KANSAS CITY, Mo.—Four players scored in double figures to lead
Oral Roberts University to a 75-47 Summit League win over UMKC,
Thursday at Kemper Arena.
With the win ORU (13-5, 8-0) set a Summit League record for best
conference start, breaking a mark it shared with the 1996-97
Valparaiso and 2006-07 ORU teams.
In earning its sixth consecutive victory, the Golden Eagles
limited the Kangaroos (7-14, 2-6) to the lowest point total by a
Division I opponent since Loyola (Ill.) scored 44 in a 48-44 ORU
win on Dec. 1, 2004 at Mabee Center.
The Golden Eagles jumped out to a 14-3 lead and never looked back.
ORU's first-half lead grew to 18 points when a fast-break dunk by
Curtis Allen (Long Beach, Calif.) made it 29-11
with 4:58 before halftime.
The lead swelled to 20 points at 33-13 when Marchello
Vealy (Oklahoma City, Okla.) made a layup with 3:25 left, and
Adam Liberty (Oklahoma City, Okla.) sent ORU to
the locker rooms on a high note with a buzzer-beating three-pointer
for a 42-19 halftime lead.
The lead grew to as many as 30 points early in the second half when
Moses Ehambe (Arlington, Texas) made a
three-pointer with 17:52 left for a 52-22 advantage. Andre
Hardy (San Diego, Calif.) gave ORU its largest lead when his
steal and breakaway dunk made it 67-31 with 8:00 to play.
UMKC never got any closer than 26 points as all 12 Golden Eagles in
uniform got in on the act, including little-used walk-ons Ben
Haynes (Pullman, Wash.) and Joe
Moore (Tulsa, Okla.), who each scored a field goal late in the
game.
ORU shot 47.3 percent from the field, including 44.4 percent (8-18)
from three-point range, while limiting UMKC to 30.4 percent
shooting. The Golden Eagles out-rebounded the Kangaroos 40-32, and
turned 17 turnovers into 21 points.
Liberty led all scorers with 16 points, going 5-of-7 from the field
with a pair of three-pointers, and 4-of-4 from the line. He also
added four rebounds and three assists.
Ehambe and
Robert Jarvis (Humble, Texas) each scored 12,
combining for 6-of-12 shooting on threes. Shawn
King (Bequia, St. Vincent) added 11 points, five rebounds and
three blocks. Vealy added nine rebounds.
UMKC's Nathan Balch led the ‘Roos with 12 points.
The Golden Eagles look to extend their winning streak when they
visit Southern Utah, 8:30 p.m., Saturday, in Cedar City, Utah.
--ORU--
