NCDS: Tom Hankins, Asst. Coach - Oral Roberts

After starting the year out with one win and three losses, the 2010 version of the Oral Roberts University Golden Eagles were not playing with much confidence.   We were facing an extremely tough road trip with four games in nine days… in three different time zones! 

First up was very good Mountain West opponent, Utah.  Having not played well in three of our first four games the coaching staff was not sure what to expect of our young team when we rolled into Salt Lake.  As a coaching staff we had been teaching toughness, and the importance of playing together, the previous week in practice.  We were really excited as the team came together and pulled out an upset road win. 

Three nights later we were to play the Big XII’s Texas Tech in Lubbock.  We battled the Red Raiders and led most of the night, but in the end we ran out of gas and lost a game we thought we had many chances to win.

After games in Utah and Texas we headed to our first Summit League game of the year at Western Illinois.  We needed to exact revenge on the Leathernecks who had beaten us the last time we met.  Having only one day to travel was going to be difficult.  Again we talked with our team about playing as a unit, and the how we needed each person on the bench to be involved in the game.  We were able to come away with a very important conference road win.

The next day we traveled to Indianapolis, and to our third different time zone, for another Summit League game against IUPUI.  We could tell that the team was fatigued from all the travel.  We gave them as much rest as we could.  Fortunately after trailing most of the game we were able to pull out a come from behind victory on a last second shot.

What a great way to end a tough, long road trip.  With our next five games away from home we are going to need as much confidence as we can get.

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