Women's Basketball 1/26/2009 12:00:00 AM

Jones Helps ORU Rally Past UMKC, 68-59, Monday

TULSA, Okla. – A career-high scoring performance of 23 points from freshman guard Georgia Jones (Manchester) gave the Oral Roberts women's basketball team a 68-59 win against UMKC Monday evening in the Mabee Center.

ORU improves to 11-9 overall and 4-5 in Summit League play, while UMKC falls to 9-11 on the year and 4-5 in conference action. The Golden Eagles are also now 23-17 all-time against the Kangaroos.

Jones' 23 points was a game and career-high for the evening, as she extended her double-digit scoring streak to eight games and earned her second consecutive 20 point performance. Jones also surpassed Missouri State's Casey Garrison and now leads all freshmen in then nation in scoring with 292 points on the year.

Junior forward Janae Voelker (Newton, Kan.) posted her second straight double-double for the Golden Eagles, as she scored 14 points and pulled down 12 rebounds. It is Voelker's ninth double-double this season and 19th in her career. Senior guard Mariana Camargo (Blumenau, Brazil) had an all-round game with nine points, six rebounds and six assists, while freshman forward Cristal Turner (Maidstone, England) posted nine points and tied her career-high with four blocks. Senior guard Demesha Heard (Oklahoma City, Okla.) also posted a career-high eight points in 12 minutes of action.

The Kangaroos opened up the game on a 5-0 run, as it took the Golden Eagles three minutes and 50 seconds to score a bucket. Jones scored a three to bring ORU back to within two, while Heard brought it back to within one, 6-7, at the 16:02 mark. A three-pointer from UMKC's Chazny Morris gave the ‘Roos a six-point lead, 14-8, while six points from Voelker helped ORU cut the lead back down to one, 16-17, with 9:29 left in the first half.

A layup from Turner kept the lead to within a one-point difference, as a three-pointer from Jones at 7:57, gave the Golden Eagles their first lead of the game, 21-19. Another three from Jones pushed ORU's lead to five before two straight UMKC threes gave the Kangaroos the lead once more, 27-24, with 5:20 to go. After a 27-all tie, UMKC finished the half on an 8-5 run to take a 35-32 lead heading into the break.

The Kangaroos came out of the locker rooms on fire, taking a 12-6 run in the first five minutes. Two layups from Turner sparked an ORU comeback while a jumper from Jones brought ORU back to within five, 45-50, with 13:35 remaining. A Morris three-pointer at the 11-minute mark gave UMKC an eight point lead, 53-45.

ORU continued its fight with six points from Voelker, while layups from Heard and Camargo, helped the Golden Eagles tie it up at 55-55 and a made free throw from Voelker gave ORU its first lead in the half with 7:03 to play. Four straight points from Camargo put the Golden Eagles up by six, 61-55, with 4:58 to go and ORU scored its final points on free throws from Turner, Voelker, Camargo and Jones.

The Golden Eagles shot 44.0 percent (22-55) from the field, including 33.3 percent (5-15) from three-point range and 55.9 percent (19-34) from the free throw line.

ORU out-rebounded UMKC, 41-36, as the Golden Eagles scored 24 points in the paint, compared to the Kangaroos eight. ORU also scored 17 points off turnovers and 14 second-chance points, while both benches contributed 18 points apiece.

The Kangaroos shot 32.8 percent (21-64) from the field, including 34.4 percent (11-32) from behind the arc and 75.0 percent (6-8) from behind the charity stripe.

Jones finished the night 5-of-9 from three-point range and 4-of-6 from the free throw line, while Voelker went 4-of-9 from the field and 6-of-7 at the charity stripe.

The Golden Eagles head out on the road this weekend, traveling to Shreveport, La. For a 12 p.m. tipoff at Centenary on Jan. 31.

-ORU-

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Players Mentioned

#4 Georgia Jones: G; 5' 9"; Redshirt; Loreto Grammar School

#11 Janae Voelker: G/F; 5' 10"; Junior; Newton HS

Players Mentioned

#4 Georgia Jones
: 5' 9"; Redshirt; Loreto Grammar School
: G

#11 Janae Voelker
: 5' 10"; Junior; Newton HS
: G/F

Players Mentioned

#4 Georgia Jones

#11 Janae Voelker

Players Mentioned

#4 Georgia Jones

#11 Janae Voelker