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A very tough opponent will be even tougher it appears.
Tutt returning to Golden Eagles' roster
By MIKE BROWN World Sports Writer
2/16/2006
Guard may not see any game action until Saturday at Montana.
The Oral Roberts University basketball team had to learn to play without injured all-conference guard Ken Tutt. Now, the Golden Eagles will have to learn how to play with him.
Tutt was released by his doctor Wednesday to return to full activity after missing 10 games.
But the 6-foot-1 junior probably won't play in Thursday's key Mid-Continent Conference game with Missouri-Kansas City at the Mabee Center. He could see action Saturday at Montana.
"It was an adjustment for our team to play without Ken, and it will be an adjustment to see how we work him back into the rotation," said head coach Scott Sutton.
ORU's bench has gotten stronger in Tutt's absence. Reserves have averaged 32.5 points over the past six games.
ORU had won five straight before losing at league-leading Indiana-Purdue last Saturday.
The bench produced 30 points in a 74-56 win at UMKC on Jan. 30. Sutton hopes the trend continues when the Kangaroos visit for the rematch.
ORU can clinch the No. 2 seed in the conference tournament, which carries a day's rest between the first and second rounds. But a UMKC win would pull the teams even with four league losses.
The Eagles' earlier win in Kansas City snapped a four-game losing streak against the Kangaroos. But ORU has yet to break a three-game home losing streak to the Kangaroos.
"It's a big game," said senior guard Chris Riouse. "UMKC's our rival, and we're trying to take it a step further right now and get prepared for the Mid-Con tournament."
Riouse is ORU's most effective bench scorer, averaging 7.9 points per game and 12.2 over the past six.
He made a school-record 10 treys and scored a career-high 32 points in the 90-53 win last Thursday at Oakland (Mich.). ORU reserves produced 53 points at Oakland and 42 in an 89-57 win over Southern Utah.
Three ORU players averaged more than 30 minutes per game last season, and Tutt's 36.5 minutes per game were among the league leaders.
Only two men averaged more than 30 minutes per game this season, and they are two the Eagles want on the floor most of the time -- junior center Caleb Green and senior forward Larry Owens.
"Our bench has been great for us, and hopefully it will help us down the stretch," Sutton said.
"Always in the past, you were afraid to take the best players out for fear that there was that much of a dropoff. Our bench has come in and sustained our leads, and in some cases, increased them."
Tutt returning to Golden Eagles' roster
By MIKE BROWN World Sports Writer
2/16/2006
Guard may not see any game action until Saturday at Montana.
The Oral Roberts University basketball team had to learn to play without injured all-conference guard Ken Tutt. Now, the Golden Eagles will have to learn how to play with him.
Tutt was released by his doctor Wednesday to return to full activity after missing 10 games.
But the 6-foot-1 junior probably won't play in Thursday's key Mid-Continent Conference game with Missouri-Kansas City at the Mabee Center. He could see action Saturday at Montana.
"It was an adjustment for our team to play without Ken, and it will be an adjustment to see how we work him back into the rotation," said head coach Scott Sutton.
ORU's bench has gotten stronger in Tutt's absence. Reserves have averaged 32.5 points over the past six games.
ORU had won five straight before losing at league-leading Indiana-Purdue last Saturday.
The bench produced 30 points in a 74-56 win at UMKC on Jan. 30. Sutton hopes the trend continues when the Kangaroos visit for the rematch.
ORU can clinch the No. 2 seed in the conference tournament, which carries a day's rest between the first and second rounds. But a UMKC win would pull the teams even with four league losses.
The Eagles' earlier win in Kansas City snapped a four-game losing streak against the Kangaroos. But ORU has yet to break a three-game home losing streak to the Kangaroos.
"It's a big game," said senior guard Chris Riouse. "UMKC's our rival, and we're trying to take it a step further right now and get prepared for the Mid-Con tournament."
Riouse is ORU's most effective bench scorer, averaging 7.9 points per game and 12.2 over the past six.
He made a school-record 10 treys and scored a career-high 32 points in the 90-53 win last Thursday at Oakland (Mich.). ORU reserves produced 53 points at Oakland and 42 in an 89-57 win over Southern Utah.
Three ORU players averaged more than 30 minutes per game last season, and Tutt's 36.5 minutes per game were among the league leaders.
Only two men averaged more than 30 minutes per game this season, and they are two the Eagles want on the floor most of the time -- junior center Caleb Green and senior forward Larry Owens.
"Our bench has been great for us, and hopefully it will help us down the stretch," Sutton said.
"Always in the past, you were afraid to take the best players out for fear that there was that much of a dropoff. Our bench has come in and sustained our leads, and in some cases, increased them."
