Green-led ORU scores road win - Tulsa World (12-12-05)

[ORUTerry]

Green-led ORU scores road win

By Staff Reports

12/12/2005

GREELEY, Colo. -- Caleb Green scored 15 of his game-high 24 points in the second half, pacing Oral Roberts University to a 79-66 win over Northern Colorado on Sunday afternoon.

The Golden Eagles played without two injured guards and lost a third when Andrew Meloy hurt his left knee early in the second half. But senior forward Larry Owens dished a career-high eight assists to go with 16 points on 7-of-8 shooting.

Three other players scored in double figures as the Eagles (5-3) bounced back from Wednesday's loss to Missouri State and sent Northern Colorado to its 10th straight loss.

"We survived," said head coach Scott Sutton. "It wasn't a real pretty game, and we didn't play as well as we're capable of playing, but under the circumstances of not having (guards Jonathan Bluitt and Chris Riouse) and getting into foul trouble, I thought it was a good win."

Bluitt made the trip with an injured heel, but did not suit up, and Riouse stayed home in Tulsa after injuring his ankle in Thursday's practice.

Meloy, who started in Bluitt's place, opened the game by hitting his first 3-pointer of the season and played 12 minutes. But the Eagles were left with seven men when UNC center Kirk Archibeque landed on Meloy's left knee just

37 seconds into the second half. The injury was initially thought to be a twisted knee, according to a radio broadcast report.

Sutton praised contributing performances from Marchello Vealy, Eric Fowlkes and Yemi Ogunoye. Fowlkes and Ogunoye combined on defense to limit Sean Taibi to five second-half points. He had 15 in the first half and finished with a team-high 20.

Sutton said the 6-foot-7 Vealy, a freshman, "probably played his best game" with 10 points, three rebounds and two blocked shots.

Owens' game followed a 22-point performance against Missouri State.

"Larry played a great game," Sutton said. "When he's playing well, he's scoring, rebounding, getting assists and steals. He's really coming on. We've needed him to get more aggressive, and he's certainly done that."

ORU led from start to finish, but allowed UNC to get back in the game after building a 22-8 lead in the first eight minutes. Taibi's second of three first-half 3-pointers pulled the Bears to 33-31 with 3:05 left, but Ken Tutt scored five points in a 7-3 burst that gave the Eagles a 40-34 halftime lead.

Matt Kline's 3-pointer made it 44-42 with 17:32 left, but ORU gradually rebuilt its margin to double digits. With UNC still in striking range, Owens got the ball to Green for a dunk and it was 74-65 with 1:45 left. Green scored the Eagles' final seven points.

ORU made 28-of-54 from the field, shooting over 50 percent against a Division I foe for the first time this season. The players will take finals this week before leaving for Thursday's game at Louisiana-Lafayette.