ORU ready to forget Valpo (TW)

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ORU ready to forget Valpo

By MIKE BROWN World Sports Writer

2/3/2007

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The Golden Eagles take on a Western Illinois team that's pesky at home.

Playing again as soon as possible is the best way to get over Thursday's crushing basketball loss at Valparaiso, said Oral Roberts head coach Scott Sutton.

"As a player and competitor, I couldn't wait to get back on the floor and try to erase some of the feelings we have right now," Sutton said.

The first chance comes Saturday at Western Illinois. ORU likely must win to retain its half-game Mid-Continent Conference lead over Oakland (Mich.), which plays at Indiana-Purdue.

WIU (5-18, 1-7) had lost 12 in a row before winning at home Thursday night, 45-42 over Centenary as junior guard David Jackson scored 17 points.

"They're going to have confidence and we're coming off a devastating loss, so we're going to have to regroup," Sutton said.

Valpo made four 3-pointers over the final 1:57 of regulation to rally from a nine-point deficit and beat the Golden Eagles 70-67 in overtime, ending ORU's nine-game winning streak.

The Crusaders' Shawn Huff hit the tying 3-pointer with 3.5 seconds left in regulation and the go-ahead 3-pointer with two minutes left in overtime.

"It's pretty disappointing, 

but you have to give Valpo credit for making those shots," Sutton said.

The Eagles spent Friday in Chicago and will bus three hours Saturday to Macomb, Ill.

Western Illinois lost 65-46 at ORU last month and trails in the series 17-5, but has beaten the Eagles in Western Hall each of the past two years.

"We haven't won up there since I was a freshman, so this is going to be one of the biggest games of the year," said ORU senior forward Caleb Green.

WIU won 70-65 in Macomb last year as Jackson scored 24 points, but ORU didn't have all its bullets to fire. Ken Tutt was sidelined with a broken foot and Green missed most of the first half in foul trouble. The Leathernecks led 37-23 at halftime and the Eagles never caught up.

Sutton thought the upset gave WIU the idea it could beat ORU again, and the eighth-seeded Leathernecks took the top-seeded Eagles to the wire in the first round of the conference tournament.

"I really think it made a difference because they had beaten us before," Sutton said.

The 6-foot-4 Jackson, a three-year starter, leads WIU in scoring (13.3) and rebounding (5.1). His main helpers are senior guards Sammy Hunter (11.8 ppg) and Troy Okeson (122 career 3-pointers).

Milestone ahead: Green had five rebounds with his 19 points at Valpo, leaving him seven short of 1,100 career rebounds.