The Basics
Score: Oral Roberts 68 – (RV) Ole Miss 100
Record: ORU (2-4) – OM (5-0)
Location: SJB Pavilion (Oxford, Mississippi)
 
OXFORD, Miss. – The Oral Roberts men's basketball team suffered a 100-68 defeat at Ole Miss on Thursday night at SJB Pavilion.
 
The Golden Eagles and Rebels played a competitive first half of basketball that saw a series of runs by both programs. Hot shooting by Sean Pedulla and Ole Miss saw the Rebels go up by as much as 14 points, but Issac McBride (11 first-half points) and Darius Robinson Jr. (12 first-half points) helped bring ORU back into the ballgame and cut the deficit to five with four minutes to play. Nine free throw attempts in the last three minutes helped the Rebels stretch its lead out to 10 at halftime and go into the break leading 50-40. Relentless second-half defense, however, helped Ole Miss change the tide of the game. The Rebels held ORU to just 28 points in the second half. On the other side of the ball, Ole Miss continued to gash the Golden Eagles defense putting up another 50-point half and coming away with the 100-68 win.
 
Box Score Highlights
Oral Roberts Individuals: Darius Robinson 19 points, 3-7 3PT, 2 rebounds, 2 assists; Sam Alajiki 14 points, 3 rebounds, 2 steals; Issac McBride 13 points, 4 assists.
 
Ole Miss Individuals: Sean Pedulla 19 points, 7 rebounds, 5 steals; Matthew Murrell 19 points, 4 assists, 3 steals.
 
Key Team Stats
ORU shot 42.6 percent (23-54) from the floor and 31.0 (9-29) from three. The Golden Eagles were outrebounded 37-29 by the Rebels. ORU has 21 turnovers, its highest mark of the season. Off of the 21 turnovers, the Rebels scored 37 points. Ole Miss shot an efficient 53.6 percent (37-69) from the field and had five players in double figures. The Golden Eagles had 8 assists on 23 made field goals, while the Rebels had 26 assists on 37 made baskets. Ole Miss won the points in the paint battle 44-16.
 
Turning Point
In the second half, Ole Miss tightened its defense on the Golden Eagle. It was back-and-forth between the two programs until the under-16 timeout. Ole Miss went on a 14-3 run between the under-16 and under-12 stoppage that saw its lead bloom to 20 points. From then on, the Rebels remained in control and would come away with the victory.
 
Key Stats & Notes

• Three Golden Eagles reached double digits tonight.
• ORU was outrebounded for the second game in a row after dominating the glass in its first four games.
• Darius Robinson tied his career-high of 19 points and led the Golden Eagles in scoring for the second time this year.
• ORU turned the ball over 21 times. This was the first time ORU turned the ball over 20 or more times since 11/19/19.
• This was the first time an opponent scored 100 points on the Golden Eagles since 2/24/22.
• ORU moves to 0-6 all-time against Ole Miss.

 
Up Next
The Golden Eagles are back home taking on Rogers State on Monday, November 25 at 7:30 p.m. for their last game before the Thanksgiving holiday.
 
For the latest information on ORU men's basketball, follow @ORUMBB on X, Instagram, and Facebook or go to www.ORUAthletics.com. Fans can also receive updates on the team by downloading the ORU Athletics App in the Google Play or App Store.