Gaining steam - Tulsa World (1-4-2007)

[ORUTerry]

Gaining steam

by MIKE BROWN World Sports Writer

1/4/2007

ORU has won three of its last five games

Until recently, the Oral Roberts basketball team seemed like a car spinning its wheels in gravel. Where was the boost to get it on solid pavement?

Caleb Green and Ken Tutt did more than their share, but the Golden Eagles sputtered. Some of the newer teammates weren't sure what to do.

But everyone has pitched in lately and the Eagles are playing their best basketball of the season.

"We're more in sync," said the 6-foot-8 Green. "It's not just one guy putting it all on his back and trying to carry the load for everyone else."

Adam Liberty is gaining confidence at point guard and junior college transfer Shawn King has shown encouraging signs of blossoming at center.

The Eagles have won three of their last five, gaining momentum to open Mid-Continent Conference play as they host Western Illinois on Thursday night.

"Without question, we've put four or five games together and the tournament (at Brigham Young last weekend) was good for us," said coach Scott Sutton. "I thought we played well in all three games and had chances to win all three."

ORU rallied from a nine-point deficit to upset Seton Hall 76-74; got into foul trouble and faltered down the stretch in a 72-62 loss to BYU; and blew out Liberty 90-58 with five men scoring in double figures.

Tutt said newcomers are starting to mesh with veterans. Liberty is playing his first basketball since transferring from Wichita State in 2005, and King was one of the nation's top juco players last year.

"Earlier in the season, it seemed like everyone was waiting for Ken and Caleb to do something, but now everyone is starting to understand his role," Tutt said.

King played his best offensive game in the Liberty blowout, scoring in double figures against a Division I foe for the first time. Liberty, who had an eight-turnover night at KU, lost five in three games in Utah.

Moses Ehambe made five 3-pointers against Liberty and could emerge as the third scoring threat the Eagles need to complement Green and Tutt, who combine to score nearly 38 points per game.

ORU has cut down on turnovers and started making shots. The Eagles have raised their shooting percentage nine points since a 69-58 win over Montana Dec. 19. In the tournament, they shot over 50 percent twice in three games for the first time all season.

Over the past five games, they are averaging 13.6 turnovers -- about two less than their season average.

Sutton said the 2-1 road trip might provide the same kind of lift the Eagles got last year from sweeping their opening Mid-Con road games at Chicago State and Southern Utah.

"We limped out of nonconference play with a four-game losing streak. Winning those games turned our season around," Sutton said.

The Eagles rebounded from a 5-7 start to share a second straight Mid-Continent Conference title and advance to the NCAA Tournament.