Scouting the Thunderbirds

Southern Utah is currently 7-21 overall and 5-12 in Summit League play this season. The Thunderbirds snapped a seven-game losing skid on Saturday with a 10-point win over Centenary. Southern Utah is led by junior forward Challis Pascucci, who has averaged 11.9 points and a league-best 9.7 rebounds per game. The Thunderbirds have averaged 54.1 points per game compared to their opponents' 68.1 mark, while out-rebounding the opposition by a 1.6 margin. Southern Utah has won six of its seven games this season at home.

All-Time Results Versus Southern Utah

Monday's contest marks the 27th meeting between the two schools dating back to the 1996 season, as the Golden Eagles hold a 16-10 advantage and have won four straight. ORU is 6-6 against the Thunderbirds when playing in Cedar City. The Golden Eagles cruised to a 109-62 victory over Southern Utah in their conference opener at the Mabee Center on Dec. 5.

The Last Time They Met

Kevi Luper posted a double-double as the Golden Eagles dominated Southern Utah by a score of 109-62 in the two schools' first meeting this seasonon Dec. 5 at the Mabee Center. The Golden Eagles posted their first-ever 100-point game against a Summit League opponent, while knocking down a then school-record 17 3-pointers. Luper paced the Golden Eagles with 30 points off 9-of-14 shooting from the field, 3-of-6 from 3-point range and 9-of-12 from the free-throw line, while snagging a school-record 12 steals. Georgia Jones tallied a season-high 18 points and tied a career-high with six 3-pointers in seven attempts. Jones orchestrated ORU's first-half barrage, knocking down five of the team's 11 3-pointers in the opening frame. Janae Voelker also posted 18 points in the win, tying a career-high with four treys in five attempts. The senior extended her double-figure scoring streak to 47 consecutive contests. The Golden Eagles forced 26 steals and 38 turnovers. ORU shot 51 percent (36-of-71) from the field, 59 percent (17-of-29) from 3-point range and 61 percent (20-of-33) from the charity stripe.

Top of the Summit

ORU clinched at least a share of the regular-season Summit League title on Saturday with a win over UMKC. The Golden Eagles have gone 14-3 in Summit League play to capture their first regular-season conference crown. The Golden Eagles are averaging 87.7 points to their opponents' 66.9 points per game. ORU knocked down 35 3-pointers in its first two league games against Southern Utah and UMKC, and handed South Dakota State its first-ever conference loss at home. After a loss to IPFW on Jan. 9, the Golden Eagles won seven consecutive conference games before falling to IPFW again on Feb. 8. Since the second loss to the Mastodons, ORU has posted four consecutive victories. Four starters for ORU are currently leading the league in at least one category. Kevi Luper is averaging a league-best 35.1 minutes, while posting 25.6 points and 4.6 steals per game. Jaci Bigham is first in assists per game (5.6) and second in 3-point field goals (83) and 3-point percentage (.415). Janae Voelker tops the league in defensive rebounds (183) and ranks second with 8.3 rebounds per game. Jordan Pyle paces the conference in field-goal percentage (.622) and offensive rebounds (90). Since joining the conference prior to the 1997-98 season, ORU is 117-92 (.560) in regular-season play, 18-7 (.720) in tournament action and 135-99 (.577) overall.

Among the Nation's Best

The Golden Eagles are at or near the top of several statistical categories in the NCAA for team and individual accomplishments. ORU leads the nation in scoring offense with 86.1 points per game and steals with 15.8 per contest, while ranking third in 3-point field goals per game (9.1) and turnover margin (+7.5) and 18th in assists per game (16.3). Kevi Luper tops the NCAA in steals per game (4.6), while ranking third in scoring with 25.6 points per contest. Fellow freshman Jaci Bigham ranks 13th nationally with 3.0 3-pointers per game, while placing 20th with 5.6 assists per game and 27th in 3-point percentage (.415).

The Kids are Alright

Jaci Bigham and Kevi Luper make up the nation's highest-scoring backcourt, combining for 42.6 points per contest through the opening 28 games this season, which accounts for 47 percent of ORU's total offense. Luper, who scored a Summit League-record 44 points against La Salle on Nov. 20, ranks third in the country with 25.6 points per game, while Bigham has chipped in 17.0 points per contest. Luper set a conference record by earning four consecutive Summit League Player of the Week awards and has won seven total this season, while Bigham has also collected three for a total of 10 of the 15 weekly accolades. The two freshman guards have led the Golden Eagles in scoring in all but two contests this season. Luper, a native of Adair, Okla., has scored in double figures in all 26 games played this season, including eight performances of 30 or more points. Luper also set a school record with 12 steals against the Thunderbirds, and currently leads the nation with 4.6 steals per game. Bigham, a McAlester, Okla., product, has scored in double figures in 20 of the last 21 contests. Bigham averaged 31.0 points per game when Luper missed two contests at the end of December with an injury. Bigham and Luper combined for 100 points in back-to-back games against South Dakota State (Jan. 30) and North Dakota State (Feb. 1). Bigham currently ranks third all-time at ORU for a single season and first since the Golden Eagles began Division I play with 83 3-pointers, while Luper holds the all-time steals record at ORU with 119. Luper shattered the all-time Summit League single-season scoring mark on Saturday at UMKC with 665 total points.

