Come on

[Grizz]

Nothing to say here?????....one of the 3 best league games I have ever seen....two heavy weights ......full of great plays....great offense.....great defense....great coaching....Niles is unbelievable for a freshman....Morrison is a stud.......a shame someone had to lose. Our crowd was the difference...this is turning into a special thing when we play...great to be a part of it.

[SDSUJacks]

Was courtside tonight at SDSU-UMKC and heard the update. Our arena was rocking and I was proud tonight.....heard update of ORU-Oakland....wasn't surprised to hear outcome (that it was close). Oakland is great but have shown they are beatable....can't wait for "Summit at the Falls"!

[ORUTerry]

Oakland is good and has lots of weapons. Benson, Jones and Nelson are very talented and compliment each other well. ORU was in position to steal a road win, but went into a road funk. We have now lost four conference games by a total of 10 points. I am still confident we can beat any team in this league, but given our short bench it would be very nice to have a day of rest in the tournament. That does not look like it will happen.

[theeagleman5]

Congrats on your win last night, Grizz....you've beaten us twice so at this point, TheEagleman has to say that Oakland is the better team.....that being said, we blew this one at the beginning of the 2nd half...it was a game we should have won.......ORU seems to be getting better and healthier as the season goes along...I think we are the last team the Grizzlies want to see in Sioux Falls....I would love to see us get a 3rd chance in the finals.....and TheEagleman is not giving up on 2nd place just yet...if we run the table in our last five games to go 14-4....it could happen....next Saturday's gave vs. IUPUI is huge...but we will need a little help.....

[oruvoice]

Oakland is good and has lots of weapons. Benson, Jones and Nelson are very talented and compliment each other well. ORU was in position to steal a road win, but went into a road funk. We have now lost four conference games by a total of 10 points. I am still confident we can beat any team in this league, but given our short bench it would be very nice to have a day of rest in the tournament. That does not look like it will happen.

I disagree. We are only 2 games behind IUPUI. They still have the Dakota road trip and this weeks road trip to Tulsa and Centenary, who this week played Oakland tough and beat IPFW on the road. Wouldn't shock me to see IUPUI get swept this week. If so, we are back into a tie for 2nd place. Still lots of ball to play. We just have to win our next 3 at home (WIU, IUPUI, & Centenary) and let the chips fall. I still think 2nd place (and day off in the tourney) is a decent possibility.

[theeagleman5]

Agree 100%, Voice...ORU is going to have to sweep our remaining Summit games...5-0 is certainly doable with our biggest hurdle being the Jags at Mabee next Sat. night....UMKC on the road will also be a tussle....but these kids can do it....Expect a Miracle!....14-4 could get 2nd place....but I think we lose the tiebreaker...so the Jags will have to lose two other games besides ORU....

[Cletus]

Niles is unbelievable for a freshman....Morrison is a stud.......

Morrison is great and Niles is creating his future for ORU b-ball!

[Grizz]

I hope we do play in the finals...history says it will be another classic......last night was great basketball, all fans from both teams could want

[theeagleman5]

It was another classic, Grizz...TheEagleman doesn't like to whine but Oakland got the advantage of some "home cookin'" with regards to the refs in the 2nd half....seems every touch by Ford and Holdman was a foul while Benson got away with misdemeanor assault....would love to see us play the Grizzlies on a neutral court with some real refs from maybe the Big East, ACC or Big Ten....

[Bogus Smith]

If we are fortunate to have a third game vs. Oakland on a neutral court in Sioux Falls, I like our chances. I would highly recommend the locals go to that game if they want to see some great basketball...should be a barn-burner!!

[Grizz]

If you get a chance...go to www.ougrizzlies.com and click on the game story...then go to the photo gallery and click on the picture of Sutton standing in from of your bench. You will see what your team was up against with out student section. They figured close to 1000 students wrapped around your bench

[theeagleman5]

Next time Oakland comes to Mabee Center....maybe we should put your bench in the men's room....

[tmh8286]

ORU probably has their fans as far away from the benches and the court as any school I've seen anywhere. A year or so ago I was calling for making a more intimate environment at Mabee Center, but I doubt it will ever happen. Actually in some respects, they did with the court-side seats this year - of course that led to donkeylarry's experience. But in terms of creating the intensity that the students did at Oakland, we just don't have the right setup for accomplishing that. That's not to say that we can't create an intimidating environment in our own way . . .

I agree, Grizz, that was a great, great basketball game last night, tailor made for creating the emotions that we crave from basketball. Only thing was, WE came out on the short end of the stick on that one, and nobody felt much like talking about it last night.

I LOVE what the ORU/Oakland rivalry has become - in some ways it's even better than the ORU/Valpo rivalry of the past, at least to me, because the fans are more affable. I know that the Oakland fans want to hate us - they've said so on their board - but I just think they have a hard time doing it.

[theeagleman5]

Coach Sutton and our players are so lovable....how could anyone ever hate us?....

[Grizz]

Hate is the wrong word...not sure what the right one is......it all started with Dukes shot and is growing...I think it is great fun. Our fan base is pretty civil if that is the right word

[tmh8286]

Hate is the wrong word...not sure what the right one is......it all started with Dukes shot and is growing...I think it is great fun. Our fan base is pretty civil if that is the right word

Post by Germane Jan. 8, 2010 -

"OK, why do the ORU fans have to come here and spew all this sportsmanship, making it so damn difficult to hate them and their program?!"

Post by Nate Jan 8, 2010

"Yea it figures that North Dakota State would try and do that. There was something about that team that ticked me off. ORU is generally classy, but I still will always have hate for ORU, as a proud member of the Oakland family."


I'm not saying it's a bad thing - I'm just sayin' . . .

[Old Titan]

I am still confident we can beat any team in this league, but given our short bench it would be very nice to have a day of rest in the tournament. That does not look like it will happen.

I disagree. We are only 2 games behind IUPUI. They still have the Dakota road trip and this weeks road trip to Tulsa and Centenary, who this week played Oakland tough and beat IPFW on the road. Wouldn't shock me to see IUPUI get swept this week. If so, we are back into a tie for 2nd place. Still lots of ball to play. We just have to win our next 3 at home (WIU, IUPUI, & Centenary) and let the chips fall. I still think 2nd place (and day off in the tourney) is a decent possibility.

A tie for 2nd with IUPUI does us no good in terms of seeding: they win the tiebreaker by virtue of their split with 1st Place Oakland (we got swept by the Grizzlies).

The Jags would have to lose three of their last five, while we go 5-0, for us be seeded above them.

[oruvoice]

Look for IUPUI to 'look ahead' at Centenary this Thursday. Thus, a tie for second place by the end of this saturday night.

Then, it all comes down to us sweeping SUU/UMKC roadie and IUPUI splitting the Dakota trip. Very plausible. Let's go Gents!

[ORUTerry]

IUPUI has done it before.....