Eagles better than record - Tulsa World (1-9-2006)

[ORUTerry]

Eagles better than record

By JOHN KLEIN Senior Sports Columnist

1/9/2006

You would never know it by looking at the record, but Oral Roberts is better now than it was a year ago when it won 25 games.

These Golden Eagles are just 8-7, facing a road game at perennial power Valparaiso on Monday.

Still, ORU coach Scott Sutton knows a month-long odyssey on the road is paying dividends.

"I don't think there is any doubt about it," said Sutton after Oral Roberts dumped Western Illinois, 83-66, on Saturday at the Mabee Center. "That month on the road, no matter how difficult it was, is making us better.

"It showed us all kinds of things we need to work on. Our players understand there are things we must improve."

The Golden Eagles are still the heavy favorites to win the Mid-Continent Conference, but there will be no gaudy record this season.

Instead, Sutton hopes the heavy dose of reality, supplied by losses to several potential NCAA Tournament teams, will continue to push his Eagles.

"Our goal is the NCAA Tournament, and anything that helps us get there is what we need," Sutton said.

Sutton knew what he had long before practice started last fall.

With four starters back, including six of his top seven, the Eagles were a known commodity.

What he wanted to know was how they would respond to a challenging schedule, one that would test teams from major conferences.

It was a risk, but worth the reward. Either way, with a lot of success or struggles, Sutton figured it would enhance ORU's chances of making the NCAA Tournament.

"What I wanted was a schedule that helped us get to our goal of making the NCAAs," Sutton said. "I felt our team was ready to handle this kind of schedule.

"I felt it was necessary, regardless of what happened, to help get us ready to make the NCAA Tournament."

The ultimate result of this schedule won't be known until March, but there's little question the Golden Eagles are tougher, tested and better after a difficult December.

The Eagles did not play a home game between Dec. 7, an 88-76 loss to Missouri State, and the victory Saturday over Western Illinois. The road swing included seven games. Oral Roberts went 3-4 on the trip after opening the Mid-Continent Conference with victories last week at Southern Utah and Chicago State.

Before those games, the Eagles had lost five of their previous six games. It included close calls at Utah State and Oklahoma. ORU was in the game to the end at Minnesota.

It won earlier this season against Southern California and had a close loss to Marquette.

The tough stretch made the Eagles better. Piling up victories was not as important as building confidence.

Caleb Green now knows he's as good, if not better, than OU's much-hyped big men Kevin Bookout and Taj Gray. Green dominated Minnesota's big men.

Green, already one of the nation's top players, is significantly better. He's been averaging nearly 30 points a game over the last eight games.

"I loved the difficult schedule just because I felt it could help us in two ways," Sutton said. "If we went out and won a bunch of those games, it could have given our RPI (computer ratings) such a boost that we might have been on the NCAA Tournament Selection Committee's mind regardless of what happened. That didn't happen.

"Instead, the second thing I hoped would happen did happen. Those games just made us so much tougher and better. There's no doubt in my mind we're a much improved team from a month ago."

Sure, the Golden Eagles have stumbled along the way. Sutton knew that was a possibility.

You risk a lot when you go on the road against good competition. The risk to the Eagles was a big hit to their record.

"It has been a great motivating factor for our players," Sutton said. "I think we've worked harder. We've found things we need to improve in those games and our players went out making those improvements.

"Sure, our record is not where we want it to be. Our record is not where our fans want it to be. But I believe we're getting this team where we want it to be."

A year ago, the Golden Eagles won 25 games but were upset in the Mid-Con finals. The result? ORU was left out of the NCAA Tournament.

The Eagles have spent a year remembering that loss and working to make sure it doesn't happen again. So, the new, more difficult schedule was a step in that direction.

"I think when you win so many games you sometimes overlook things," Sutton said. "You might not see the things that need to get done because you are winning.

"When you are losing, you examine everything. You see it all. So, it gives you a chance to work on those things."

Now, the Eagles settle into the Mid-Con season. Saturday's victory upped the importance of Monday's visit to Valpo.

"We did take some confidence away from that nonconference schedule," Sutton said. "That's the kind of thing that I hope will pay dividends now that we're back in our conference."