The Basics
Score: Oral Roberts 70 – South Dakota 50
Record: ORU (23-7), (12-4) – South Dakota (11-20), (5-11)
Location: Denny Sanford PREMIER Center (Sioux Falls, South Dakota)
 
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – The Oral Roberts women's basketball team put on a clinic in their first game of the Summit League Tournament as they dismantled South Dakota 70-50 Thursday afternoon in the Denny Sanford PREMIERE Center.
 
The Golden Eagles had several standout performers in the dominant win, led by Jalei Oglesby, who was nearly unstoppable in the paint, scoring 18 points on 9-of-14 shooting while grabbing seven rebounds. Taleyah Jones added 15 points, going a perfect 4-of-4 from the free-throw line. Meghan Weinrich controlled the boards with a game-high 10 rebounds while also chipping in 13 points on the way to her first career double-double. Ruthie Udoumoh was a force inside, contributing 11 points and seven rebounds, while Emily Robinson facilitated the offense with seven points and three assists.
 
ORU started the game strong, taking control early in the first quarter with efficient shooting and strong defense. Ruthie Udoumoh and Meghan Weinrich set the tone inside, combining for key early baskets as ORU built a steady lead. South Dakota's Grace Larkins responded with aggressive drives to the basket, scoring 11 of her team's 16 first-quarter points. However, ORU's balanced offense and ability to convert second-chance opportunities allowed them to finish the quarter with a 16-11 advantage.
 
In the second quarter, the Golden Eagles continued to extend their lead with steady play on both ends. Taleyah Jones provided a spark with a three-pointer and a couple of strong finishes at the rim while ORU's defense tightened, holding South Dakota to just 10 points in the period. The Golden Eagles dominated the glass, led by Makyra Tramble's seven rebounds. Despite Larkins' continued efforts to keep the Coyotes in the game, ORU controlled the tempo and entered halftime with a comfortable 30-21 lead.
 
ORU broke the game open in the third quarter, outscoring South Dakota 19-4 with suffocating defense and efficient transition play. Jalei Oglesby, the back-to-back Summit League Sixth Woman of the Year, took over, scoring 12 of her 18 points in the period, consistently finishing at the rim. The Golden Eagles forced six turnovers and held South Dakota to just 16.7% shooting in the quarter, putting the game out of reach. By the end of the third, ORU had stretched its lead to 49-25.
 
In the fourth quarter, ORU continued to dominate, pushing their lead to as many as 29 points before South Dakota made a late push. The Coyotes finally found some rhythm offensively, shooting 60% from the field in the final period, with Larkins and Alexi Hempe leading the way. However, it was too little, too late, as ORU's balanced scoring attack and dominance in the paint carried them to a convincing 70-50 victory.

The Leaders
Oral Roberts: Jalei Oglesby scored 18 points on the afternoon, shooting 9-14 from the field and adding seven rebounds.
 
South Dakota: Grace Larkins scored a game-high 24 points on 10-21 shooting and pulled down 13 rebounds.

Inside the Box Score

• The Golden Eagles won their fourth-consecutive opening-round game in the Summit League tournament.
• It's the second time in three seasons that Head Coach Kelsi Musick has defeated South Dakota in the tournament.
• Jalei Oglesby led ORU in scoring for the 11^th time this season
• Meghan Weinrich recorded her first career double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds.
• The Golden Eagles held USD to just 50 points on the afternoon, the fewest points allowed by the ORU defense versus a Summit League opponent since 1/17/2022 against St. Thomas (44).
• ORU's 23 wins are the most in a single season since 2010-11.

For the latest information on ORU women's basketball, follow @ORUWBB on X 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.