ORU Notebook - Tulsa World (3-18-2006)

[ORUTerry]

ORU Notebook:

By MIKE BROWN World Sports Writer

3/18/2006

Memphis had intensity:

Experts across the country wondered if top-seeded Memphis would take 16th-seeded Oral Roberts lightly.

Senior Rodney Carney said it helped the Tigers to watch Thursday's games on television, hinting they might have been more nonchalant about their first-round challenge if they had played on the first day instead of the second.

"We saw the intensity, how certain people play and react to situations," Carney said. "We saw the upsets and knew teams were going to come out there and give it their all, and I think having an extra day to watch prepared us better for what we had to go through."

Doubly impressed:

ORU coach Scott Sutton liked how the Golden Eagles played Friday -- and the Tigers.

"I'm proud of my guys. I think we competed against, obviously, one of the best teams in the country. I was so impressed with Memphis. If they continue to shoot the ball the way they did today (37-of-61, 60.7 percent) I wouldn't be shocked if they win the national title."

Tough stretch:

The Eagles still had a chance, trailing 70-59 with 10:38 left, but Memphis made 10 of its next 12 shots, boosting the lead to 90-73 with 4:30 left. Most of the Tigers' baskets in that stretch came from Memphis guards driving to the foul line and dumping the ball to open men underneath.

"We did a poor job of letting them drive the middle and then we didn't rotate down and take that pass away," Sutton said. "They got so many easy baskets there late. We had to go to a halfcourt trap and try to change up the game and create some turnovers, but they were bigger than our guards and we couldn't trap them. They'd get the ball to the middle of the floor and go and create and get easy baskets."

Big finish:

ORU senior forward Larry Owens ended his collegiate career with 13 points and 11 rebounds for his fifth double-double of the season. With his 11 boards, he became the 20th player in school history with 500 career rebounds.

Traffic scare:

Cason and Marge Carter, son and mother of ORU athletic director Mike Carter, escaped serious injury in a one-car crash while driving through Durant on the way to the game Friday morning.

Cason Carter, driving his grandmother's Honda Civic, hit a center median after swerving to avoid a spare tire lying in the road that had fallen off another vehicle, Mike Carter said. They were taken for X-rays in Durant and released.

They stayed in Durant, about 90 minutes north of Dallas, to watch the game on television, Mike Carter said.

Tough cats:

ORU is now 2-5 against Memphis all-time -- 0-2 in NCAA Tournament action. The Tigers ended the school's previous NCAA trip with a 92-83 win in 1984.

Big assignment:

ORU women's radio voice Geoff Haxton said Friday's game was easily the biggest of his young broadcasting career. Haxton subbed for men's ORU broadcaster Mark Neely, who had an ESPN television assignment.

"It's not even close. This time last year, I was covering schools that had class sizes of 20," Haxton said.

He worked previously for KCRC am1390 in Enid, covering area high school football, basketball and baseball.

Encouraging signs:

ORU assistant Corey Williams said more recruiting doors are opening as a result of the Golden Eagles' first NCAA appearance in 22 years. The Eagles have two scholarships remaining for 2006-07. They have already signed 6-foot-10 center Shawn King of Carl Albert State College, 6-foot-2 guard Dominique Gaines of Muskogee High School and 6-foot-4 forward Jeremy Hazell of the Bronx, N.Y.