Clock is ticking for the Eagles- TW (12/19/06)

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Clock is ticking for the Eagles

By MIKE BROWN World Sports Writer

12/19/2006

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Nonconference wins would help ORU keep postseason hopes alive.

Chances are slipping by the Oral Roberts basketball team. The Golden Eagles haven't built on their Nov. 15 upset of powerhouse Kansas.

They've lost five games to other reputable nonconference foes. Winning such games would go a long way to improve their lot in the NCAA Tournament.

But let's not get ahead of ourselves, coach Scott Sutton said.

"We have to get a lot better before we can worry too much about (postseason play)," Sutton said.

Inconsistency and poor shooting have plagued the Eagles (4-5), who are still struggling to incorporate three newcomers among their top seven players. They've shot 50 percent only once all season.

But it's still realistic for them to win the Mid-Continent Conference tournament and make a second straight NCAA trip. And if the Eagles get that far, they'd like to improve on the No. 16 seed they took to the regional tourney in Dallas last March.

All is not lost. There are still plenty of good teams on the schedule. Montana visits the Mabee Center on Tuesday night and ORU visits Arkansas, No. 12 in the ratings percentage index, on Friday.

Montana has made two straight NCAA appearances and upset Nevada in the first round last March. The Grizzlies are co-favored with Northern Arizona for the Big Sky Conference title. They were No. 1 in the league's preseason media poll and No. 2 in the coaches' poll.

Montana is ORU's fifth opponent projected to finish first or second in its conference. Brigham Young, second in the Mountain West, will be the sixth on Dec. 29.

"They're going to win a lot of games and will have a chance to win their conference tournament. (Beating them) would certainly help us in March," Sutton said.

Bottom seeds are to be avoided because a No. 16 has never beaten a regional No. 1. The Eagles had a losing nonconference record and qualified from one of the nation's lowest-rated conferences. The Mid-Con was 28th out of 31 last season.

Another win or two might have made a difference, Sutton said.

"We certainly wouldn't have been a No. 16 seed, in my opinion," Sutton said.

Sutton believes the Eagles will turn it around, despite watching them lose 22 turnovers and waste Ken Tutt's career-high 36 points in Saturday's 76-72 loss at UT-Chattanooga.

"I still think it's a question of time before this group figures it out," he said.

Senior forward Caleb Green needs 17 points to become only the fifth ORU player to score 2,000 career points.

Sophomore Kelvin Sango is questionable due to a deep gash on his shoulder blade sustained at Chattanooga. It required 17 stitches.

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Mike Brown 581-8390

mike.brown@tulsaworld.com

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Reputable foes

ORU has six nonconference opponents in the Ratings Percentage Index top 100 and another two rated higher than the Golden Eagles at 188. RPI figures are from kenpom.com.

RPI Team (record) Result/Date

12 Arkansas (8-2) Dec. 22

48  Kansas (8-2) W, 78-71

55 Loy. Marymount (7-5) L, 65-68

80 Georgetown (7-3) L, 58-73

88  Tulsa (8-1) L, 57-75

92 Brigham Young (6-4) Dec. 29

149 Seton Hall (5-1) Dec. 28

181  Montana (6-5) Dec. 19

194 Akron (5-2) L, 59-61

Note: The RPI is a formula based on a team?s record, its opponents? records and its opponents? opponents? records.

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Montana at ORU

Radio: KTBZ am1430

TV: None

When: 7:05 p.m. Tuesday

Where: Mabee Center

Montana Grizzlies (6-5) 

  Ht. Pt. Rb.

F Dlouhy 6-6 13.5 4.8

F Hasquet 6-9 11.1 5.8

F Strait 6-8  15.5 5.9

G Ellis 5-10 4.1 4.3*

G Rundles 6-1 6.4 1.8

Oral Roberts (4-5) 

  Ht.  Pt. Rb.

F Green 6-8 19.8 10.0

F Ogunoye 6-9 2.4 2.9

C King 6-10 5.1 5.1

G Liberty 6-2 6.2 2.8*

G Tutt 6-1 17.4 2.4*

* Assists per game