Now that's more like it!

[ORUHomer]

I couldn't have been more disappointed in JB leading up to last night, especially considering his less-than-stellar performance at Valpo.

HOWEVER, let me be the first to give credit where credit is due: 15 points and 9 dimes should speak for itself. The points are a bonus, but his 9 assists are indicative of how effectively he ran the offense against the zone all night. He was patient, took it to the rack a few times to catch them off-guard, and drew fouls. His play was a sight for sore eyes.

Let's talk "secret weapon" for a minute. While Larry Owens is no secret, he is arguably the most complete, all-around player we have. His outside shooting could still stand to be improved, but it is markedly improved from last year. Nevertheless, he is going to be key in relieving pressure from Caleb. He really was instrumental last night in every category, especially in how he was able to bring the ball up against the full-court. Between his long arms, athletic frame, and his moxy around the basket, he is quietly becoming a very complete player and the athelete we were all drooling over when we first heard he was on his way to ORU. I might even go so far as to say that Larry has almost as much upside as Caleb when it comes to playing at the next level. Can I say that? I just did. Thoughts? Comments?

[Guest Rob Marshall]

Homer, I will harmonize with you in your praises for Bluitt, however he had a lot of help handling the ball during the game from Fowlkes. We had very good guard play from Bluitt, Fowlkes, and Riouse off the bench.

[Guest EagleBackr]

Jeez, guys, call me the eternal pessimist, but I just didn't see the great guard play that you guys saw. I would call it "servicable". The first half was, for the most part, really good. But the second half featured a ton of uncertainty against the press, in running the offense, in shot selection, and in perimeter defense. Larry Owens seemed like the best ball handler we had at times! It's a good thing we were up by 20 with five minutes to go - we looked like a tired boxer, up on points, hanging on for dear life there at the end. I hate to think what might have happened if we had had to play ANOTHER five minutes! We gave up 76 points at home, most of which in the second half came from driving layups, wide-open 3's, and steals off the press. I'll take the win, but frankly I think there is still TONS of room for improvement in the backcourt...

[ORUBlue]

Well guys.... we shoot 70% and I feel we still had to hang on to win! Call me pessimist but I still don't think we play the kind of defense to win the conference.

There are some players that get yank out for their defense.....can someone tell me why Yemi is not doing his equal time on the bench?

[EasyTELGuy]

I might even go so far as to say that Larry has almost as much upside as Caleb when it comes to playing at the next level. Can I say that? I just did. Thoughts? Comments?

I agree with you Homer! I think if Larry can develop a quicker release and keep his shooting fundamentals the same, he's absolutely someone to be sized up at the next level! I'd like to see him get a shot at the next level! Larry reminds me of a Ben Wallace-type player... Larry is so active, athletic, and smart about moving without the ball. He's much better in making decisions on the court than he was last year too... So many good things about him to comment on... not the least of which, he's a step-up player and doing great this year!

[ORUTerry]

After about a day to think about the IUPUI game:

1. Ron Hunter needs to stop going out on the court; he almost ran into Bluitt while out on the court during the game. The refs should have "T'd" him up. His habit of clapping his hands right before an ORU player shoots a free throw is bush-league.

2. IUPUI double and triple teamed Caleb Green - doing a good job of denying him the ball. He made some nice passes to the perimeter where Bluitt and Riouse made the shots. When Green did get the ball down low, the Jags could not stop him.

3. Player of the game: Larry Owens. The Jags could not match his athleticism.... which is saying something. Larry was everywhere and was more agressive - especially on offense. We need Owens to assert himself more.

4. Good things happen when you shoot the ball well - especially from the perimeter. Riouse had open looks and made his shots. Not sure why he did not shoot the ball (or play) more in the second half. Might have been trying to ease him in a bit given his recuperation of the injured foot.

5. Bluitt did a good job of distributing the ball and keeping turnovers down. He did not look good during the last five minutes against the press. Fowlkes is a strong all-around player who should be getting more playing minutes.

