YOUNGSTOWN — On one hand, this could be the perfect “get right” game for Youngstown State. On the other, there’s more than meets the eye to this Robert Morris team the Penguins visit tonight at the UPMC Event Center in Moon Township, Pennsylvania.

Having lost two of their last three and coming off their first Horizon League defeat of the season, the Penguins (8-5, 2-1) will meet a Colonials squad that enters at 2-10 overall and has dropped each of its three Horizon League matchups.

But, YSU coach Jerrod Calhoun cautions, that 2-10 mark can be misleading. RMU has faced blue blood powerhouse Kentucky, as well as quality mid-major programs such as Ohio, Bowling Green and Davidson. The Colonials’ league losses are to Green Bay, Milwaukee and Oakland, the last of which just topped YSU 87-72 Saturday.

“They’ve played a lot of people,” Calhoun added.

In their two meetings a season ago at Robert Morris, YSU took a pair of narrow victories — the first an 84-78 decision and the other a 70-66 win in overtime a day later.

Only four players from that 2020-21 RMU roster that went 4-15 return this year: Kam Farris, Kahliel Spear, Chase Cook and Enoch Cheeks.

Joining them is a bevy of transfers and one freshman recruit: Michael Green III (Bryant), Rasheem Dunn (St. John’s), Jaron Williams (UT Martin), Tristan Jeffries (freshman recruit), Matt Mayers (Hutchinson Community College, a JUCO), Brandon Stone (La Salle) and Justin Winston (St. Bonaventure).

“They’ve got a lot of new guys, a lot of guys that can score the ball,” Calhoun said. “They’ve had some guys in protocols and missed a few games; they’ve had some injuries. It’s a very, very difficult scout, because they have a lot of guys that can make some shots.”

Indeed, as Calhoun pointed out, the Colonials convert more than 35 percent of their 3-point attempts and are 45.2 percent from the floor overall, the third-best mark in the conference. Their offense averages 70 points per game.

Dunn leads the way at 12.5 points per game, while Spear (11.7 ppg) and Farris (11.3 ppg) also are in double figures. Winston, Wiliams and Green III each score just over nine points per game, as well. Spear also is the Horizon’s sixth-leading rebounder at 7.5 per game.

“You get into having to manage and understand a lot of guys’ different games,” Calhoun said.

Where the Colonials have struggled this year is on defense. The Colonials are giving up 78.8 points per game, the most allowed of any Horizon League team.

YSU, meanwhile, is in search of some momentum after dropping contests at West Virginia and Oakland. The Penguins defeated Division III Defiance in between those losses.

“We’ve been blown out twice, and I think our guys have responded both times the next day in practice,” Calhoun said. “We had a great day at practice (Monday).”

At Oakland, the Penguins were in the mix early on until a decisive 24-3 Golden Grizzly run in the first half put the game out of YSU’s reach. Michael Akuchie scored 21 points and grabbed eight rebounds, while Tevin Olison scored 14 points and Dwayne Cohill netted 12 points. Those three lead YSU in scoring at 13.6, 11.8 and 9.7 points per game, respectively.

“Right after the game (at Oakland), we said, ‘Listen, here’s where we’re at.’ We’re not where we want to be, but at the end of the day at our level in our conference, it’s not about where you’re at right now, it’s about where you’re finishing. … Are we totally where we need to be? No. But do I like the direction? Yes,” Calhoun said.

Tipoff at Robert Morris is slated for 7 p.m.