Life, Georgetown battle for NAIA title

TULSA, Okla. (AP) -- Life is good, and that's Happy Osborne's worry. <br><br>It was a rocky ride for the Georgetown (Ky.) coach just to make it through the weekend, but now the Tigers (34-4)

Monday, March 20th 2000, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

TULSA, Okla. (AP) -- Life is good, and that's Happy Osborne's worry.

It was a rocky ride for the Georgetown (Ky.) coach just to make it through the weekend, but now the Tigers (34-4) face top-seeded and national defending champions Life (Ga.) in the NAIA title matchup tonight.

"We're going to try to win it, and tired's not going to be a factor," Osborne said. "Our backs to the wall and we will do the best we can."

Life (33-2) hasn't even tripped heading into the championship game, outscoring tournament opponents by an average 24 points.

In semifinal play, the Running Eagles quickly and smoothly passed by Olivet Nazarene (Ill.) 85-69. Five players for Life scored in double digits.

"They're one of the best teams we've seen and Jimmie Hunter's an NBA player," Osborne said.

Life has four returning starters from last year's squad, including Corey Evans, the 1999 tournament MVP, and Hunter, who averages 23 points per game. It will be their third championship game in four years -- the Running Eagles also won the 1997 title.

But Georgetown (33-4) has the adrenaline edge heading into the matchup.

It took four overtimes and the second-longest game in NAIA tournament history for the 3rd-seeded Tigers to skim by 10th-seeded Biola (Calif.) 118-108 in Saturday night's semifinal.

"That was the best game I've ever been a part of," Osborne said.

In each of the first three overtime periods, Georgetown rallied within the final 30 seconds to tie the game. Will Clark, who fouled out in the first overtime, had 35 points and 16 rebounds.

The Tigers also have an impressive tournament history.

This is their third trip to the title game in five years, including a 1998 championship victory. Life and Georgetown are two of only three teams that have made eight consecutive tournament appearances. The Master's (Calif.) is the third one.

But perhaps the biggest thing that Georgetown has in its favor is that it already has beaten Life this season. The Tigers won in a Nov. 30 meeting at Life 82-78.

Life coach Roger Kaiser sure remembers. He also recalls that three of his key players were out -- Evans, Carlos Jones and Allen Strozier.

"Two of them fouled out and one got hurt, so you can see wher ewe were. We were driving for the tying basket and lost the ball. They scored on a lay up at the other end," Kaiser said.

"Georgetown is a lot better now than then, but so are we."

One of Life's lesson is pretty clear for Osborne, too. "I've been second and first," he said, "and first is better by far."