6. IUPUI is a talented and athletic team that plays a different style than we will see most (if at all) of the season. They play what looks like a 5-guard lineup. They pressed for a good part of the game, which we handled until about five minutes to go when we got sloppy. The Jags played a lot of isolation (ala NBA) where they would clear out a side and let the ball handler go one-on-one with his defender. IUPUI would quickly figure out who the defensive weakspot was and attack them. Wonder if we ever considered going to a zone defense? They were able to get Caleb in foul trouble - and frankly should have attacked him more. Yemi was spotty on defense - played well at times and at other time did not. Ehambe was beaten several times.

7. We ran the fast break better against IUPUI than anyone else this year. Impressive because of the Jags athleticism and defensive ability. We also attacked their zone instead of being passive. Hitting from the perimeter certainly helped, but we got a lot of those open looks from inside-outside ball movement.

8. Not sure what happened during the last five minutes of the game. Probably a combination of the players putting their game on auto-pilot and the Jags hitting some tough jumpers. We could have had a different lineup in to help us take care of the ball. Having a 5'9" point guard is a detriment in a pressure/trapping defense. Like that Owens brought the ball up some, but we needed to have Fowlkes involved more.

[ORUHomer]

My point is that Bluitt's play last night was in sharp contrast to his dismal night in Valparaiso. He was not spectacular, just solid. He did many of the things we need him to do to win ballgames.

I'm definitely a fan of the smaller line-up we put out last night. Granted, IUPUI patented "5 guard" line-up generally dictates how we set our line-up, but I thought it was a nice change of pace and is certainly worthy of future consideration.

Last five minutes a huge disappointment....yuck yuck.

Ron "bush league" Hunter is a one-man show all by himself. Not a surprise to anyone familiar w/ his antics, but he wore out the floor in front of his bench all the onto the court. Rumor has it the floor technicians had to put down an extra coat of wax ater the game. I was waiting for him to bust out the towel a la Tarkanian, perhaps he is saving it for the tourney in March. Nevertheless, he entertains me .

[orumom]

When we arrived last night our usher was laughing & said Hunter had pointed at our seats and asked if the same people still sat there. I guess we were a little hard on him last year. Perhaps our being a little more mellow threw him off?

What do you think of playing a 3 guard line up? Maybe JB, Rouise & Eric or Moses?

[tmh8286]

A scary thought - if, instead of scoring 77.8% from two point range for the game, we score 52% (which would have given an overall FG% of 52%), normally a good shooting percentage, we lose the game! Score would have been 72-76, bad guys win.

The point of this is to say our defense is killing us. According to the Ken Pomeoy stats referenced in another post, our adjusted defensive efficiency is ranked 187th in the NCAA. We've got to do better to get where we want to go.

[oruvoice]

That's exactly what I've been thinkin about all weekend. If we don't shoot LIGHTS OUT in the first half, we probably lose to IUPUI.

I'm sorry, but the man-to-man is not slowing our opponents down. It hasn't this year (against good teams) and hasn't done so for MANY years now. We have GOT to try something else.....

[ORUIsbig]

Some observations:

1. I have never seen this team run the fast break like we did. Even bluitt got some good passes. Fowlkes, Owens, and green are a great fast break team.

2. Owens is playing so great right now. I love his agressiveness. He plays like that, we win.

3. Man to Man: when IUPUI isolates and drives on us over and over and over and over and over and...you get the point. Why is Sutton so stubborn that he wont just call a zone, even for a minute or two to slow them down. Over all great game by the Coaches. lots of intesity, but i didn't understand that.

4. This team finally played with heart, and that is why we won.

5. I would love to see riouse start in Kens absence. I think he has earned it. He is taller than tutt. He is shooting well. He plays great defence. I don't mind Yemi starting but infront of the Senior? If you don't start Mickey, Start Fowlkes and Chris.

6. The opening video is tired.

I had a blast on Saturday. I repent of my take that we would lose Homecoming.

[orumom]

The opening video is fantastic!!

We sit row 2, half court behind our team's bench. The best entertainment I get other than a win is watching the other team watch our opening video. They try not to, but they end up staring at it and it does get in their head. Ron Hunter was totally taken in by it!!

