ORU readies for launch of Mid-Con play - TW (1-2-06)

[ORUTerry]

ORU readies for launch of Mid-Con play

By MATT DOYLE World Sports Writer

1/2/2006

As the son of a man who has won 790 games in his college basketball coaching career, Oral Roberts University coach Scott Sutton has learned more than a thing or two from his father, Eddie.

Having the Oklahoma State coach available to discuss the sport has benefited the younger Sutton in his seven seasons as ORU's head coach. A top item Scott Sutton learned from his dad was not to overlook an opponent.

Sutton stressed that last week's nonconference road games at Oklahoma and Minnesota were big games. Yet he constantly reminded his team that bigger contests awaited immediately after battles with the Sooners and Gophers.

Monday marks the start of Mid-Continent Conference play for the Golden Eagles as they open at Chicago State.

"Would we have liked to win those games at OU and Minnesota? Absolutely," Sutton said. "But now it is the real season and the most important part of the season. The most important game we will have played all year is Monday night at Chicago State, because it is a league game. And the next important game after that is Wednesday night at Southern Utah."

With his team mired in a four-game losing streak, Sutton hopes opening conference play will spark the 5-7 Golden Eagles. He believes this two-game stretch

is vital, if ORU plans to live up to its preseason status as league favorite.

Sutton's players agree.

"League play is the time to shine," senior point guard Jonathan Bluitt said. "I think this will be a turning point for our season. Although we don't have a good record, the competition we have faced will help us in the conference."

Said senior center Mickey Michalec: "I don't believe anybody is feeling really down. The schedule doesn't show how we're feeling. Sure, we've lost some games. But we know we're very capable of accomplishing what we want."

The past two seasons, ORU has gotten off to fast starts in conference play.

But the trip to Chicago State is traditionally tough.

ORU opened Mid-Con play 5-0 in 2004 before dropping a 74-66 decision at Chicago State. Last year, ORU brought a 4-1 league mark to Chicago and had to hold off the Cougars late, 79-76.

Chicago State is playing its fourth game in six days. The Cougars lost road games at St. Louis last Wednesday, IUPUI on Friday and Michigan on Saturday afternoon. Monday marks the Cougars' first home game of the season.

Sutton admitted that Chicago State's quaint 2,500-seat Jacoby D. Dickens Center is vastly different than ORU's games at OU's Lloyd Noble Center and Minnesota's Williams Arena. But he added having a veteran team should not make the issue "a problem."

"We'll have to play well," Sutton said. "But the guys we are playing have all been there. Hopefully, that experience will pay off and that they understand that this game is more important than the Oklahoma game was or the Minnesota game was."

[Bogus Smith]

Has anyone else noticed that Matt Doyle has started writing our articles in lieu of Mike Brown? Has there been a change in our beat writer? I have noticed that Mike is writing for TU's Liberty Bowl coverage and not sure if this is a temporary or permanent situation. Has anyone else heard what may be happening here or did I just miss something along the way (which has been know to happen)?

[Guest Rob Marshall]

Mike Brown was assigned to do special feature/column work on TU football this fall, and so he had responsibilities in Memphis this past week and missed the OU game. It is my understanding that he will be back on the ORU basketball beat beginning this week.