Oral Roberts Golden Eagles at Gonzaga Bulldogs
McCarthey Athletic Center – Spokane, Washington
Thursday, December 15, 2011, 9:00 pm Eastern, TV: Root Northwest
Opening Line: Gonzaga -11 1/2
Current line: Gonzaga -12
Opening Total: 139
Current Total: 138 1/2
Opening Money Line: Gonzaga -825 / ORU +645
Current Money Line: Gonzaga -825 / ORU +645
The 7-3 Oral Roberts Golden Eagles travel to Spokane to take on the 5-2 Gonzaga Bulldogs. After an 0-2 start, ORU has won 7 of the last 8 games under coach Scott Sutton. The Golden Eagles have losses to West Virginia, Texas-San Antonio, and Oklahoma. ORU has wins over SMU, Florida International, and Missouri St. Gonzaga is coached by Mark Few. The Bulldogs have lost two straight games to Big Ten teams Illinois and Michigan after a 5-0 start. Gonzaga has wins over Washington St, Hawaii, and Notre Dame. Gonzaga and ORU have never played each other before.
Monday night Oral Roberts was an 8 point favorite at Arkansas-Little Rock on the college basketball betting line. The Golden Eagles took an early 14-13 lead but didn’t lead again until their was less than 2 minutes to go in the game. UALR was up 55-53 with 3.6 seconds left. ORU tied it up at the free throw line. The Trojans threw a long in-bounds pass. ORU forward/center Damen Bell-Holter intercepted it and threw up a desperation shot from the opposing free throw line that incredibly went in to give the Eagles an improbable 58-55 win. The shot was Sportscenter’s play of the night Monday night. Bell-Holter finished with 12 points, 11 rebounds, 3 assists, and 4 blocks. Guard Roderick Pearson, Jr. led ORU with 20 points, 3 rebounds, 5 assists, and a steal. The Golden Eagles were 20/50 on field goals including just 4/15 on three pointers. ORU was 14/22 on free throws. Oral Roberts had 36 rebounds, 12 assists, and 16 turnovers. UALR was 21/51 from the field including 1/8 on 3 pointers. The Trojans were 12/19 on free throws. The Trojans had 28 rebounds, 9 assists, and 10 turnovers.
ORU is outscoring opponents 68-63 this season. The Golden Eagles shoot 44.4% from the field including 30.1% from 3 point range. ORU makes 73.1% of their free throws. The Golden Eagles average 34 rebounds a game and have a rebounding margin of +5.2. ORU averages 12.9 assists, 14.2 turnovers, 6.5 steals, and 2.5 blocks a game. ORU opponents are shooting 45.8% from the field including 33.1% from 3 point range. The Golden Eagles force 14.6 turnovers a game.
ORU Forward Dominique Morrison averages 16.2 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 1.9 assists a game. Forward Michael Craion averages 11.8 points, 7.5 rebounds to lead the team, 1.3 assists, and 2.2 steals a game to lead the team. Steven Roundtree averages 11.2 points, 6.8 reounds, and 1.4 assists a game. Warrent Niles averages 9.8 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 2.6 assists a game to tie for the team lead with Pearson. Pearson also averages 7.8 points, 2.1 rebounds, and 1 steal a game. Bell-Holter averages 7.8 points, 6.2 rebounds, 1.4 assists, and 1.4 blocks a game to lead the team. Forward Kris Obaseki and guard Ken Holdman are both out indefinitely, but neither has played this season.
Gonzaga was a 4 point favorite Saturday at home against Michigan St. Gonzaga went out to an early 12-7 lead, but then Michigan St went on a 13-5 run. Michigan St went on another run 11-1 to take a 31-24 lead. Gonzaga rallied to make it 35-34 MSU at halftime. The Spartans took a 60-48 lead with just over 6 minutes to play. The Bulldogs went on an 11-3 run to get back in the game, but the Spartans held on for the 74-67 win. It was the 8th straight win for Michigan St, and only the 7th home loss for Gonzaga since 2004. Gonzaga had no answer for Michigan St forward Draymond Green who had 34 points. Gonzaga shot 43.2% from the field including 7/14 from 3 point range. The Bulldogs made 22 of 28 free throws. Gonzaga had 27 rebounds, 9 assists, and 20 turnovers. Guard David Stockton led the Bulldogs with 19 points off the bench. He was 4/6 on three point shots. Centre Robert Sacre added 16 points and 7 rebounds.
Gonzaga is outscoring opponents 76-67 this season. The Bulldogs are shooting 44.5% from the field including 40.5% from 3 point range. Gonzaga is shooting 71% from the free throw line. The Bulldogs average 36 rebounds a game, and has a rebounding margin of +8.9. Gonzaga averages 13.3 assists, 14.3 turnovers, 8.3 steals, and 2.9 blocks a games. Gonzaga opponents are shooting 44.4% from the field, including 38.8% from 3 point range.
Sacre is averaging 16.5 points, 7.1 rebounds, 1.3 assists, and 1.1 blocks a game to lead the team. Kevin Pangos is averaging 13.3 points, 2.6 rebounds, 2.6 assists to lead the team, and 1.1 steals a game. Elias Harris averages 12 points, 8.1 rebounds to lead the team, 1.1 assists, 1.1 steals, and 0.9 blocks a game. Gary Bell scores 9.1 points a game. Stockton is the son of Gonzaga legend and NBA Hall-Of-Famer John Stockton, and averages 8.4 points, 2.3 assists, and 1.3 steals a game. Marquise Carter averages 7 points, 2.3 rebounds, 2.3 assists, and 2 steals a game to lead the team.
Gonzaga is 3-4 against the spread and the total is 3-3-1 this season. ORU is 1-5 ATS and the total is 1-4-1 this season. The Golden Eagles are 5-0 ATS in Thursday games, and as an underdog of between 7 and 12.5 points, 5-2 after failing to cover, 4-9 in road games against teams with winning home records, 3-7 as a road underdog, 3-8 as an underdog, 1-4 in road games, 1-5 in non-conference games, 0-4 after a win, against teams with winning records, and overall. The Bulldogs are 4-1 ATS as a favorite of between 7 and 12.5 points, 7-2-1 as a home favorite of 7-12.5 points, and 16-7-2 at home against teams with losing road records.
Oral Roberts is a very talented team that will compete for the Summit League title with Oakland. However, the Golden Eagles are a very small team with no player taller than 6’9″. ORU simply has no answer for the 7 foot tall Gonzaga center Robert Sacre who should dominate. Throw in how dominant Gonzaga is at home in the arena nicknamed the Kennel and the Bulldogs should be able to take care of business.
