The Basics
Score: Western Illinois 81 - Oral Roberts 85
Record: WIU (7-13, 5-8 SL) - ORU (12-10, 9-5 SL)
Location: Tulsa, Okla. (Mabee Center)
TULSA, Okla. – Behind a 41-point outing by
Max Abmas, the Oral Roberts men's basketball team dominated the final seven minutes of the game to erase a 10-point deficit and take down Western Illinois, 85-81, Saturday evening at the Mabee Center.
The Golden Eagles led for only three minutes, but those came at the most important time down the stretch in the come-from-behind victory snapping WIU's five-game win streak. ORU trailed by 10 points with seven minutes to play and closed the game on an 18-4 run allowing the home side to overcome a double-digit deficit for the third time on the year.
The Fighting Leathernecks built a seven-point cushion, 14-7, four minutes into the game hitting four of their first five outside shots. After a timeout call, an and-1 by
Kevin Obanor highlighted a 7-0 run by the Golden Eagles to even the score, 22-22. WIU then used a 10-2 burst to jump back in front by eight before ORU battled back to eventually take a 44-41 lead on an Abmas triple with 1:02 remaining in the half, only to see the visitors tie the game at the break, 44-44.
The teams traded leads twice in the opening minutes of the second stanza, but it was WIU that scored five-straight points for a 54-49 advantage. That lead grew as high as nine at the 12-minute media timeout until
Sheldon Stevens capped a 7-0 run scoring five points on his own to cut the deficit down to two, 66-64. After Abmas knocked down another from behind the arc, the Leathernecks took control with the game's next 10 points in a two-minute stretch for a 77-67 edge.
A technical foul on the second flop warning issued to WIU turned the tide of the game with seven minutes to play as the Golden Eagles found their rhythm on both ends of the court. ORU quickly tallied eight-straight points pulling within two, 77-75, and made another 7-0 push for a four-point lead with 1:17 to play thanks to clutch free-throw shooting. The home side made 11-of-13 tries at the charity stripe in the stretch and held the Leathernecks to 1-of-14 from the floor to secure the series-opening win, 85-81.
Turning Point
ORU flipped a switch and dominated play turning a 10-point deficit into a four-point lead behind a 15-1 run that spanned 6:36 late in the second half. It all came after a technical foul was administered to the Leathernecks for their second flop warning and brought the crowd to life down the stretch.
Individual Leaders
Oral Roberts: Abmas drew nine fouls on the day leading to 15 free-throw attempts and the Rockwall, Texas, native made them count posting 13 of his game-high 41 points at the foul line.
Western Illinois: Colton Sandage had a career day for the Leathernecks making 9-of-13 shots from distance totaling 32 points. His nine made 3-pointers tied a program record for WIU.
Inside the Box Score
- Abmas finished 6-of-12 from 3-point range and made a career-high 13 free throws going off for 41 points as he has scored at least 30 points in four-straight contests. The sophomore needs just 34 points to reach 1,000 for his career and now is the NCAA's leading scorer averaging 24.7 per game this season.
- Obanor recorded his seventh 20-point, 10-rebound game this season and 14th of his career finishing the day with 20 points and 12 rebounds, including 16 points in the first half alone. He was a force inside and out as WIU fouled the redshirt junior eight times leading to a 6-of-6 effort at the free-throw line.
- Thompson chipped in 10 points making 2-of-5 from distance, while Stevens provided a spark in the second half posting seven points and three assists.
News and Notes
- Abmas is now just the fifth player in ORU basketball history to have multiple 40-point games in a career joining Richard Fuqua (16), Greg Sutton (13), Anthony Roberts (10) and Ray Thompson (2) and is the only NCAA player this season to accomplish the feat.
- The Golden Eagles made 22 free throws on 25 attempts, the second-most makes in a game this season, and remain No. 2 in the nation making 81.5 percent at the charity stripe.
- ORU totaled a season-best nine blocks as five different players recorded at least one with
Carlos Jürgens leading the team with three.
Up Next
The Golden Eagles play their final game of the 2020-21 regular season Sunday at 4 p.m. closing the series with the Fighting Leathernecks live on ORUSN and the airwaves of 99.9FM ESPN Radio.
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