ORU Women Take Down Wisconsin, 80-63

NewsOn6.com

MADISON, Wisconsin – The Oral Roberts women's basketball team beat a Big Ten opponent for the first time in 14 years Sunday with an 80-63 win over Wisconsin.

Kevi Luper led the way for ORU (2-0) from the opening tip. She scored seven of the teams first 11 points, giving the Golden Eagles an early lead.

After Wisconsin (1-1) recovered to take the lead, ORU responded with an 11-2 run to close the half and go into the locker room with a 41-34 lead. That run swelled to 17-4 after the first few minutes of the second half to extend the Eagles' lead, and they never surrendered it.

ORU led by as much as 21 in the second half, and after that Wisconsin never got back within single digits. Luper led all scorers with 34 points on 14-of-23 shooting, while Jordan Pyle scored 16 and Georgia Jones. Luper, Pyle and Jones combined to make 26 of the team's 31 field goals.

The Eagles' only major problem came on the boards. They were outrebounded 48-26, and Taylor Wurtz had 15 rebounds by herself. Wurtz also led Wisconsin with 15 points to record the game's only double-double.

The victory marked ORU's first over a Big Ten team since 1997, when the Eagles beat Michigan State. ORU will remain on the road for its next game against North Texas at noon Wednesday.