SIOUX FALLS,
S.D. - Jordan Pyle scored a
career-high 26 points as Oral Roberts rolled to a 97-81 victory
over Southern Utah on Saturday in the opening round of the Summit
League Tournament in Sioux Falls, S.D.
The Golden
Eagles, who improved to 22-8 overall this season and won their 13th
game in the last 14 contests, scored the second-most points in a
Summit League Tournament contest.
Pyle, a
sophomore from Mustang, Okla., went 11-of-16 from the field and
4-of-5 from the free-throw line, while also pulling down a
team-high seven rebounds. Pyle tallied her 500th career point with
the opening basket.
Four other
Golden Eagles scored in double figures, led by Kevi Luper's 18-point
performance. Luper recorded an 8-of-9 performance from the charity
stripe, while swiping four steals and dishing out three
assists.
Fellow
freshman Jaci
Bigham (McAlester, Okla.) recorded 11 points to go with six
assists and two blocks. Bigham also scored her 500th point of her
career at the 4:19 mark of the first half.
Senior Janae
Voelker (Newton, Kan.) chipped in 10 points with six assists
and six rebounds, while Savanna
Buck (Pinehurst, Texas) also added 10 points to go with three
steals.
The Golden
Eagles trailed Southern Utah (7-23) by a score of 6-2 early before
mounting a 16-3 run over 5:21 to push the lead to nine points.
After the
Thunderbirds cut ORU's double-digit margin down to eight points at
the 5:44 mark, the Golden Eagles put together a 10-0 run over two
minutes for their biggest lead of the half of 18 points. Bigham
closed out the half with a layup at the buzzer to send ORU to the
break with a 15-point advantage.
ORU opened
the second half of play on a 21-6 run to jump out to its biggest
lead of the game at 30 points.
The Golden
Eagles forced 28 turnovers and committed just 13, while losing the
rebound battle by a 53-28 margin.
ORU shot 47
percent (32-of-68) from the field, 29 percent (7-of-24) from
3-point range and 77 percent (26-of-34) from the free-throw
line.
The Golden
Eagles will play the winner of the UMKC vs. North Dakota State game
on Monday at noon.
- ORU -
