Feb. 9, 2009

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ROCHESTER, Mich. - Senior April Kidd scored a career-high 28 points, tied a career-high with seven assists, grabbed five rebounds and tallied four steals, while junior Melissa Jeltema added 16 points with eight rebounds, and sophomore Brittany Carnago scored 14 points with six rebounds, six blocks, and four assists as the Oakland University women's basketball team (19-5, 11-2 Summit League) won a 79-75 overtime thriller over Oral Roberts (11-12, 4-8 Summit League) on Monday night at the Athletics Center O'Rena.

"Oral Roberts is a good team and we have a really fun rivalry," said head coach Beckie Francis. "We have so much history with them and I knew they were going to come and play. It didn't matter what they have been doing in the past or what their record was, we knew they were going come after us. We beat them at their place and I was really proud that the team fought that battle. It was really fun."

With the win, Oakland moves to 5-2 in overtime games at the O'Rena all-time, and 2-0 in overtime games against Oral Roberts.

Kidd opened scoring in a see-saw first half that saw the Golden Eagles quickly take charge, pulling ahead by six (10-4) just three minutes into the game. Oakland pulled to within one (14-13) at the 13:00 mark, but ORU pulled away again, taking a six-point (25-19) lead with 8:16 remaining.

Sophomore Stacey Farrell drained a pair of free throws to pull OU to within four and after a pair of missed layups, Jeltema found the basket in the paint to pull the Golden Grizzlies to within two. After a Monah Pegorari miss on the ensuing possession for ORU, sophomore Anna Patritto converted a transition layup to tie the game at 25-25 with 6:42 remaining.

The two teams went scoreless until the 3:04 mark, when ORU's Jordan Pyle gave the Golden Eagles the lead (27-25) once more with her layup. However, the Golden Grizzlies knotted the game once again on a layup by Carnago, and then took the lead as sophomore Kirstie Malone hit a layup in transition with 2:17 remaining. ORU knotted the game with just 25 seconds left in the half, and for the first time all season, the Golden Grizzlies went into halftime tied.

Oakland opened scoring in the second half as freshman Sharise Calhoun drained a 3-pointer, but Oral Roberts quickly reclaimed the lead and pushed ahead by as many as seven (44-37) before OU scored nine unanswered points, tying the game on a 3-pointer by Kidd and taking the lead (46-44) on a layup by Jeltema with 12:17 remaining. The OU lead would be short-lived, as Oral Roberts reclaimed the lead at the 11:19 mark on a 3-pointer by Cristal Turner. ORU would maintain an advantage until, with 58 seconds remaining in regulation, Jeltema converted an old-fashioned 3-point play to give OU a two-point (64-62) lead.

On the next possession, however, ORU's Amy Prior got off a layup to knot the game at 64-64, and OU missed two chances in the final five seconds that would have averted overtime.

Oral Roberts claimed the lead early in the overtime period as Janae Voelker hit a jumper 30 seconds in to give ORU a 66-64 lead. After Jeltema split a pair of free throws, Kidd picked up one of her four steals and went all the way in transition, picking up an easy layup to give OU a 67-66 lead.

Carnago pushed the OU lead to three (69-66) after converting a pair of free throws, and the Golden Grizzlies extended their lead to as many as seven (73-66) before Oral Roberts began a furious rally. ORU's Mariana Camargo hit a layup with 1:16 left to pull the Golden Eagles to within five, and then picked up a steal and scored a transition basket to narrow the OU lead to three (73-70) with 58 seconds remaining.

ORU began fouling Kidd, and Kidd converted three of her four attempts over the next 30 seconds to push the OU lead to six (76-70), but a quick 3-pointer by ORU's Georgia Jones halved the Oakland lead with 28 seconds remaining. Kidd was sent to the line once again after a quick ORU foul, and split her pair of free throws to push the Oakland lead back to four, but Camargo drove the lane on ORU's next possession to pull the Golden Eagles to within two (77-75), drawing a foul on the shot and a chance to pull the Golden Eagles to within one.

Her free-throw rimmed out into the waiting hands of teammate Voelker, giving ORU a final opportunity to either tie the game or win on a final-second shot, however, Camargo lost control of the ball with two seconds left and once again the Golden Eagles were forced to foul Kidd.

The senior drained both chances with two seconds left, giving Oakland a four-point lead, and the Golden Eagles were unable to get off a final shot, closing out yet another thrilling chapter in the ongoing rivalry between the two teams.

With the win, the Golden Grizzlies captured a regular-season sweep of the Golden Eagles for the first time, having topped ORU 62-48 earlier this season in Tulsa.

ORU was led by Camargo's 24 points, while Monah Pegorari turned in a game-high 11 boards. Oakland was led by Jeltema's eight rebounds.

The Golden Grizzlies were able to pickup the win despite ORU holding an advantage in shooting percentage (51.6 to 43.8 percent) and rebounding (36 to 35). Oakland was able to capitalize on its trips to the charity stripe, making 19-of-23 free throws, while the Golden Eagles shot just 44.4 percent from the line. The Golden Grizzlies forced 18 ORU turnovers, while turning in yet another efficient offensive performance, picking up 22 assists on 28 baskets.

Oakland will return to action on Saturday, February 14, with a Valentine's Day matinee against IPFW. Tip is scheduled for 3:30 p.m.

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