Jan. 10, 2009
Box Score | Notes
TULSA, Okla. - Senior Erik Kangas let one fly from half court as time expired in overtime but the shot fell just off the mark and Oral Roberts (6-11, 4-1 Summit) held off Oakland University (10-9, 3-3 Summit), 68-65, on Saturday night in men's basketball action in the Mabee Center. Kangas finished with a game-high 20 points.
"I thought we defended well, but a lot of things went against us at the end," said OU coach Greg Kampe. "There were a lot of obstacles that our guys overcame, but they just could not overcome all of them."
Joining Kangas in double figures was junior Johnathon Jones, sophomore Keith Benson and senior Dan Waterstradt. Jones finished with 16 points before being whistled for his fifth foul just seconds in to the extra session. Benson scored 14 points, while Waterstradt tallied 11 points to go with nine rebounds.
Leading the Golden Eagles were seniors Marcus Lewis and Robert Jarvis, scoring 17 points each. Lewis grabbed 11 rebounds for a double-double, while freshman Kyron Stokes was the final ORU player in double figures with 11.
The game witnessed 15 lead changes with the Golden Eagles' bench outscoring the Golden Grizzlies, 19-4. The battle of the boards was won by OU, 36-34, with both teams shooting near 40 percent for the game.
Jones had an opportunity to put the Golden Grizzlies ahead late with a jumper in the paint and the score tied at 54, but it was off the mark, but he grabbed his own rebound to give OU another chance. This time the ball found Kangas just inside the 3-point line with 30 seconds left, but that was just off the mark and the Golden Eagles had a chance to win the game in regulation.
Jarvis drove to the basket and his shot missed the mark, but Lewis had a pair of tips that did not go and the game went in to overtime.
What happened next was gold for ORU. Jones was called for his fifth foul on a 3-point attempt by Jarvis allowing the senior to step to the free throw line for three shots, and send OU's point guard to the bench for the rest of the contest. Sparked by that call, the Golden Eagles started the extra session with a 7-0 run.
Benson made a pair of free throws and Kangas drilled a jumper to get Oakland back within five points, 63-58, with 3:02 remaining. After a Golden Eagles' turnover, Kangas struck again with a big 3-pointer to bring it back to a one possession game 63-61. After a big stop by the Grizzlies defense with just over a minute left in the overtime, freshman Blake Cushingberry tossed the in-bounds play over the head of freshman Matt Samuels that went out of bounds and back to the Golden Eagles.
ORU made both free throws after being fouled and Benson split a pair of free throws with 41 seconds left to make the score 65-62. ORU's Stokes made both free throws and Kangas responded with yet another 3-pointer to bring it back to two, 67-65.
Jarvis was fouled and split the pair to allow Oakland one last chance at sending the game in to a second overtime. Kangas got the ball on the run and shot it from just past the half court line, but the ball hit the back left part of the iron and went wide as the Grizzlies fell by three.
OU will have a week off before traveling to Fort Wayne, Ind. to face IPFW (7-10, 2-4) in Summit League action next Saturday. Tip is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET.
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