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Omaha at ORU


theeagleman5

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7 minutes ago, theeagleman5 said:

And....ORU has exceeded TheEaglemans O/U for wins of 10.5....I didnt think we would make it.....😎

Also improved on last season's win total [8 in 2017-18 - 9 in 2018-19] - Division 1 wins only.

Not a huge step but it is progress. 

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I agree with the Jekyll/Hyde analogy concerning this year's ORU team.  At times they look like they are coming together both defensively and offensively.  Then the next game either the defense will fall apart (especially 3-point defense around the perimeter) or the offense will grind to a halt like it did against Western Illinois.  

I know some of ORU's deficiencies have been caused by injuries and supposedly ORU is 3-0 in conference play when both Eman and Kearns are healthy.  Coach Mills said that he told the players to push out the perimeter defense not just to the 3-point line but beyond it.  He said he knew they may give up a few 2-point shots, but they didn't want to make it easy to shoot a 3-pointer.  I agree with this approach against Omaha and PFW.  It could be a little more risky against SDSU.  If they had played that type of defense against PFW and Cal Baptist at the Mabee Center, we would have 2 more wins on the resume.

If ORU can bring the defensive effort they displayed against Omaha to Sioux Falls, they will not be an easy out.  Then it really comes down to whether Kearns is healthy enough to go and if Weaver is hitting his 3-pointers.  I am not sure why Obanor didn't play much in the 1st half against Omaha.  He used to be a defensive liability, but I think he has improved in that regard.  It seems like Coach Mills likes to play either Nzekwesi or Obanor, but doesn't play both of them at the same time very often.  I would like to see (if Kearns is healthy) a lineup of Smith, Nzekwesi, Obanor, Weaver, and Kearns for at least 5 minutes per half.  That would be a difficult lineup for the opponent to defend.

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Nice post, Jason....very well said....email Coach Mills and suggest all of that....this ORU team can do some damage in Sioux Falls if they play together and with the passion they showed in the final 6 minutes on Thursday night.....not sure we can compete with SDSU but every other team up there is beatable.....:circle-logoi:

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1 hour ago, ORUJason said:

It seems like Coach Mills likes to play either Nzekwesi or Obanor, but doesn't play both of them at the same time very often.  I would like to see (if Kearns is healthy) a lineup of Smith, Nzekwesi, Obanor, Weaver, and Kearns for at least 5 minutes per half

I agree with that. I don't think many Summit teams can contend with Obanor and E-Man at the same time.

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Obanor collected his second foul with approximately 5 minutes elapsed in the first half. Ironically, EMan was at the scorers table to sub in for him. KO did not enter the game until the very end of the first half. 

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Who was on the floor with Obanor and EMan during the last 8 minutes or so?

Smith is playing really well. He stays on his feet and maintains good position on defense. Our post players are getting better at passing the ball to each other. EMan made a nice pass to Ahmedic (who sealed his man off down low); it was the classic “Kansas” high-low play. 

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I did not realize that Obanor got 2 fouls so early, because we didn't have very many fouls the entire first half as a team.  That explains why Kevin wasn't out there more.  He only played 16 minutes the entire game (I think).  Earlier in the year when Saunders and Malone played together, the defense fell apart.  But in the 1st half Thursday night, they played together for quite a while and the defense held up.  While the record doesn't always reflect team improvement, I can see players improving over the course of the year and that is a good sign that this coaching staff knows what they are doing.

I heard Coach Mills say (I think it was either the pregame or his coaches show) that ORU has more minutes from its bench than almost any other team in the country.  That doesn't surprise me since Obanor comes off the bench and he generally has a 9-10 man rotation.  If we only end up losing Smith and Malone, then if we get another good recruiting class, this team could take another step forward next year.  We shall see.

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Yeah you wonder who will transfer this year.  Usually most teams have 2 or 3.  Emir tries his best but ORU could use a more talented big man next year at the center position.  So I wonder if Emir is asked to leave because ORU does not have any scholarships open if everyone signs from the 2019 class.

 

 

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5 minutes ago, Keenan Henderson said:

Yeah you wonder who will transfer this year.  Usually most teams have 2 or 3.  Emir tries his best but ORU could use a more talented big man next year at the center position.  So I wonder if Emir is asked to leave because ORU does not have any scholarships open if everyone signs from the 2019 class.

Replacing Kerwin will be tough. He is really good anchoring the middle of the zone.

I hardly ever see him bite on ball fakes and can extend almost all the way out to the 3-point line - he may be the most versatile defensive big man at ORU since Yemi Ogunye.

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18 hours ago, Keenan Henderson said:

Yeah you wonder who will transfer this year.  Usually most teams have 2 or 3.  Emir tries his best but ORU could use a more talented big man next year at the center position.  So I wonder if Emir is asked to leave because ORU does not have any scholarships open if everyone signs from the 2019 class.

There's a better chance that NONE of the four Euros on the roster come back next year than there is all four return. 

Though I frankly doubt either scenario is likely.  The reality will probably be somewhere in between.

It's simply the risk you run by signing foreign players, particularly from Europe:  it's a roll of the dice that they will return from whatever distractions they're exposed to over the summer.

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I think the biggest question is whether Eman comes back. Is he graduating this year? Would be a shame to lose him, but I think that’s the most likely scenario.

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