Golden Eagles Get Off To Slow Start, Fall 85-66 To Missouri State

The Oral Roberts men's basketball team was ice cold from the start of the game, hitting just one of its first 15 shots and could not dig out of the hole Wednesday night as the Golden Eagles fell to Missouri State 85-66.

ORU finished the first half with just 22 points, matching its season low for a half, after shooting just 6-29 in the half. Obi Emegano led the Golden Eagles with 18 points, 16 of which came in the second half, while Albert Owens scored the team's first eight points and finished with 12 points.

Camyn Boone led Missouri State with 27 points on a 9-14 shooting effort. Dorrian Williams added 14 points and Dequon Miller chipped in 11.  

Turning Point
ORU trimmed a 25-point lead to 11 midway through the second half, but Missouri State answered with a 15-3 run to hold off the charge.

Quote of the Game
"It was a very disappointing effort and a very disappointing outcome. The bottom line is our guys weren't ready to play tonight, and I don't know why. This Missouri State team is playing so much better than when we played them the first game of the year. We have to get across to these guys that no matter how you are playing offensively, your defense has to be a constant."  - Coach Scott Sutton

Individual Leaders
Oral Roberts: Emegano led ORU with 18 points while Owens scored 12 points. Brandon Conley led the Golden Eagles on the boards with eight rebounds, while Aaron Anderson dished out a team-best four assists.
Missouri State: Boone scored 27 points while the Bears had a trio of players lead each grab seven rebounds. Williams scored 14 points and also had five assists.

Inside the Box Score
- ORU scored 66 points, matching the season low for a game after also scoring 66 in a loss at South Carolina.

- The 35.9 percent (23-64) from the field was the worst mark of the year, and just the second time this season in which ORU has shot below 40 percent.

- MSU shot 53 percent (32-60) from the field for the game, including a blistering 57 percent (19-33) in the first half.

- The Bears out-rebounded ORU 39-34. The two teams each grabbed 37 rebounds in the first meeting.

- MSU led the hustle stats with a 36-24 lead in points in the paint, 15-9 edge in points off turnovers and a 9-7 edge in second chance points.

News and Notes
- The Golden Eagles hit five 3-pointers in the game and have now made at least one triple in 100 straight games.

- With 22 points in the first half, the Golden Eagles matched their lowest scoring half of the season. ORU also scored 22 against Florida International, a game the Golden Eagles eventually won in overtime.

- Owens scored the first eight points of the game for ORU before Emegano hit a pair of free throws to break his streak.

- ORU trimmed the lead quickly and got it down to an 11-point deficit midway through the second half after a Jalen Bradley baseline jumper, but Missouri State answered with a 15-3 run, going 6-6 from the field during the stretch.

Up Next
ORU's five-game road trip continues this weekend as the Golden Eagles travel to LSU Saturday and then New Mexico State Monday.