ORU Men Fall In Regular Season Finale

Oral Roberts cut a 12 point lead down to four in the final minute of the game but couldn't complete the comeback, falling 88-82 to Northwestern State to finish the regular season. With a 16-15 overall record and 10-8 mark in Southland Conference play, ORU tied for fifth in the regular season standings. Northwestern State ends the regular season 16-13 (12-6 SLC).

ORU shot 42 percent (29-69) for the game, including a 33-percent (7-21) mark from 3-point range in the game, but got 26 points from Shawn Glover, and 21 from Korey Billbury, 12 of which came in the final five minutes of the game. Glover and Billbury each had nine rebounds as ORU out-rebounded the Demons 39-36. Brandon Conley added 10 points and eight rebounds.

NSU (16-13, 12-6) got 22 points from Zikiteran Woodley and 19 from Jalan West to lead the offense. West also had a game high seven assists. Brison White added 14 points and DeQuan Hicks chipped in 11 points and eight rebounds.

The first half was a game of runs, with ORU making the first one with a total team effort. The Golden Eagles got points from four different players during the 13-0 spurt that took ORU from a 19-13 hole to a 26-19 lead.

With ORU up 30-24, the two teams traded mini six-point runs as the Demons tied the game and then ORU re-took the advantage at 36-30.

Over the final 4:38 of the half, it was all Demons as they out-scored ORU 12-3 to take a 42-39 lead before a Glover jumper with 31 seconds left, his 16th point in the first half, got ORU within one going into the locker room.

The runs continued in the second half as the Demons put together an 8-1 run to open up a 60-52 advantage before an Adrion Webber triple stopped the run and got it back to a five point game.

Webber stepped up again and drained one from long range to cut the lead down to four, 64-60 midway through the half. He finished the game with three treys, matching his career high.

Still within striking distance, down 74-67 after a Conley basket, the Golden Eagles got the looks they wanted but couldn't hit the shots and a 3-pointer by Zikiteran Woodley pushed it out to a 79-67 Demon lead.

Billbury answered with a 3-pointer and 3-point play, to make things interesting, and after forcing a turnover, Webber hit his third 3-pointer to make it a four-point game, 82-78 with less than a minute to play.

With a 9-10 mark from the free throw line in the final two minutes, the Demons held were able to hold off the ORU charge.

The Golden Eagles will be the sixth seed in the upcoming Southland Conference Tournament. The complete tournament bracket will be released after the conclusion of regular season play.