ORUTerry Posted March 24, 2008 Share Posted March 24, 2008 ORU Notebook MIKE SIMONS / Tulsa World ORU coach Jerry Finkbeiner questions a call Sunday night in West Lafayette, Ind. (excerpt) By MATT DOYLE World Sports Writer 3/24/2008 Finkbeiner's shining moment Sunday night's NCAA Tournament loss to Tennessee was the first time Oral Roberts coach Jerry Finkbeiner has had a team face a Pat Summitt-coached team. This weekend, though, was not the first time Finkbeiner has crossed paths with the Tennessee coach. The two coaches were honored in 1994 as national coaches of the year in their respective collegiate divisions. Finkbeiner, who was coaching NAIA Southern Nazarene in Bethany at the time, reminded Summitt about it during the pre-tournament coaches meeting Saturday. "She said she didn't remember our meeting then," Finkbeiner said. "But I remembered it." Summitt only has been honored as the NCAA Coach of the Year seven times. Finkbeiner also mentioned that it probably wasn't a good idea to mention to the Tennessee coach a little known tidbit from that 1994 season that still makes the ORU coach beam with pride. Before the computerized Ratings Percentage Index became popular, there was a power rating criteria called the Dunkel Index. The Dunkel Index rated all college teams, regardless of division or classification. For one week in early February 1994, Finkbeiner's Southern Nazarene team was ranked first and listed one spot ahead of Summitt's Lady Vols. Finkbeiner's 1994 SNU team finished 34-0 and won the first of three consecutive NAIA titles under Finkbeiner. "I got that ranking clipped out, framed and hanging in my office," Finkbeiner said. "I was thinking of bringing that piece of paper and having her autograph it. But I didn't have that much tact." .......... Link to Tulsa World Sports Extra Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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