SIOUX FALLS, S.D. - The Oral Roberts women's basketball team meets UMKC at 12:00 p.m. on Monday in the semifinals of the Summit League Tournament in Sioux Falls, S.D. The Golden Eagles enter Monday's contest having won 13 of the last 14 contests.

SCOUTING THE KANGAROOS
The Kangaroos triumphed over North Dakota State with a layup at the buzzer in overtime to advance to the semifinals of the Summit League Tournament and improve to 16-14 overall. Senior Chazny Morris leads UMKC with 16.5 points and 5.1 rebounds per game. The scoring is spread around among the UMKC squad, as six other players average at least 6.6 points per game. The Kangaroos have averaged 65.0 points per game compared to their opponents 66.1 mark, and are winning the rebound battle by a slim 0.9 margin.

ALL-TIME RESULTS VERSUS UMKC
Monday's semifinal contest marks the 34th meeting between the two schools, as ORU holds a 26-17 advantage over UMKC and has won 10 consecutive contests against the Kangaroos. The Golden Eagles tied a school record with 18 3-pointers in a 99-72 rout of UMKC in Tulsa on Dec. 7, while holding on for a 93-79 victory in Kansas City on Feb. 27 to clinch the regular-season Summit League title.

THE LAST TIME THEY MET
The Golden Eagles captured a share of their first-ever Summit League regular-season title, while Kevi Luper set the all-time single-season conference record in scoring as ORU rolled past UMKC by a score of 93-79 on Feb. 27 at Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City. Luper scored 17 points to break a 16-year old record held by Northern Illinois' E.C. Hill. The Adair, Okla., native nailed a 3-pointer at the 15:42 mark to shatter the record. Luper also set a new conference mark in total free-throws made on the season. Four other Golden Eagles scored in double figures, led by senior Janae Voelker's 23-point performance. Voelker went 7-of-12 from the field, including a career-high five 3-pointers on eight attempts, and a perfect 4-of-4 from the free-throw line. Voelker also posted eight rebounds, four steals and three assists. Jordan Pyle tallied 20 points on 8-of-10 shooting from the field and a 4-of-4 effort from the free-throw line, while also pulling down eight boards. Savanna Buck tied her previous career high with 16 points off 5-of-7 shooting from the field, including three treys on four attempts. Fellow freshman Jaci Bigham posted 10 second-half points for a total of 12, while handing out seven assists. The Golden Eagles were tied at 17 early in the first half before putting together a 16-2 run to jump out to a 14-point lead. ORU held a double-digit advantage throughout the second half. The Golden Eagles shot 53 percent (31-of-59) from the field, 41 percent (12-of-29) from downtown and 91 percent (19-of-21) from the charity stripe. The Golden Eagles out-rebounded UMKC by a 43-25 margin.

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 86.7 points per game and steals with 15.8 per contest, while ranking third in 3-point field goals per game (9.4), fourth in turnover margin (+7.7) and 13th in assists per game (16.6). Kevi Luper tops the NCAA in steals per game (4.5), while ranking fourth in scoring with 25.0 points per contest. Fellow freshman Jaci Bigham ranks 13th nationally with 3.0 3-pointers per game, while placing 17th with 5.5 assists per game.

PYLE'N ON
Sophomore forward Jordan Pyle scored a career-high 26 points to lead the Golden Eagles in the opening game of the Summit League Tournament on Saturday. Pyle currently leads the team and Summit League in field goal percentage (63 percent) and offensive rebounds (94), 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 (11.7). Pyle has scored in double figures 18 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 previous career-best 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 8-of-21.

THE KIDS ARE ALRIGHT
Jaci Bigham and Kevi Luper make up the nation's highest-scoring backcourt, combining for 41.9 points per contest through the regular 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 fourth in the country with 25.0 points per game, while Bigham has chipped in 16.9 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 17 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 28 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 4.5 steals per game. Bigham, a McAlester, Okla., product, has scored in double figures in 22 of the last 23 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 90 3-pointers, while Luper holds the all-time steals record at ORU with 127. Luper shattered the all-time Summit League single-season scoring mark at UMKC and has 701 total points on the year.