As fans it is good to remember we are part of what generates the excitement with the video. Just like we make the difference in the Spirit Sprint or when the team is on a run.

[oruvoice]

Great post, mom! I agree 100%. The video is FAR from tired. I love it and think it's GREAT!

Although, most teams watch the video, Hunter was totally taken by it. The look on his face was, "Man, I wish I was at a place like ORU."

Btw, good luck with the upcoming surgery. You will be in my thoughts and prayers.

[Guest EagleBackr]

MOM - WE ACTUALLY AGREE ON SOMETHING!! Hell has officially frozen over, dog and cats are sleeping together - MASS HYSTERIA!

Seriously, I LOVE the intro! It may start out a little laboriously, but I think it makes the crescendo that much more effective. I agree that it gets the opponent's attention - from where I sit you can see the opposing players sneaking peeks at it when they're supposed to be listening to their coach in the huddle. I'm not sure if it distracts them or gets them pumped up, but they definitely WATCH. I personally wonder if the "Spirit Sprint" isn't more distracting - having the lights go up and down during a timeout with less than 4:00 on the clock can't help an opponent trying to draw up plays! And, the "YMCA" timeout always seems to freak out the other teams support personnel. TU's staff was the funniest - ten young guys in suits failing miserably to form a perimeter around their stupid "let's huddle on the floor" approach. They looked like a bunch of nervous Secret Service agents at a presidential public appearance!

[orumom]

When we went to to ORU/OU game in Norman we were proud to say our intro video was WAY BETTER THAN THEIRS!!

[tmh8286]

6. The opening video is tired.

I had a blast on Saturday. I repent of my take that we would lose Homecoming.

Love ya, man, but I gotta go with the crowd on this one. I Still get a tight feeling in my throat (as in emotional) toward the end of the video. I'm ready to yell as our guys are introduced. I think it's got a season's worth of good in it, myself.

Glad you had a great time Saturday. So did I!

[tmh8286]

MOM - WE ACTUALLY AGREE ON SOMETHING!! Hell has officially frozen over, dog and cats are sleeping together - MASS HYSTERIA!

Seriously, I LOVE the intro! It may start out a little laboriously, but I think it makes the crescendo that much more effective. I agree that it gets the opponent's attention - from where I sit you can see the opposing players sneaking peeks at it when they're supposed to be listening to their coach in the huddle. I'm not sure if it distracts them or gets them pumped up, but they definitely WATCH. I personally wonder if the "Spirit Sprint" isn't more distracting - having the lights go up and down during a timeout with less than 4:00 on the clock can't help an opponent trying to draw up plays! And, the "YMCA" timeout always seems to freak out the other teams support personnel. TU's staff was the funniest - ten young guys in suits failing miserably to form a perimeter around their stupid "let's huddle on the floor" approach. They looked like a bunch of nervous Secret Service agents at a presidential public appearance!

I'm quoting your whole post, EagleBackr, because it's SO GOOD! I couldn't find any part of it to delete! I've thought the same thing about some of the time out antics that goes on, especially the YMCA deal. The opposing players are totally distracted!!! I love watching them try to listen to their coach while being mobbed by several hundred screaming, arm-waving card-carrying members of Eli's Club. It's hilarious!

But I hadn't thought about the distraction factor of the Spirit Sprint. I'm in Section H, and don't have too clear a view of the opponent's bench. Not only that, I'm always watching those guys run, thinking how nasty a fall they would take if they tripped, and then breathing a sigh of relief after they all make it down the isle next to my section at a full run. I hate to think what would happen if one of them tripped coming down . . . But anyway, I'm so busy watching all of that that I never pay any attention to the team. I bet you're right - very distracting.

[ORUIsbig]

don't get me wrong, i think the video is cool, but its always a little awkward to stand there after you have seen it several times. Not sure what were supposed to do while its playing. But if it punks the opposition, im all for it. I do like the cut when Mickey stands up, looks like a gladiator ready for battle.