Jackrabbits falter at ORU

Saturday, January 7

Tulsa, Okla.

2:05 PM

South Dakota State University

Oral Roberts

1/7/2012 5:36:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score

By: SDSU Sports Info

TULSA, Okla. - Oral Roberts shot 58 percent in the second half, erasing a double-digit deficit to pull out a 71-65 victory over South Dakota State in Summit League women's basketball action Saturday afternoon at the Mabee Center.

The preseason favorite Golden Eagles improved to 9-6 overall and pulled even in the loss column in league play with SDSU at 3-1. The Jackrabbits dropped to 9-7 overall and 4-1 in The Summit League.

SDSU held the lead for most of the afternoon, scoring from both the perimeter and inside to build a 17-4 lead in the opening eight and a half minutes. Jill Young bookended a 15-0 run with a pair of three-pointers and fellow senior Jennie Sunnarborg scored two baskets in the paint as part of the outburst.

After the Jackrabbits regained a 13-point lead at 26-13, the final seveb minutes of the front half belonged to ORU. The Golden Eagles finished with a 14-3 run of their own to pull to within a basket, 29-27, at intermission.

ORU gained its first lead since the opening minutes of the game on a three-pointer by Jordan Pyle with 14 minutes, 46 seconds remaining to put the Golden Eagles up 40-39. The lead was short-lived, however, as Tara Heiser answered with a trey 12 seconds later to ignite a 14-2 Jackrabbit run that gave SDSU a 53-42 lead midway through the second stanza.

As it did in the first half, ORU strung together a big run of its own as it was aided by three turnovers in the backcourt by the Jackrabbits. Georgia Jones fueled the 14-2 ORU run with nine points, including two three-pointers. The second trifecta put the Golden Eagles back in front, 56-55.

Two free throws by Sunnarborg gave SDSU a momentary 57-56 lead before the Golden Eagles reeled off the next six points. The Jackrabbits crawled back to within one at 63-62 on a Jill Young basket with 3:33 left, but two-time reigning Summit League Player of the Year Kevi Luper hit a 17-foot jumper to expand the lead to four and sealed the victory with a steal and layup in the closing seconds.

Pyle led ORU with 17 points, while Luper and Jones each tallied 15. The Golden Eagles finished the game 27-of-51 from the field, 52.9 percent, including a 15-for-26 effort in the second half. ORU was 4-of-10 on three-point tries - 4-of-6 in the second half - and 13-of-22 at the free throw line.

The Jackrabbits ended the afternoon 22-of-57 from the field, 38.6 percent, including 8-of-25 from three-point range. At the line, SDSU converted 13-of-16 attempts, 81.3 percent.

Sunnarborg tied a season high with 23 points as the Osseo, Minn., native went 9-for-9 at the free throw line. Young finished the game with 16 points, going 4-of-9 on three-point attempts.

For the first time all season, the Jackrabbits were out-rebounded by a Summit League opponent. ORU held a 36-30 edge with Amber Carver and Dominique Allen each hauling in seven boards. Ashley Eide led the Jackrabbits with seven rebounds to share game-high honors.

NOTES: Oral Roberts leads the all-time series 6-5 and has won the last five regular season meetings ... ORU was ranked 20^th in the latest CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Poll, while the Jackrabbits were receiving votes ... SDSU is 7-2 this season when leading at the half ... Young increased her school-record three-point total to 261 and vaulted three spots on the Jackrabbit career scoring list to 25^th place with 1,134 points, passing Dawn Hull (1,125 from 1993-96), Lisa Kannegieter (1,130 points from 1991-94) and Lori Fish (1,133 points from 1987-90)... Young is shooting 48.5 percent (16-of-33) from three-point range in league play ... Sunnarborg upped her career point total to 967 and is averaging 19.8 points per game in Summit games this season ... ORU committed 16 turnovers, compared to 14 by the Jackrabbits ... attendance was 1,078