By MIKE BROWN Sports Writer on Jan 17, 2012, at 4:15 PM Updated on 1/17 at 4:15 PM
ORU SPORTS
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ORU coaches and players were still gushing about Rod Pearson’s game-saving play at Western Illinois last Thursday night.
Pearson forced WIU’s Ceola Clark to miss a potential game-winning layup as time expired in regulation and the Golden Eagles won in double-overtime, 71-70.
“I was like, `Please, Rod, cut him off!’” ORU forward Dominique Morrison said.
Morrison was trying to make a spin move and score his own go-ahead basket, but Clark stripped the ball and took off the other way.
“I almost had a heart attack,” ORU coach Scott Sutton said.
Pearson sprinted back and forced Clark to veer slightly away from the basket and throw up a floater off the glass. The shot didn't fall.
Assistant coach Sean Sutton said Clark might have drawn a foul if he had gone straight up with the shot -- and straight into Pearson. But that's not how the WIU guard played it.
“I distracted him from making a layup,” Pearson said. “When I contested, it looked like he didn’t really want to shoot it, he just wanted to get it up there.”
ORU toughed out another win at IUPUI on Saturday night and takes a nine-game winning streak into Thursday’s home game with IPFW, the first of four straight at the Mabee Center.
The visiting Mastodons swept two games from the Eagles last year.
“We’re gonna remember that we owe them for two games. We’ll be ready,” Pearson said.
---ORU---
ORU followers voiced disappointment Monday on Twitter that the Eagles weren’t receiving votes in either of the national polls, “despite similar or better resume than some,” according to one tweet.
At 45 in the Ratings Percentage Index, the Eagles are 19th among all schools from non-BCS leagues.
Head coach Scott Sutton wasn’t as concerned about the lack of recognition as some of the fans.
“I think we need to do more. It’s something we can’t control,” Sutton said. “All we can control is how we play. And if we win several more games in a row, we can probably start thinking about (the rankings).”
ORU did move up four spots, from 20th to 16th, in the lastest Mid-Major Top 25 poll, as conducted by CollegeInsider.com.
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