Box Score | Season Stats | 2021-22 Schedule

The Basics
Score: Oral Roberts 85 – Western Illinois 90
Record: ORU (15-8, 9-3) - WIU (14-9, 5-6)
Location: Tulsa, Okla. (Mabee Center)
 
TULSA, Okla. – After a 63 point second half, the Oral Roberts men's basketball team fell short of its comeback falling 90-85 to Western Illinois Thursday evening at the Mabee Center.
 
After a scoreless first half, ORU's Max Abmas finished the night with 33 points going 11-for-23 from the field and 6-for-12 from the three-point line. Kareem Thompson captured his second double-double of the season with 12 points and 10 rebounds after shooting 50 percent from the field.
 
Western Illinois shot the ball extremely well in Thursday's game. The Leathernecks jumped out and went on a 25-4 run over the span of 11 minutes. Western Illinois got out to their largest lead of the game in the first half going up 25 with 1:40 left in the first. Issac McBride hit two free-throws to make it a 45-22 game at the half. The Leathernecks shot 46 percent overall in the first half with three players scoring in double-digits.
 
The Golden Eagles came out in the second half and immediately went to work to cut the deficit to 12 after Thompson hit a three with 17:10 to play. ORU made it a 50-42 game at the under-16 media timeout. WIU kept the Golden Eagles at arm's length with a double-digit lead all the way to the 5:23 mark. Francis Lacis then hit a three to cut it to nine and a few possessions later, Thompson hit connected on an and-one opportunity to make it a six point game with 2:54 to play. Down the stretch, Abmas hit a jumper with 13 seconds to play to make it a 90-85 game. In the second half, the Golden Eagles scored 63 points and went 22-for-38 from the field for 58 percent.
 
A total of seven Leathernecks played in Thursday's game with five scoring in double-figures. WIU shot above average shooting 51 percent from the field and 50 percent from the three-point line. Luka Barisic managed 22 points and went 4-for-6 from the three-point line.    
 
 
Turning Point
The Golden Eagles went on a 20-5 run to begin the second half prior to the first media timeout at the 15:06 mark.

Individual Leaders
Oral Roberts: Abmas ended the night with 33 points and Thompson grabbed 10 rebounds.

Western Illinois: Barisic scored 22 and grabbed nine boards.

Inside the Box Score
- The Golden Eagles scored 32 points in the paint. ORU's bench production secured 22 points.
 
- ORU 44.8 percent from the field and 36.4 percent from beyond the arc.
 
- WIU shot 50.7 percent overall and 50.0 percent from long range.
 
- ORU was out-rebounded by WIU, 40-35. The Golden Eagles secured seven offensive rebounds.
 
News and Notes
- For his 19th consecutive game, Abmas had 10-plus points. It was his 12th-straight game to lead ORU in scoring. He's had 14 20-plus point games this season.
 
- It was the first loss to Western Illinois in five games.
 
- The Golden Eagles have scored 18 or more three-pointers in 23 games this season.

Up Next
ORU returns to the Mabee Center Saturday, Feb. 5 against St. Thomas at 7 p.m. It is Hall of Fame Night as ORU Athletics will induct three new members into the Hall of Fame.

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.