Box Score | Season Stats | 2020-21 Schedule
The Basics
Score: Oral Roberts 78 – Oklahoma State 83
Record: ORU (1-3) – OSU (5-0)
Location: Stillwater, Okla. (Gallagher-Iba Arena)
 
STILLWATER, Okla. – Max Abmas could not be contained scoring a career-high 33 points, but the Oral Roberts men's basketball team failed to overtake unbeaten Oklahoma State down the stretch falling 83-78 Tuesday night at Gallagher-Iba Arena.
 
While the scoring was impressive, it was the way the Rockwall, Texas, native moved the ball to his teammates that was the most eye catching as Abmas also set a career high with nine of the Golden Eagles' 16 assists.
 
Abmas knocked down a 3-pointer with 38 seconds remaining in the game to make it a one-possession contest. OSU answered back to widen the margin and sealed the game with two free throws in the closing seconds.
 
ORU's offense came courtesy of the long ball as the team connected on seven 3-pointers in the opening half, and 16 total, to keep pace with the Cowboys. After the Golden Eagles fell behind by seven, 10-3, a Kareem Thompson triple ended a nearly three-minute scoring drought and spurred the visitors.
 
Another shot from distance by Kevin Obanor pulled ORU within two and started a 10-2 run covering more than four minutes to jump in front, 19-16. OSU fought back to even the score, 22-22, and the lead flipped back-and-forth eight times in the final six minutes before a Cowboy jumper beat the halftime buzzer erasing ORU's advantage as it headed into the locker room down, 32-31.
 
OSU scored the first six points of the second stanza before Abmas converted an old-fashioned 3-point play and hit another from deep to even the score, 40-40. Another 5-0 burst from the home side broke the tie until Obanor hit from behind the arc at the 12-minute mark to cut the deficit to two, 48-46.
 
The Golden Eagles closed the margin to two points three times over the next four minutes, including a 3-point try from the top of the key that would have given ORU a lead with nine minutes to play. OSU responded each time and stopped the momentum as the Golden Eagles would get no closer to the finish falling, 83-78.
 
Turning Point
DeShang Weaver and Abmas combined for a 5-0 run to get ORU within three, 63-60, with 5:05 to play. The Cowboys scored on three of their next four possessions and stretched the lead to their largest of the night, 69-60, by holding the Golden Eagles scoreless for more than two minutes.
 
Individual Leaders
Oral Roberts: Abmas closed his night hitting 10-of-19 from the floor, including a 6-of-12 effort from distance and a perfect 7-of-7 at the free-throw line, for his 33 points. All of those shooting totals are the best of his young career.

Oklahoma State: After shooting 4-of-12 in the first half, preseason All-American Cade Cunningham poured in 18 second-half points finishing with 29 to lead the Cowboys. The freshman scored all 12 of OSU's points in the last two minutes of the contest.

Inside the Box Score
- Abmas put together a career-high 33 points and nine assists, one shy of a double-double, to go with six rebounds and two steals. It was ORU's first 30-point game since Deondre Burns had 31 at North Dakota Feb. 6, 2020.
 
- Obanor tallied his second double-double of the season behind a 16-point and 12-rebound performance recording eight points and six rebounds in each half. The redshirt junior shot 56 percent overall hitting 3-of-4 from distance.
 
- Thompson chipped in 12 points, all coming from behind the arc, while Weaver scored six of his eight points in the second half.
 
- Francis Lacis totaled three blocks and Obanor and Nate Clover III also registered a block for the Golden Eagles.
 
- Carlos Jurgens closed the night a +12 when on the court during his 18 minutes of action.
 
News and Notes
- ORU made a season-high 16 3-pointers as a team Tuesday converting 49 percent of its attempts (16-of-33).
 
- The Golden Eagles committed six turnovers in the opening half, but gave the ball away 12 times in the second stanza leading to 17 total points off turnovers.
 
Up Next
ORU is back at the Mabee Center for a rescheduled, non-conference tilt with the Eagles of Southwestern Christian Saturday afternoon at 2 p.m. featuring live coverage on the ORU Sports Network.
 
For the latest information on ORU Men's Basketball, follow the Golden Eagles on Twitter and Instagram, or go to www.ORUAthletics.com. Fans can also receive updates on the team by downloading the ORU Athletics app from the App Store or Google Play Store.