Men's Mid-Con Tournament: Day 1 in review (TW)

[ORUTerry]

Men's Mid-Con Tournament: Day 1 in review

By MIKE BROWN World Sports Writer

3/5/2006

Player of the Day: Ken Tutt, ORU

In his fifth game back from a broken foot, the 6-foot-1 junior tied his season high with 29 points as the top-seeded Eagles eliminated eighth-seeded Western Illinois. Tutt made 9-of-14 from the field and 3-of-6 from 3-point range. He had scored 16 and 18 in his previous two games. The 29 points were one shy of his career high.

Quote of the Day:

"The last three games are probably the three best he's played all year. That was the Ken Tutt that made 25 points (or more in eight consecutive games) as a freshman. He is playing with a great deal of confidence." -- ORU coach Scott Sutton.

News and notes

Valparaiso coach Homer Drew was less concerned about the Crusaders' winless record in Tulsa than the fact that they had to travel home and back to the Oil Capital since last weekend.

Valpo ended the regular season with an 87-78 loss at ORU last weekend. The fourth-seeded Crusaders play fifth-seeded Southern Utah at 6 p.m. Sunday.

"It's certainly a concern when you travel long distances," Drew said. "That's why I think it's fair for all the teams to have a week off (after the regular season). It's nice that we have time to regroup and hopefully get

some of our kids off the injury list."

Sophomore forward Shawn Huff practiced this week, but is questionable for the tourney. He's missed 12 games since sustaining a foot injury similar to the one that sidelined ORU guard Ken Tutt for 10 games.

Valpo's loss at ORU last weekend was its 10th straight at the Mabee Center. The Crusaders also lost a first-round game in last year's Mid-Con tourney at the UMAC.

"ORU deserves a lot of praise for beating us all those times at their place," Drew said. He recalled that ORU is 1-8 at Valpo and 0-2 against the Crusaders on neutral courts, "so it evens out."

Inside men:

Chicago State coach Kevin Jones said the Cougars need more consistent play from their post people. Guards Royce Parran, David Holston and Kevin Jones Jr., account for nearly 40 of the Cougars' 68.7 points per game.

The sixth-seeded Cougars play third-seeded Missouri-Kansas City at 8:30 p.m. Sunday.

Getting experience:

Five Tulsa-area high school seniors are participating in the Mid-Con's second annual Student Leadership Program -- Alex Prescott and Bryce Zedalis of Booker T. Washington and Kasey Bowman, Byron Fisher and J.P. Risenhoover of Jenks.

The students are exposed to the administrative components of a Division I conference tournament while assisting Mid-Con staff in day-to-day operations.