ORU eager to return to action after season-opening loss
BY JIMMIE TRAMEL World Sports Writer
Wednesday, November 14, 2012
11/14/12 at 3:16 AM
Oral Roberts University will play a Wednesday home opener against St. Gregory's, an NAIA opponent. It's not an exhibition game for ORU, but St. Gregory's is counting it as an exhibition.
Confused? Don't be.
Here's what really matters: The Golden Eagles are probably eager to play anybody - exhibition or not - after a disappointing debut Friday night at Texas-El Paso.
ORU was beaten 69-49 and was outscored by 21 points over the last 15 minutes.
Coach Scott Sutton didn't like what he saw. But he likes what he has seen since.
"The last few days have been good," he said. "We got back and we had two of our better practices on Sunday evening and (Monday) and we addressed some things as far as what we need to work on - and not just x's and o's, but intangibles."
Sutton said coaches talked with players about developing toughness. He stopped short of using the word "selfish" in regard to the offensive performance. (ORU hasn't scored fewer points since mustering 46 against Wright State in 2008.) Instead, Sutton said players panicked and lost their composure.
It wasn't just rookies who panicked.
"It was the older guys as well," Sutton said. "They had been in those type of situations before. When it went bad, it went bad in a hurry."
Sutton isn't pushing a panic button.
"I haven't lost confidence in this team by any means," he said. "I still think this team is going to be very good. But we have got to get better in some areas."
Why isn't Sutton alarmed? He's seen this before.
"I have had some teams that had some bad losses that came back and won a bunch of games," he said. "I expect this team to do the same."
During the 2007-08 season, ORU lost by 14 in a road opener at Texas A&M and followed that with a loss to Texas A&M-Corpus Christi. The Golden Eagles regrouped to win 24 games and reach the NCAA Tournament.
ORU is 0-5 in season openers since, falling to Tulsa, Wake Forest, Missouri State, West Virginia and, of course, UTEP. Every one of those games was on the road.
Sutton said one of the reasons ORU tries to play difficult nonconference games (dates against Oklahoma, Arizona and Memphis are ahead) is because they can expose weaknesses. He said his team was certainly exposed Friday night in El Paso, at least down the stretch.
"It was our first game of the year, on the road, and we were right where we wanted to be," he said in reference to his team owning a one-point lead in the second half. "But we didn't respond very well when they punched us in the mouth. We kind of laid down, which was disappointing."
MEN'S BASKETBALL
St. Gregory's at ORU
7 p.m. Wednesday
Mabee Center
Radio: KYAL am1550
TV: None
Cavaliers (1-1)
|
|
Ht. |
Pt. |
Rb. |
| F |
Chernov |
6-7 |
2.0 |
3.0 |
| F |
Stromberg |
6-7 |
6.0 |
3.0 |
| G |
Young |
5-10 |
8.0 |
2.5 |
| G |
Lemley |
6-5 |
17.0 |
2.5 |
| G |
Richey |
6-3 |
22.5 |
7.0 |
Golden Eagles (0-1)
|
|
Ht. |
Pt. |
Rb. |
| F |
Glover |
6-6 |
12.0 |
4.0 |
| F |
Roundtree |
8-8 |
6.0 |
5.0 |
| C |
Bell-Holter |
6-9 |
8.0 |
12.0 |
| G |
Billbury |
6-3 |
4.0 |
3.0* |
| G |
Niles |
6-5 |
19.0 |
4.0* |
*assists per game
Original Print Headline: ORU eager to play after season-opening loss
Jimmie Tramel 918-581-8389
jimmie.tramel@tulsaworld.com
Associated Images:
ORU forward Shawn Glover tries to get around Oklahoma Wesleyan's Devin Harris during an exhibition game last week. JAMES GIBBARD / Tulsa World
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