Eagles trample Valpo - Tulsa World (1-7-2007)

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Eagles trample Valpo

MIKE BROWN World Sports Writer

1/7/2007

Crusaders will exit Mid-Con winless at ORU's Mabee Center.

Valparaiso's final visit to the Mabee Center as a Mid-Continent Conference member ended the same way the first 10 did -- with an Oral Roberts victory.

Junior guard Adam Liberty made a career-best four 3-pointers and scored 16 points as the Golden Eagles rolled 75-60 on Saturday afternoon to stay unbeaten in conference play.

ORU played probably its best game since upsetting Kansas -- against arguably the Mid-Con's youngest team. Valpo has eight freshmen and sophomores on its 12-man roster.

The Golden Eagles lost a season-low six turnovers while five men scored in double figures. As senior forward Caleb Green said, "Everybody had a foot in it."

Valpo coach Homer Drew was impressed.

"You saw today why ORU is picked No. 1 in our league. (ORU coach Scott Sutton has) maybe his finest team, so athletic and strong, with two dominant players inside," Drew said.

Green had 14 points and 12 rebounds, notching his 54th career double-double. Junior center Shawn King had 13 points, six rebounds and two blocked shots.

King played probably the best offensive game of his first Division I season, more confident with the ball in his hands and unafraid to take his man off the dribble. He went around one defender for an easy layup. He made 5-of-8 shots from the field and 3-of-4 from the line to score in double figures for the second time in three games.

"Shawn King played great for us for the second night in a row," Green said. "As I've said before, he is the key. When he plays well, he's going to put us over the top."

Green tied a school record for career double-doubles, meaning double digits in two statistical categories. Mark Acres had 54 during the 1981-85 seasons.

"I said several weeks ago that this guy is going to break a lot of records," Sutton said. "I hope the fans of Tulsa and our fans get out and watch him because they're running out of opportunities."

Ken Tutt scored 11 points and Marchello Vealy added 10 as ORU won its third straight game, fifth in the last seven, and improved to 2-0 in league play and 9-7 overall.

Sophomore center Calum MacLeod scored 17 for the Crusaders (1-1, 6-9), who had a three-game winning streak broken.

ORU upped its lead to 13-11 in a rivalry that almost always goes to the home team. Until two years ago, ORU had never won at Valparaiso. But the Crusaders have never beaten the Eagles in Tulsa. They've lost 12 straight, counting one in last year's conference tournament at Union High School.

The Crusaders depart next year for the Horizon League. Will Drew be glad not to visit Tulsa as often?

"Not really. We like coming to Tulsa. The people are friendly and we've had a wonderful long-distance friendship with (ORU president) Richard Roberts. I've known him for a number of years -- actually, from before they came into the conference," Drew said.

Said Sutton: "I told Coach Drew we need to keep the series going because it's obviously important to both team's fan bases."

Valpo almost always draws capacity crowds for the Eagles, and ORU had one of its largest crowds of the season for an afternoon game -- although probably not nearly the 7,913 reported in the box score.

ORU shot 40 percent from 3-point range with Liberty hitting 4-of-8 and Tutt 3-of-6.

The Eagles trailed only briefly before building their first double-digit lead at 24-13. They led a halftime 36-31 and took control with a 10-0 spurt to start the second half. From there, Valpo never got the deficit within 12.

Mike Brown 581-8390

mike.brown@tulsaworld.com