ORUEaglesNest.com - ORU Picked First in Mid-Con Preseason Poll

October 19, 2005

ORU SID

ELMHURST, Ill. ? Oral Roberts, which returns three preseason all-league selections, is the favorite in the Mid-Continent Conference men's basketball race this season, according to a vote of conference coaches, SIDs and selected media members. The Golden Eagles' Caleb Green, the 2004-05 Mid-Con Player of the Year and two-time first team All-Conference selection, has been tabbed as the Mid-Con Preseason Player of the Year.

Oral Roberts claimed its second Mid-Con regular-season title and first outright crown after posting a 13-3 mark in conference play and a 25-8 record overall. The expectations will be high in Tulsa as head coach Scott Sutton returns his top five scorers from last year's NIT squad, including preseason first team selections Green and Ken Tutt (a two-time first team all-star). Also joining the Golden Eagles ranks will be preseason second team choice Larry Owens (an All-Newcomer team honoree in 2004-05). The Golden Eagles received 24 first-place votes to finish with 358 points.

Valparaiso (314), which received two first place votes, beat out IUPUI (274) and Western Illinois (227) for second in the preseason voting. UMKC came in fifth with 208 points and a first place tally, while Oakland was sixth after garnering 159 points and a first place vote. Rounding out the poll are Southern Utah (131), Chicago State (100) and Centenary (56).

Green propelled the Golden Eagles to the regular-season title after finishing in the Top 10 in the conference in scoring (19.4), rebounding (9.3), field goal percentage (.552) and free throw percentage (.753). He was equally as dominant against conference foes, contributing 20.2 points and 9.7 boards per outing. Tutt is the perfect compliment to Green, as he finished ninth in the conference in three-point field goal percentage (.392) and fourth in triples per game (2.48).

Joining Green and Tutt on the Mid-Con preseason All-Conference first team are IUPUI senior Brandon Cole, UMKC junior Quinton Day and Valparaiso seniors Dan Oppland and Ron Howard. Cole had a solid season, averaging 14.3 points and 7.0 rebounds per game, both of which were 10th among Mid-Con leaders. Day was a All-Newcomer team selection after accounting for 13.1 points, 3.6 rebounds and 4.8 assists per outing. His assists mark was second in the league. Oppland, a two-time all-star, was third in the Mid-Con in scoring at an 18.6 clip, and ninth in field goal percentage (.520). Howard took home second team accolades after finishing eighth in the conference in assists (3.7).

The preseason second team includes Owens, IUPUI's George Hill (10.7 ppg), Valparaiso's Ali Berdiel (8.0 ppg) and Mohamed Kone (transfer from Southern Idaho), as well as Western Illinois' David Jackson (9.2 ppg).

The top eight finishers in the Mid-Con regular-season standings will compete in the 2006 Mid-Con Men's Basketball Championship, which will be held from March 4-7 at the John Q. Hammons Arena at the UMAC in Tulsa, Okla.

The Mid-Con Men's and Women's Basketball Preseason Media Teleconference is slated for Wednesday, November 2, at 10 a.m. CST.

2005-06 Men's Basketball Preseason Poll
Team -Points (1st)
1. Oral Roberts - 358 (24)
2. Valparaiso - 314 (2)
3. IUPUI - 274
4. Western Illinois - 227
5. UMKC - 208 (1)
6. Oakland - 159 (1)
7. Southern Utah - 131
8. Chicago State - 100
9. Centenary - 56
(first place votes in parentheses)

2005-06 Men's Basketball Preseason All-Conference Teams

FIRST TEAM
Brandon Cole, IUPUI, F, Sr.
Quinton Day, UMKC, G, Jr.
Caleb Green, Oral Roberts, F, Jr.
Ron Howard, Valparaiso, G/F, Sr.
Dan Oppland, Valparaiso, F, Sr.
Ken Tutt, Oral Roberts, G, Jr.

SECOND TEAM
Ali Berdiel, Valparaiso, G, Sr.
George Hill, IUPUI, G, So.
David Jackson, Western Illinois, G, So.
Mohamed Kone, Valparaiso, C, Sr.
Larry Owens, Oral Roberts, G/F, Sr.

PRESEASON PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Caleb Green, Oral Roberts

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