TULSA, Oklahoma - For thirty-one minutes, the East Texas Baptist University men's basketball team hung with NCAA Division I Oral Roberts University in an exhibition contest before a late run by the Golden Eagles ended the hopes of an upset, 93-66. ETBU remains at 14-3 and will return to regular season action on Thursday in American Southwest Conference play vs. Texas Tyler.
ETBU was led by
Darrice Whitley (15 points) and Westin Reddick (12 points) who combined for 27 points. Whitley also led ETBU with six rebounds while
Landin Brown collected four assists to lead ETBU. ORU was led by Albert Owens, who collected a double-double with a game high 22 points and 13 rebounds. Jontray Harris (10 points, 12 rebounds) and Emmanuel Nzekwesi (12 points, 11 rebounds) also had double-doubles while Javan White (11 points) and RJ Fuqua (11 points) also reached double-figures.
ETBU finished the game shooting 35.6% from the field, 33.3% from the three-point line, and 40.0% from the free-throw line. ORU took control of the temp outshooting ETBU in field goal percentage (47.4%), and out rebounding ETBU (60-35).
After ORU started the game with a layup, ETBU would get five unanswered points from a
Jordan Gosey layup (18:46) and a Riddick three (18:06) to lead 5-2. This would be the first of four times ETBU would grab the lead against ORU in the first half. The Golden Eagles would answer with a 14-4 run (17:34-15:43) to lead 16-9. ETBU then surprised ORU by countering with a 12-5 run (15:30-13:13), which included two threes by Riddick (14:44, 13:50) while Whitley (15:30) and
Nathan Fontenot (13:13) added a three of their own. It was tied at 21-21 when ORU retook the lead (12:50) only for Brown to grab ETBU's second lead with a three to go up 24-23 (12:05). Once again, ORU put together another run by scoring six unanswered points to lead 29-24 (9:29). But once again, ETBU answered by going on a 7-2 run (8:20-7:13) to lead 31-29 following a layup by Dooley. Each team traded baskets before Dooley would give ETBU their final lead of the half at 38-37 on a three-pointer. ORU would finish the half with a 7-1 run to lead 44-39.
Brown started the second half with a three just twenty-nine seconds in to trail by two (44-42), which would be the closest ETBU would get to. ORU would then go on a 7-2 run (19:11-17:41) to lead 51-44 only to see ETBU score four unanswered points to trail 51-48 (16:07). The Golden Eagles would then push the lead to seven points (57-50) with 15:04 to go. Yet, ETBU didn't back down as they would score six of the game's next eight points capped off by a
Gavin Sabo layup (12:42) to trail 59-56. But from that point on, ORU would catch fire that ETBU could not keep up as a series of big runs would proved to be the difference in the game. ORU first run of 13-0 (11:26-6:47) for five minutes saw them up 72-56. ETBU would cut the lead to 75-60 (5:33) before ORU answered with a 16-0 run to lead 91-60 (1:49). ETBU scored their final six points from
Dion Mack (1:30) and
Richard Johnson (0:58, 0:34), which led to the final score of 93-66.
ETBU returns home to conference play this Thursday when they battle with the University of Texas Tyler at Ornelas Gym at 7:30 PM.
