ORU Kings of the Court
By Jon Emerson

For a while, it appeared as though it was going to be another long year for ORU basketball. Despite the return of last year's talented core and the acquisition of at least four valuable contributors, the Golden Eagles got off to an anemic 2-7 start. Included in those losses was an embarrassing capitulation to Division II Cameron, 71-75, a team not even expected to contend within its own cupcake conference. Interest dipped. Attendance dropped. There were not-so-muffled complaints criticizing the team's performance, its coach, and worst of all, its effort.

The season began with fairly high hopes all the way around for what may be the most talented ORU men's basketball team since the mid-90s. The explosive senior Markius Barnes was back, as was the steady sophomore Luke Spencer-Gardner, and the deadeye three-point threat, junior Matt Frazier. Coming in as juniors were junior college transfer big men Richie Myers and Reggie Borgess; point guard, Tyrone Tiggs; and shot-blocking phenom, Kendrick Moore.

Myers and Borgess represented a gigantic leap over last year in terms of low post talent, both providing plenty of offense and a presence down low that graduate Kyan Brown, junior Charlie Ludwig and company were never able to match.

As stated, the season began on a definite low note with a loss to the Aggies. The Tulsa World quoted one observer as labeling it "the low point" of ORU's up and down basketball history. Following quickly were losses to Arkansas, 51-71, Drake, 68-73 and Colgate, 68-80. Those four losses represented the first 0-4 start in school history.

Thankfully, the Golden Eagles dodged a bullet by convincingly beating Binghamton, 70-54, which set the stage for a strong performance against cross-town rival Tulsa University. In that game, ORU compensated for a poor start by dominating the second half and forcing the Hurricanes into overtime in front of a near-capacity home-court crowd. Though they lost that game eventually, the team for the first time demonstrated its promising ability.

After a win over Tennessee State, 87-71, a close loss to Nebraska, 55-61 and a painful Southern Methodist speed bump, 64-82, the Golden Eagles finally began performing on all cylinders.

Over the break, they destroyed the University of Texas-Arlington (UTA), 115-62, and won convincingly over Jacksonville University, 73-64, Florida International, 66-55 and Stephen F. Austin, 78-57. Despite a heart-breaking loss to previously hapless UTA, 77-83, the Golden Eagles prepared to enter Mid-Con play on a strong note, having won five of their last seven.

Pre-season Mid-Con predictions were not necessarily kind to ORU. The forecast published by cbs.sportsline.com placed ORU at fourth behind long-time conference heavyweight Valparaiso, Oakland and the University of Missouri-Kansas City (UMKC), but ahead of last year's champ Southern Utah. The website did mention that ORUÕs talent had been noticed by coaches around the conference who considered them as being capable of mounting a strong challenge for the Mid-Con title.

The Golden Eagles began their conference play by dismantling the possibly over-rated UMKC Kangaroos. Incidentally, it is UMKC that the Golden Eagles will be facing for their homecoming game. If they continue to perform as they have as of late, ORU should be able to emerge victorious.

ORU's second conference game against Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) was similarly impressive. With IUPUI mounting a strong second-half comeback, the Golden Eagles were able to regain their composure and emerge with the victory, 85-76.

What is impressive about this victory is that although things began to deteriorate late in the game, ORU had the resolve and the competitive edge to come away with the victory when a lesser team might have lost heart and given the game away. The team took control in the last two minutes and ended up winning by nine points.

Following that game, ORU took on another conference foe that many had predicted would finish above them. In order to clear up any confusion about who exactly is the stronger team, the Golden Eagles utterly dismantled visiting OaklandÑso much so, in fact, that ESPN online posted a prediction that ORU would triumph within the Mid-Con, and made its upcoming game against Valpo a game to watch nationally.

In their first three conference games ORU shot better than they had at the beginning of the season, played with infinitely more chemistry and dominated the boards. Their rebounding has improved dramatically as the season has progressed. Whereas in the season's early stages, the Golden Eagles usually rebounded in the low 30s, they have rebounded in the low 40s in their first few games in conference. To illustrate the importance of this point, in all but three of their losses the team has been out-rebounded. Conversely, in all but one of their victories the Golden Eagles have out-rebounded their opponents.

ORU's strong conference start has made them an early Mid-Con contender, although a Jan. 17 loss to Valparaiso and a Jan. 24 loss to Southern Utah hurt. Valparaiso itself took a hit from Southern Utah on Jan. 10. ORU's 15 first-half turnovers gave Valparaiso a head start from which they did not look back.

Hopefully, the Golden Eagles will give the Crusaders a run for their money when Valparaiso visits the Mabee Center, Feb. 16. Until then, the Golden Eagles will concentrate on the opponent at hand, whoever that happens to be, and look forward to a likely high seeding in the early-March conference tournament in Fort Wayne, Indiana.

Finals Schedule