TULSA, Okla-Behind Dominique Morrison's 30 points, ORU (3-2)
built a 17 point lead in the first half, but had to hold off a
second-half run by SMU (2-3) to earn a 63-56 victory, Monday night
in the Dick's Sporting Goods NIT Tip-Off.
With Morrison's offensive explosion, ORU's streak of six
consecutive games with three players in double figures came to an
end as only he and Steven Roundtree (11 points) hit the mark. It
was the first 30-point game by a Golden Eagle this year, and the
fourth of his career. The mark also pushed Morrison over the 1,500
point mark for his career (1,503), moving him into ninth all-time,
just three points off the total held by Haywoode Workman (1,506).
Craion had eight points and nine rebounds, the most important of
which came with about a minute left as his put back made it a four
point game and forced SMU to resort to fouling.
SMU was led by Robert Nyakundi, who scored 16 points, all of
which came in the second half.
"We had a great opportunity in that first half, up 17, to really
end the game," said Coach Scott Sutton. "Even being up 13, I would
have taken that before the game, and again we talked about that
first five minutes in the second half going out and establishing
ourselves and we didn't do that. SMU battled hard and Matt
(Doherty) did a great job and we were fortunate to come away with a
win."
Morrison single-handedly gave ORU the early lead, scoring 13 of
the team's 15 points, putting the Golden Eagles in front 15-7
midway through the first half. He continued to stay hot for the
first half, hitting 8 of 9 shots with his only miss coming from
half court at the buzzer. With 20 points in the half, Morrison was
the only scorer in double figures and led the Golden Eagles to a
30-17 lead at halftime, with ORU closing the half on a 13-3
run.
The 17 points given up in the first half was the second-lowest
total for an ORU opponent, giving up just 15 to Arkansas-Pine Bluff
in a 36-point victory.
SMU came out of the break and immediately went to work
offensively, with Nyakundi scoring eight points in the first eight
minutes of the half. The Mustangs also ran through a couple of ORU
passes leading to easy layups, making for a 14-4 run that trimmed
the ORU lead to three at 34-31.
SMU would continue to chip away and eventually tie the game at
45-45 after another Nyakundi 3-pointer, with SMU shooting upwards
of 78 percent for the half at the time. Still a close game,
Craion's tip-in with just over a minute to go made it a four point
game (55-51), and from there ORU was able to ice the game at the
free throw line, hitting seven free throws in the final minute to
hold off the charge and take the six-point victory. It was the
third victory in a row for ORU, and the second-straight win at
home.
Arkansas-Pine Bluff took down FIU in game one of the day's
double header, 58-56.
All four teams will be back in action Tuesday night as SMU takes
on Arkansas-Pine Bluff at 5 p.m. ORU and FIU will face off at 7:30
p.m. Tickets are still available for the day and one ticket will be
honored for both games.
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