CEDAR CITY, Utah - Southern Utah University had four players score in double-figures
but a couple late driving layups gave Oral Roberts University a 71-69 victory
in the Centrum Arena Saturday evening.
The Thunderbirds (8-17, 4-10 Summit League)
were led by freshman forward Kyle Davis who notched team-highs of 17 points and
nine rebounds while junior point guard Ray Jones Jr. finished with 13 points,
six boards and three assists. Southern Utah shot 43 percent from the field and
outrebounded ORU (13-14, 10-5 Summit League)
41-24 but saw the Golden Eagles score 20 points off of 16 SUU turnovers.
Junior forward Matt Massey and sophomore forward Jackson Stevenett each
finished with 10 points.
"I liked how we came out and competed and
battled hard on the boards but the turnovers hurt us," commented head coach
Roger Reid. "Kyle worked hard for rebounds and I thought we did a good job
defensively throughout the game but gave up a couple driving layups late that
were the difference."
Southern Utah led in the early minutes as
Davis and Jones Jr. opened the game with back-to-back threes but ORU eventually
took its first lead of the game midway through the half. The Golden Eagles
owned a 10-point, 26-16 lead at the 8:56 mark after a 9-2 run. Their lead would
say around that marl before the
Thunderbirds closed the half with an 8-3 spurt and go into the break trailing
37-32.
Davis led all players with 13 points through
the first 20 minutes as ORU had forced SUU into 11 turnovers and scored 15
points off those miscues.
Jones Jr. scored four quick points to make it
a one-point game just seconds into the second half but ORU countered with a 6-0
run to regain a seven-point lead. Minutes later, senior guard Ryan Brimley's
three made it a two-point game and Stevenett added a layup to tie the game at
49-49 at 14:49 mark.
Stevenett would give the Thunderbirds the
lead with a pair of free throws two minutes later and SUU would hold its lead
until an Oral Roberts three tied the game at 57-57 with 7:19 remaining.
ORU regained the lead on a free throw at 6:14
and went on to keep their lead in single digits for the rest of the way. SUU
got within one a couple times on layups by Jones Jr. and Massey with just under
two minutes to go but the Golden Eagles continued to knock down free throws and
finish on a couple driving layups to hold off the Thunderbirds.
Massey's rebound putback made it 63-62 Oral
Roberts but ORU converted on free throws on the ensuing possession before
blocking a pair of shots in the next two SUU possessions.
Following an ORU layup, Massey was fouled
with 15 seconds on the clock and hit the first free throw. He missed the second
but the rebound was knocked out of bounds by and Oral Roberts players. Down
68-65, the Thunderbirds got once last chance but Brimley's fall-away three off
an inbounds play bounced off front rim and ORU came away with rebound. SUU was
forced to foul and ORU hit one of two free throws. Massey then got behind the
defense on a long pass and was fouled and hit one for two free throws to make
it a 66-69 ballgame.
The Thunderbirds again had to foul but Oral
Roberts hit both free throws to open up a five-point lead with three seconds
left. Brimley hit a three as time expired to complete the scoring at 71-69.
Brimley finished with nine points and seven
boards while junior guard Jake Nielson came off the bench to record six points,
four rebounds and dish out five assists.
Southern Utah will now hit the road for its
next two games, facing IUPUI in Indianapolis on Thursday and Western Illinois
University in Macomb, Ill. on Saturday.
