris holds a slim edge in the all-time series, but the teams split their two meetings last season, each winning on its home floor. This contest kicks off a critical stretch for both squads as they navigate the opening phase of the Horizon League schedule. Monday’s winner will gain an early advantage in the conference standings and valuable momentum heading into the New Year.