Oral Roberts

[Balatro Diabolus Ex]

The basketball team from Oral Roberts should look familiar to most Mustang fans, since they are almost exactly the same personnel that lost to SMU in overtime, last year in Moody.

ORU is the preseason favorite to win the Summit League this year, because they returned all 5 starters, and their key bench players from last year. Add to that group a player who was the conference Newcomer of the Year 2 years ago, but missed last season with a foot injury, and the Titans are easily one of the most experienced teams in the country. They should be a solid mid-major this year, somewhere close to the top 50 or 60 of the RPI. If they dont win their conferences automatic bid to the NCAA tournament, they should be in the NIT.

Starting 5:
Steve Roundtree, 6'8” So. Forward 17 ppg, 7.8 rpg
Dominique Morrison, 6'6” Sr. Forward 16.8 ppg 4.5 rpg
Warren Niles 6'4” Jr. Guard 14.8 ppg 5 rpg, 3.2 assists per game
Michael Craion, 6'5” swing G/F 12.8 ppg, 8 rpg
Roderick Pearson, 6'2” Sr. Point guard, 7 ppg 2.5 apg

The 5 starters all play more than 30 minutes per game. ORU sticks mostly with a 7 man rotation, backup guards Mikey Manghum and Jay Literas play a combined 30 minutes per game off the bench, and average a combined 5 points per game.

Missing: 2 players who played key roles last season are currently MIA. Senior Ken Holdman was the back up point guard last year, he played in every game and started 9 times. He injured his knee in an exhibition game, and what I am hearing is he has a torn ACL, and his college career is probably over. Junior center Damen Bell-Holter is the teams tallest player (6'9”) and lead the team in rebounds and blocked shots last year. Holter did not start the season opener, played just 8 minutes, and has not played since. No word on whether he is injured, sick, in the doghouse, or anything else, he is still on the roster and appears to still be on the team, he just isnt playing.

Roundtree was named the Summitt League Player of the Week, for last week. Was also last years Summit League Newcomer of the Year.

Craion missed most of last season with a foot injury, and did not play in the game against SMU. Was Summit League Newcomer of the Year in 2010.

Morrison was First Team All-Summitt League, in both 2010 and 2011.

Coach Scott Sutton has 224 career wins, more than any other coach in the Summit League, and the most in ORU history.

[GiddyUp]

certainly worrisome if they didn't lose anyone and we had Papa and Mangrum..