Pearson is the Key to ORU's NCAA Chances

Originally Published: Feb 27, 2011 8:20 PM CDTThe Oral Roberts Golden Eagles have plenty of weapons. Dominique Morrison is a sniper and a fan favorite. Damen Bell-Holter

Thursday, May 26th 2011, 1:34 pm

By: News On 6

Originally Published: Feb 27, 2011 8:20 PM CDT

The Oral Roberts Golden Eagles have plenty of weapons. Dominique Morrison is a sniper and a fan favorite. Damen Bell-Holter is the giant from Alaska with an enviable post game. Steven Roundtree is an up-and-comer who rebounds like a maniac. All three will be relied upon heavily if ORU is going to win next week’s Summit League tournament in South Dakota. They were a big part of why the Golden Eagles own the No. 2 seed in the league’s championship chase.But they aren’t the most important players on the floor for the navy and gold. To me, that’s point guard Roderick Pearson. He’s playing like an all-star and making his teammates better. Over the past eight games, all wins mind you, he’s kicked his game up to another notch. Pearson is averaging 9 points, 2.5 rebounds (huge for a shorter guard) and 3 assists per game. He’s creating his own shot, getting the ball in the aforementioned trio’s hands, and playing blanketing defense against the rest of the league’s ball handlers. Against North Dakota State, Saturday’s opponent in the Summit League first round game, he scored a season-high 18 points. He followed that up with a new season-high mark of 20 on the road in a 102-81 blowout of UMKC. He’s getting better when it matters most. How about back-to-back six assist games during the team’s winning streak? Clutch as can be. He’s playing bigger when it matters most. He’s also playing big minutes, over 25 a night this month. He’s carrying the load when it matters most. Sure, Dominique is the man with the sweet stroke. He will get his. Bell-Holter will hold his own in the paint and Roundtree will continue to play well his rookie year. But, don’t overlook the importance of Pearson.