Early and Often

The Golden Eagles' new up-tempo style offense has been evident this season, as ORU leads the nation in scoring with 86.1 points per contest. The Golden Eagles have posted four 100-point games, including victories over Southern Utah and IUPUI, marking the first time in school history ORU has passed the century mark against a league opponent. ORU also surpassed the 100-point mark in back-to-back wins at Houston Baptist (101-59) and Sam Houston State (101-85). The Golden Eagles have also produced against high-caliber opponents, posting 80 points at No. 20 Kansas and at No. 17 Texas. ORU has knocked down a school-record 256 3-pointers this season, and set the single-game record with 18against UMKC on Dec. 7. Kevi Luper, a freshman from Adair, Okla., has led the ORU scoring attack by averaging 25.6 points, which ranks third in the country. Luper set a Summit League record with 44 points against La Salle on Nov. 20. Three other ORU starters are averaging double-digit points per game, including Jaci Bigham (17.0), Janae Voelker (11.5) and Jordan Pyle (11.4). If the Golden Eagles continue their high-scoring ways this season, they could be on track to breaking the school record for points per game, which was 81.2, set during the 1982-83 season. The 1982-83 squad is the only team in ORU history to average more than 80 points per contest. The most points an ORU team led by Jerry Finkbeiner has averaged is 68.0 during the 2005-06 season.

Catching Fire from Beyond the Arc

ORU has drained 256 3-pointers this season, setting a new school record. The Golden Eagles set single-game records for 3-pointers in back-to-back contests against Summit League opponents, posting 17 treys against Southern Utah, only to surpass that mark with 18 the following game against UMKC. Jaci Bigham buried a career-high eight 3-pointers against Oklahoma State on Dec. 22 and leads the Golden Eagles with 83 treys (42 percent). Janae Voelker has drained 48 3-pointers this season, while Kevi Luper has added 38 treys. Sophomore Jordan Pyle has recorded her first 3-pointers of her career this season, going 7-of-19. ORU has made one or more 3-pointers in each of the past 87 games, which began on December 3, 2007 at Boise State.

Record Watch

Senior Janae Voelker continues to climb the career charts at ORU, while freshmen Jaci Bigham and Kevi Luper have started their assault on the single-season marks. Voelker ranks third with 914 career rebounds and eighth with 1,361 points. Voelker also ranks fifth all-time with 204 steals and ninth with 498 made field goals. Luper set the ORU record for a single season against Centeary on Feb. 20 with 119 total steals, while setting the all-time Summit League single-season scoring mark with 665 total points.Luper also set the all-time league-mark for made free-throws by sinking three at UMKC for a total of 163. Bigham ranks third for a single season and first since ORU began Division I play with 83 3-pointers, while placing seventh at ORU with 156 assists.

Pyle'n On

Sophomore forward Jordan Pyle currently leads the team and Summit League in field goal percentage (62 percent) and offensive rebounds (90), while ranking second on the squad in rebounds per game (7.1). Pyle is also one of four ORU starters averaging double-figure points per game (11.4). Pyle has scored in double figures 17 times this season, while also posting five double-doubles on the year. Pyle secured her first double-double of the 2009-10 campaign in the season-opening win over UT-Pan American with a career-high 22 points and 10 rebounds. Pyle posted perfect performances from the field against UMKC on Dec. 7 and at IUPUI on Jan. 18. Pyle has also posted her first-career 3-pointers this season, going 7-of-19.

Scrappy Defense

ORU has not only put together a high-powered offense this season, but also deploys a swarming defense, leading the nation in steals (15.8 per game) and ranking third in turnover margin (+7.5). The Golden Eagles have forced 30 or more turnovers in six of the last 10 games and 10 total contests this season, including an ORU-record 47 against both IUPUI (Feb. 13) and Centenary (Feb. 20). In ORU's 86-75 win over South Dakota State on Jan. 30, the Golden Eagles forced 33 turnovers, which was the most for a Jackrabbit team since Nov. 11, 2001. Freshman Kevi Luper leads the country with 4.6 steals per game and holds the all-time ORU single-season record with 119 steals. Senior Janae Voelker ranks second on the team with 80 steals and 25th nationally with 2.9 steals per game. Voelker's previous season high was 50 steals during the 2008-09 season, and the senior is one of only five Golden Eagles all-time with 1,000 points (1,361) and 200 steals (204).

Youth Movement

With four freshmen in the starting lineup, the 2009-10 Golden Eagles are arguably the youngest squad in the country. The Golden Eagle freshmen rank first nationally by making up 61% of the team's total scoring, while placing fifth by playing 47% of the total minutes. Kevi Luper (25.6 ppg) and Jaci Bigham (17.0 ppg) make up the highest scoring tandem in the country, combining for 42.6 points per game, and have claimed 10 of the 15 Summit League weekly awards this season. Alex Adekunle has scored in double figures in six contests and is averaging 6.2 points and 4.0 rebounds per game, while Savanna Buck has posted a career-high 16 points on two occasions and is averaging 5.4 points and 3.5 rebounds per game.

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