NORMAN,
Okla.-Warren
Niles (Cincinnati, Ohio) scored a game-high 22 points for Oral
Roberts but the Golden Eagles couldn't overcome 36 percent shooting
and 17 turnovers in suffering a 73-60 loss to Oklahoma, Saturday at
Lloyd Noble Center.
The Golden
Eagles (4-5) started strong, jumping out to a 19-6 lead after a
three-pointer by Dominique
Morrison (Kansas City, Mo.) with 12:22 left in the first
half.
Oklahoma
(5-5) closed to within 19-12, but Niles responded with a
three-pointer and a pair of free throws to put ORU up 24-12 at
10:09. And that's when the wheels came off for ORU.
The Golden
Eagles missed their next 12 shots and Oklahoma took advantage,
eventually tying the game at 24-24 on a pair of Carl Blair free
throws with 2:32 left in the half.
Steven
Pledger converted back-to-back three-pointers for a 30-24 lead, and
the Sooners coasted into the locker room with a 34-26
advantage.
ORU got
right back into the game early in the second half. A layup and
consecutive free throws by freshman Steven
Roundtree (Jacksonville, Fla.) put ORU within 36-30, and a
three-pointer by Damen
Bell-Holter (Hydaburg, Alaska) made it a 36-33 contest with
16:23 left,
Another
three by Bell-Holter made it 40-38 with13:37 to play, but that was
as close ORU could get. Two straight Sooner layups and a
three-point play by Andrew Fitzgerald gave Oklahoma a 47-39
advantage with 12:04 left. ORU never got closer than five points
the rest of the game.
The Golden
Eagles shot 36 percent from the field, stopping their streak of
50-percent shooting efforts at five games. ORU did shoot 43 percent
(9-21) from 3-point range, and 75 percent (15-20) from the free
throw line.
ORU tied a
season-high with 17 turnovers and was out-rebounded by the Sooners,
39-26.
Niles
finished 6-of-13 from the field with a season-high six three
pointers. Roundtree and Morrison each scored 11 while Bell-Holter
added 10 points.
Pledger led
Oklahoma with 19 points.
The Golden
Eagles return to action when they visit nationally-ranked Missouri,
7 p.m., Thursday, Dec. 16.
--ORU--
