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Showing content with the highest reputation on 01/07/2018 in all areas

  1. Many of you have been adding similar comments to the WIU game thread, but I thought the topic was worthy of its own thread... Key observations at this point of the season. Leadership I am pretty impressed by what I’ve seen from the team and coaching staff this year. Even during a tough non-conference schedule (and losing a major three-point threat to injury) this team held it together. In past years, we often maligned the lack of leadership and teamwork. This team has it – and the coaching staff has embraced a culture that allows this leadership to flourish. Seniors In recent years, the coaching staff had deferred to seniors for playing time and leadership. There is no way that they would have started four sophomores and a freshman, especially with a pre-season all-conference senior on the bench. But, somehow, the new staff has made this very successful – and everyone (including the senior coming off of the bench) has bought in. It takes strong leadership (coaching staff) and true humility (Albert) to make an unconventional switch like this work – and it is working like a charm. Defense It is SO refreshing to see some new forms of defense on the floor. It doesn’t always work – but it sure works better than “we’re going to play man-to-man defense 99% of the time, no matter what, because that is how basketball is supposed to be played”. Ball Movement As much as I love ORU athletics, ORU basketball had become painful to watch in recent years, as the offense would seemingly pass the ball around the court for no apparent reason and with no known intent, until a contested shot or a turnover occurred. If we didn’t have a playmaker (such as Obi), we were ineffective. This year, the team is engaged as a TEAM. As proof of this, 55.3% of this year’s field goals were set up by an assist. Over the last five years, the HIGHEST assist/FG % was 49.7% with an AVERAGE of 47.8%. Big difference. Double-doubles The stat of “double-double” can be over-rated (as the difference between nine and ten rebounds, points or assists is unduly magnified), but when it happens on a consistent basis, you know that something special is underway. In the past three seasons (by my unofficial count), ORU has averaged 6 D-D’s per year. So far, just over halfway through this season, we already have 13. E-Man and Javan are double-double machines. Killer instinct How long has it been since we’ve won three games in a row, all by fifteen or more points? Almost seven years. February 15-24 of 2011, with wins over Centenary on the road (81-61), Pacific at home in the bracketbuster (79-63), and IUPUI at home (92-74). That team eventually lost to Oakland in the Summit Championship game, and then came back the next year to finish 27-7. We can't base too much confidence on our three game home winning streak, as we won home games that we SHOULD have won. But the WAY we won them was pretty special, and definitely served notice that ORU basketball is no longer the doormat of the conference. This is a team that no one in the conference will want to face in Sioux Falls in March - and could still prove to be a contender. We will find out more on this over the next two weeks.
    3 points
  2. Check out Paul Mills' comment at the 3:39 mark about "them adjusting to us, instead of us adjusting to them" in terms of line-ups. LOVE IT!!
    2 points
  3. I wouldn't fool with the starting five once he's healthy. I know this is probably not the way Owens and Ruder imagined their final season, but invest every minute possible in the young core of the team.
    2 points
  4. The scoring on this team is crazy balanced. Sign of a good team.
    2 points
  5. We are starting 4 Sophomores and 1 Freshman with a Senior, a couple of Sophomores and a couple Freshman coming off the bench. Yes, we still have a long way to go but this team is starting to click and are buying into the program. The execution at times tonight was horrible and the last couple of games has been the same, but I like the fact that we continue to improve and get better each game. I have not seen that in years with our program. Finally, I think Wilson and Carter did the right thing and are vindicated. For once in a very long time, I like the upside of where this program can go, both this year and especially in the years to come. Hope is a good thing. Go Golden Eagles!
    1 point
  6. While the execution was horrible, three games into conference play I think it's obvious that Wilson and Carter have been vindicated in the decision to move on from the Sutton brothers. When was the last time ORU had three straight 15 point wins in conference play?
    1 point
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