ORU Notebook - Tw (3-9-2006)

[ORUTerry]

ORU Notebook

By MIKE BROWN World Sports Writer

3/9/2006

Getting Around:

ORU coach Scott Sutton has been in high demand as a radio interview guest since the Golden Eagles won the Mid-Con championship. Sutton did courtside radio interviews Tuesday night with Sporting News Radio and ESPN Radio, and is scheduled for Thursday gigs with CBS-Chicago and ESPN-Seattle.

He's also scheduled to do Jerry Tarkanian's show Friday on Sirius Satellite Radio.

Watch Party:

Sutton said, "there's nothing like Selection Sunday when you're a part of it, and I'm thrilled that our players are going to get to experience that."

ORU fans can experience it with them. The public is invited to a Sunday watch party in the Mabee Center practice gym. Festivities tip off at 4 p.m., and CBS's Selection Show starts at 5.

Fans are asked to enter the Mabee Center through the southeast security entrance. ORU merchandise will be on sale and first-round ticket information will be available.

Old grads:

Luke Spencer-Gardner (2000-05), Josh Atkinson (1999-04), Tim Gill (1994-98) and Matt Gastel (2000-05) were among former ORU players celebrating Tuesday's win at the UMAC. (I also saw Jay Henderson and also thought I saw Richard Fuqua - Terry)

"This is awesome. I couldn't be happier," said Spencer-Gardner, who married former ORU women's player Jessica Boan in the offseason,

and lives in Overland Park, Kan.

Atkinson runs his own production company with wife, Kristin, also a former ORU player.

"Me and Luke were around when these guys were young bucks. And now they're in the tournament. I hope they keep it going," Atkinson said.

Moving up:

With 15 points in the final, Caleb Green jumped two Valparaiso players to become the 11th-leading scorer in Mid-Con history with 1,786. Green passed Valpo senior Dan Oppland and Tracy Gipson.