This question - who's excited to still be playing? - should influence the outcome when Oral Roberts plays a CollegeInsider.Com Postseason Tournament opener Wednesday at UT Arlington.
ORU accepted a CIT bid despite four losses in its last five games and a one-and-done performance at the Southland Tournament.
UT Arlington settled for a CIT consolation prize after being oh-so-close to an NCAA Tournament trip. The Mavericks lost to New Mexico State in the championship game of the Western Athletic Conference Tournament.
Can the Mavs be excited about playing in a postseason event other than the NCAA Tournament?
"We faced that last year with the NIT," ORU coach Scott Sutton said, referencing a first-round defeat.
"We had the letdown of not making the big dance. I thought it showed in our first-round game a little bit against Nevada."
Can the current ORU squad be excited about playing, period, after a gloomy stretch run?
Sutton said it's hard to "read" his players sometimes, so he won't know the answer until the Golden Eagles begin their CIT experience.
The opening game is critical, according to Sutton. If you win and get a jolt of momentum, perhaps something will click and players may become excited about making the most of a non-NCAA Tournament experience.
The Golden Eagles long ago played themselves out of contention for an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament. They hoped to salvage an NCAA trip by winning the Southland Tournament, but that goal was wrecked in the quarterfinal round.
Sam Houston State, which ranks 48th nationally in scoring defense and sixth in most fouls per game, black-and-blued its way to a 58-55 upset of ORU.
Sutton said UT Arlington (18th nationally in field goal percentage defense, 19th in fouls per game) reminds him of Sam Houston State, except with more depth and size.
"They are very good defensively and very aggressive," he said. "Our guys are going to have to handle their aggressiveness and handle how physical they are. That's something that we did a good job of in the first half against Sam Houston State and in the second half we did a terrible job. Hopefully that will work to our advantage, playing a team that is pretty similar."
Considering ORU's recent results, what convinced Sutton the Golden Eagles should continue playing instead of turning in uniforms?
"I think any time you have a chance to play in a postseason tournament, you need to do it," he said.
"Obviously the season didn't end the last few weeks like we wanted it to. But it's a chance for your seniors to keep playing and a chance to win some games and a chance to go win a tournament."
Sutton said the Golden Eagles will have to play a lot better than they have lately.
"But I certainly didn't want to end the year like we did with that bad taste in our mouths," he said.
ORU (18-14)
Ht. Pt. Reb.
F Glover 6-7 14.1 5.0
F Roundtree 6-8 9.2 5.8
C Bell-Holter 6-9 15.6 9.7
G Billbury 6-2 6.3 2.6*
G Niles 6-5 19.1 4.1
UT-Arlington (19-13)
Ht. Pt. Reb.
F Butler 6-5 11.2 4.8
F Gruszecki 6-5 8.7 2.6
F Reves 6-10 8.4 8.3
G White-Miller 5-9 4.8 3.8*
G Catlett 6-3 5.8 3.0
*-assists per game
ORU accepted a CIT bid despite four losses in its last five games and a one-and-done performance at the Southland Tournament.
UT Arlington settled for a CIT consolation prize after being oh-so-close to an NCAA Tournament trip. The Mavericks lost to New Mexico State in the championship game of the Western Athletic Conference Tournament.
Can the Mavs be excited about playing in a postseason event other than the NCAA Tournament?
"We faced that last year with the NIT," ORU coach Scott Sutton said, referencing a first-round defeat.
"We had the letdown of not making the big dance. I thought it showed in our first-round game a little bit against Nevada."
Can the current ORU squad be excited about playing, period, after a gloomy stretch run?
Sutton said it's hard to "read" his players sometimes, so he won't know the answer until the Golden Eagles begin their CIT experience.
The opening game is critical, according to Sutton. If you win and get a jolt of momentum, perhaps something will click and players may become excited about making the most of a non-NCAA Tournament experience.
The Golden Eagles long ago played themselves out of contention for an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament. They hoped to salvage an NCAA trip by winning the Southland Tournament, but that goal was wrecked in the quarterfinal round.
Sam Houston State, which ranks 48th nationally in scoring defense and sixth in most fouls per game, black-and-blued its way to a 58-55 upset of ORU.
Sutton said UT Arlington (18th nationally in field goal percentage defense, 19th in fouls per game) reminds him of Sam Houston State, except with more depth and size.
"They are very good defensively and very aggressive," he said. "Our guys are going to have to handle their aggressiveness and handle how physical they are. That's something that we did a good job of in the first half against Sam Houston State and in the second half we did a terrible job. Hopefully that will work to our advantage, playing a team that is pretty similar."
Considering ORU's recent results, what convinced Sutton the Golden Eagles should continue playing instead of turning in uniforms?
"I think any time you have a chance to play in a postseason tournament, you need to do it," he said.
"Obviously the season didn't end the last few weeks like we wanted it to. But it's a chance for your seniors to keep playing and a chance to win some games and a chance to go win a tournament."
Sutton said the Golden Eagles will have to play a lot better than they have lately.
"But I certainly didn't want to end the year like we did with that bad taste in our mouths," he said.
ORU (18-14)
Ht. Pt. Reb.
F Glover 6-7 14.1 5.0
F Roundtree 6-8 9.2 5.8
C Bell-Holter 6-9 15.6 9.7
G Billbury 6-2 6.3 2.6*
G Niles 6-5 19.1 4.1
UT-Arlington (19-13)
Ht. Pt. Reb.
F Butler 6-5 11.2 4.8
F Gruszecki 6-5 8.7 2.6
F Reves 6-10 8.4 8.3
G White-Miller 5-9 4.8 3.8*
G Catlett 6-3 5.8 3.0
*-assists per game
