TERRE HAUTE, Ind.-
Dominique Morrison (Kansas City, Mo.) scored a
game-high 17 points but Oral Roberts went scoreless over the final
2:20 as the Golden Eagles suffered a 60-54 setback to Indiana
State, Sunday at Hulman Center.
With injuries and defections cutting ORU's roster down to seven
scholarship players and two walk-ons, the Golden Eagles dressed
just eight student-athletes on Sunday after freshman
Warren Niles
(Cincinnati, Ohio) suffered a hand injury in practice Saturday
night.
The roster was shortened even further during the game when
sophomore starter
Kyron Stokes (Mansfield, Texas) went down with a
right ankle injury less than four minutes into the first half.
Stokes returned and managed to play 11 minutes total for the game,
but saw only two minutes of action during the second half.
Even without Niles and Stokes the Golden Eagles took control of the
game late in the first half. After falling behind 9-0 and 18-9 to
start the game, ORU went on a 7-0 run to pull within 18-16 on a
three-pointer by
Ken Holdman (Tulsa, Okla.) with 6:29 left in the
half.
ORU closed to within 24-23 on a jumper by Morrison, and took their
first lead of the game when
Damen Bell-Holter (Hydaburg, Alaska)
scored on a put-back with two seconds left in the half for a 27-26
lead at halftime.
Trailing by six points (38-32) early in the second half ORU stormed
back on the strength of a 12-0 run, grabbing a 44-38 advantage on a
Kevin Ford (Portland, ore.) jumper with 9:20 left.
Indiana State responded with a 10-0 run of its own for a 48-44
lead with 6:48 left, but back-to-back three-pointers by Morrison
and Craion gave ORU a 50-48 edge with 4:54 to play.
A trey by ISU's Jake Kelly was followed by a Holdman layup for ORU
and the Golden Eagles owned a 52-51 lead with 3:54 left. Holdman's
shot was ORU's last field goal of the game, as the Golden Eagles
missed their final five shots.
Five straight points by Dwayne Lathan gave the Sycamores a 56-52
lead with 2:43 to go. Morrison answered with a pair of free throws
to trim ISU's lead to 56-54, but the Sycamores scored the game's
final four points as ORU misfired down the stretch.
Morrison finished the game 5-of-11 from the field, including 2-of-3
from 3-point range. He added six rebounds and five assists in
playing all 40 minutes. He was the only Golden Eagle to score in
double figures.
Lathan led Indiana State with 16 points, while Harry Marshall added
15 and eight assists.
The Golden Eagles next visit Louisville, 6:05 p.m. CST,
Wednesday.
--ORU--
