ORUTerry Posted January 9, 2006 Share Posted January 9, 2006 I know this is posted by Stl VU Fan in his daily Mid-Con upate, (Thanks Stl VU Fan) but thought I would post it to make sure it gets read: 'Big Monday' for rivals Valpo and ORU Crusaders, Golden Eagles meet in Mid-Con men's showdown BY JOHN O'MALLEY VALPARAISO -- Head coach Homer Drew is calling tonight's Mid-Continent Conference showdown with Oral Roberts University 'Big Monday.' Regardless of what Drew or anybody else wants to call it, the matchup between the Crusaders (8-4, 2-1) and the Golden Eagles (8-7, 3-0), is guaranteed to have the Athletics-Recreation Center rocking. Valpo sophomore guard Jarryd Loyd said the team is looking forward to playing ORU. "Since my freshman year, I know guys are just ready to play against King Tutt (ORU guard Ken), as we call him,'' Loyd said. "I thought we had a pretty good rivalry with them coming in as a freshman. It's going to be exciting, but we have to come in focused and ready to play.'' The combination of Tutt, a first team All-Conference pick, and junior Caleb Green, the Mid-Con's Player of the Year in 2004, makes the Golden Eagles dangerous. Earlier this season, ORU beat Southern California by 20 points, lost to Marquette by three points and lost at Oklahoma by eight. The Golden Eagles finished 25-8 last season, but were upset by Oakland University in the Mid-Con title game and didn't make the NCAA Tournament. ORU struggled the last half of December this season -- losing four straight games -- before winning its first three league games. "They've been very strong the last couple of years and this is their best team,'' Drew said. "They're big, physical and athletic and they can beat you up physically. We're really going to have to play with toughness to contend with them on the boards. They've got a lot of quality players. They're just a very balanced team.'' Green is averaging 21.7 points and 9.6 rebounds, while Tutt is averaging 14.1, after averaging 17.1 last year. Tutt has made only 35 percent of his field goals overall, but connects on 37.6 percent of his 3-point attempts. "He's King Tutt because he shoots the ball lights out,'' Drew said. "He's an outstanding 3-point shooter. He's started since his freshman year. He's just a quality player.'' Oral Roberts won both meetings last year, so does VU have a debt to repay? "Yeah, kinda,'' Dan Oppland said. "Until last year, we always beat them at home and they always beat us at their place. But they beat us twice last year, so that even makes the rivalry stronger. They've been picked to win conference the last two years, so that should definitely give us motivation. We'll have to step up and play ball the way we know how to play. They're a good team, so we've got to be ready for them.'' Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ORUTerry Posted January 9, 2006 Author Share Posted January 9, 2006 VU men, women await big tests By Justin Breen / Post-Tribune deputy sports editor When a guy nicknamed after a pharaoh is only a team?s second-best player, it?s fair to say that squad is pretty darn good. That club, Oral Roberts, and that player, Ken ?King? Tutt come to the Athletics-Recreation Center to face archrival Valparaiso tonight in a women?s-men?s doubleheader between the two schools. Arguably the Mid-Continent Conference?s best rivalry should feature two competitive games between perhaps the top two men?s and women?s teams in the conference. ?This is the best team they have had since I?ve been here,? Valpo men?s coach Homer Drew said of the Golden Eagles. Oral Roberts is led by junior power forward Caleb Green (21.7 ppg, 9.6 rpg, 55.6 shooting percentage), last season?s conference player of the year. Tutt (14.1 ppg) has made 35 3-pointers, while Larry Owens (10.5 ppg, 7.9 rpg) is shooting 52 percent from the field. Oral Roberts defeated Valpo twice last season, and both teams have won 10 games in the all-time series. ?The games are always neck and neck,? Valpo senior forward Dan Oppland said after Saturday?s blowout win over Longwood. ?They beat us twice last year, which make the rivalry stronger. ?It?s time for us to step up.? Drew kept referring to tonight as ?Big Monday.? He said the Crusaders will have to improve on their performances, although they?ve won their last three games by a combined 289-211. ?We?ve got to come in focused,? VU sophomore guard Jarryd Loyd said. On Saturday, Drew and director of athletics Mark LaBarbera said only a few tickets remained for the men?s game. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- In The VU women hope to defeat last season?s Mid-Con tourney champions and stay perfect in conference competition. The Golden Eagles are the top scoring team in the Mid-Con, averaging 78.4 ppg. Elisha Turek averages 16.5 ppg and 71. rpg. Jenny Hardin is averaging 10.6 ppg. The Crusaders have been solid at the point guard spot. Senior Lauren Bechtold and freshman Launa Hochstetler have combined for 66 assists and 36 turnovers. Tamra Braun, last week?s Mid-Con player of the week, has scored in double figures in seven straight games. In the last six games, she is shooting 69.6 percent from the field. Valpo leads the all-time series with Oral Roberts 15-5. Contact Justin Breen at 648-3122 or jbreen@post-trib.com Valpo women (8-5, 3-0 Mid-Con) vs. Oral Roberts (8-6, 2-1) When: 5:15 p.m., today Where: Athletics-Recreation Center, Valparaiso Radio: WVUR (95.1-FM); on the Internet at www.valpo.edu/athletics TV: WYIN (Ch. 56 in Merrillville); WHME (Ch. 46 in South Bend) Valpo men (8-4, 1-2) vs. Oral Roberts (8-7, 3-0) When: 7:35 p.m., today Where: Athletics-Recreation Center, Valparaiso Radio: WVUR (95.1-FM), WEFM (95.9-FM), WAKE (1500-AM) TV: WYIN (Ch. 56 in Merrillville); WHME (Ch. 46 in South Bend) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vcboy2000 Posted January 9, 2006 Share Posted January 9, 2006 I don't know where the papers are getting their information from, but nobody calls Ken, "King Tutt" anymore. That was done after pre-season last year. If he were playing tonight Valpo would still have to call him King though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stl VU Fan Posted January 10, 2006 Share Posted January 10, 2006 I don't know where the papers are getting their information from, but nobody calls Ken, "King Tutt" anymore. That was done after pre-season last year. If he were playing tonight Valpo would still have to call him King though. They got it from the Valpo players, who call him King Tutt, according to the article. Nobody said anyone else calls him that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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