ORU's confidence makes the difference - TW (3-7-06)

[ORUTerry]

ORU's confidence makes the difference

By JOHN KLEIN Senior Sports Columnist

3/7/2006

Oral Roberts has been here before. So has its fans.

This is a different year, a different team and a different attitude for the Golden Eagles.

ORU isn't relieved to be in the Mid-Continent Conference finals. It is determined, focused and confident.

Oral Roberts, playing perhaps its best game of the season, pushed aside talented Valparaiso, a team many felt might be on the verge of an upset.

The Golden Eagles dominated. Caleb Green was his usual self, pounding Valpo on the interior for 23 points and seven rebounds. Then Jonathan Bluitt put the dagger in the Crusaders' heart with 17 points during an impressive 77-58 victory Monday night at the Union Multipurpose Activity Center.

The Crusaders, finally healthy after an up-and-down year, figured to be a huge obstacle for the Golden Eagles.

Instead, Oral Roberts elevated its game. Green scored 15 of the first 17 of ORU's points in the second half. Larry Owens stepped up for 18 points. Bluitt hit a series of big shots in the second half.

It was a relatively close game at the half. Valpo trailed by just five, and turned into a rout shortly after the half.

The Crusaders never got close enough to seriously challenge ORU in the final 20 minutes.

If you could order one last confidence-booster before the finals for ORU, this was it.

"I really felt like we played a terrific game," said ORU coach Scott Sutton.

The result was a game that should fill ORU with confidence and determination heading into the finals at 6 p.m. Tuesday. A victory would send the Golden Eagles to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 1984.

It is the same set-up that came crashing down a year ago.

But this team is different.

"That is the best I've seen Oral Roberts play," said Valparaiso coach Homer Drew. "Bluitt played absolutely great. He hit some tremendous shots. He just played exceedingly well.

"Then, we have no answer for Owens. When those two guys play well they have a very, very good team, because you know what Caleb Green brings to the game every night."

If it wasn't the best ORU played this year, then it had to be close. The Golden Eagles did the things it takes to win a conference tournament.

They did the things that could give some unsuspecting team a heckuva hard time in the NCAA Tournament.

But we're getting ahead of ourselves and that's something that happened to ORU last year. Once it reached the finals against Oakland, the Golden Eagles were not comfortable. They didn't do the things that got them to the finals.

They've had a year to think about that missed opportunity.

"I've said all year the only way to erase that memory is to win," said Sutton.

"I saw a determined, confident and focused team (against Valpo). These guys are taking a different mindset into the final game."

Valpo's Mohamed Kone and Dan Oppland are terrific interior players, capable of dominating games.

Kone and Oppland got their points (18 each) but it was not easy. It took them 25 shots.

"That's what we wanted to do," said Sutton. "We wanted to make it tough on them. Oppland is a very good player but we made him really work to get points. And, I thought Kone was great in this game."

Those two were not enough against an ORU team that was playing at peak form.

Green's dominating play on the interior cannot always carry the game. It takes some help from Bluitt and Tutt on the perimeter (28 points from the duo).

When those two work, and Owens gets hot, the Golden Eagles look like more than just a pretty good team.

"When Owens gets going to go with those other guys they have such great balance," said Drew. "You put all of those pieces together and that is a very difficult team to play.

"I don't want to look too far ahead but that is a team that has a wonderful opportunity to win in the NCAA Tournament. They are talented and deep. It is the best ORU team I've seen."

No one has to remind ORU what happened last year.

This team is not relieved to be in the finals. There was no wild celebration at the end of the victory over Valpo. There's still plenty of work to do.

"The coaching staff has done a good job of keeping us relaxed," said Bluitt. "Of course, I think it is good to have the experience from last year.

"Every game is different. You have to bring the same kind of focus and determination to every game. What our coaches want is for us to concentrate for 40 minutes (Tuesday night)."

A repeat of Monday's victory over Valpo will be plenty. A repeat of Saturday's victory over Western Illinois puts the game up for grabs.

"We're playing awfully well right now," said Sutton on Monday.

One more should do it. Forget last year. That's history. Time to write a new chapter.