EARLY AND OFTEN
The Golden Eagles' new up-tempo style offense has been evident this season, as ORU leads the nation in scoring with 86.7 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 281 3-pointers this season, and set the single-game record with 18against both UMKC (Dec. 7) and Southern Utah (March 1). Kevi Luper, a freshman from Adair, Okla., has led the ORU scoring attack by averaging 25.0 points, which ranks fourth 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 (16.9), Jordan Pyle (11.7), and Janae Voelker (11.4). The Golden Eagles are 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 281 3-pointers this season, setting a new school record. The Golden Eagles set single-game records for 3-pointers with 18 against both UMKC (Dec. 7) and Southern Utah (March 1). Jaci Bigham buried a career-high eight 3-pointers against Oklahoma State on Dec. 22 and leads the Golden Eagles with 90 treys (42 percent). Janae Voelker has drained 52 3-pointers this season, while Kevi Luper has added 39 treys. Sophomore Jordan Pyle has recorded her first 3-pointers of her career this season, going 8-of-21. ORU has made one or more 3-pointers in each of the past 89 games, which began on December 3, 2007 at Boise State.

ORU SHOOTING FOR SCORING RECORDS AT SIOUX FALLS
The Golden Eagles lit up the scoreboard with 97 points in Saturday's win over Southern Utah in the opening round, marking the second-most points scored in a Summit League Tournament contest. The record for total points scored in the tournament is 263 set by Troy in 1997. In comparison to Saturday's barrage of points, the Golden Eagles captured the title in 2005 with a total of 137 points, averaging 45.7 points each game.

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 927 career rebounds and eighth with 1,383 points. Voelker also ranks third all-time with 209 steals and ninth with 504 made field goals. Luper set the ORU record for a single season against Centeary on Feb. 20 and has a total of 127 steals on the year, while setting the all-time Summit League single-season scoring mark with 701 total points.Luper also set the all-time league-mark for made free-throws by sinking three at UMKC for a total of 174. Bigham ranks third for a single season and first since ORU began Division I play with 90 3-pointers, while placing third at ORU with 166 assists.

LUPER SETS SUMMIT LEAGUE SINGLE-SEASON SCORING RECORD
Freshman guard Kevi Luper scored 17 points against UMKC on Feb. 27 to set the Summit League single-season scoring record, and has posted a total of 701 points this season. Luper also set the conference mark in free-throws against the Kangaroos with a total of 174 this season. Luper has won a league-record seven player of the week awards on the season, and kicked off the year by earning four consecutive player of the week awards, marking the first player in Summit League history to achieve the feat. Luper and fellow freshman Jaci Bigham have claimed 10 of the 17 Summit League Player of the Week awards this season. Luper currently ranks fourth nationally in scoring with 25.0 points per game and leads the country with 4.5 steals per contest. The Adair, Okla., native has set a school record this season with 127 total steals.

TOP OF THE SUMMIT
ORU clinched the regular -season Summit League title outright on March 1 with a win over Southern Utah. The Golden Eagles went 15-3 in Summit League play to capture their first regular-season conference crown. The Golden Eagles averaged 88.1 points to their opponents' 67.1 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 posted five consecutive victories to close out the regular season. Four starters for ORU are currently leading the league in at least one category. Kevi Luper is averaging a league-best 34.6 minutes, while posting 25.0 points and 4.5 steals per game. Jaci Bigham is first in assists per game (5.5) and second in 3-point field goals (90) and 3-point percentage (.421). Janae Voelker tops the league in defensive rebounds (193) and ranks second with 8.1 rebounds per game. Jordan Pyle paces the conference in field-goal percentage (.629) and offensive rebounds (94). Since joining the conference prior to the 1997-98 season, ORU is 118-92 (.562) in regular-season play, 19-7 (.731) in tournament action and 137-99 (.581) overall.

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 (+7.7). The Golden Eagles have forced 30 or more turnovers in six of the last 12 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 4.5 steals per game and holds the all-time ORU single-season record with 127 total steals. Senior Janae Voelker ranks second on the team with 85 steals and 23rd nationally with 2.8 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 (1,383) and 200 steals (209).

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 60% of the team's total scoring, while placing fifth by playing 47% of the total minutes. Kevi Luper (25.0 ppg) and Jaci Bigham (16.9 ppg) make up the highest scoring tandem in the country, combining for 41.9 points per game, and have claimed 10 of the 17 Summit League weekly awards this season. Alex Adekunle has scored in double figures in six contests and is averaging 6.1 points and 4.0 rebounds per game, while Savanna Buck has posted a career-high 16 points on two occasions and is averaging 5.6 points and 3.4 rebounds per game.

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