Hot-Shooting Golden Eagles Cruise Past Bison 98-69

Kevi Luper led the Golden Eagles once again with 32 points on 14-21 shooting, while pulling down a team-high seven rebounds in the victory.

As a team ORU fired a sizzling 69 percent (9-13) from beyond the arc in the opening half, and finished the contest with a 50 percent clip from the field, including a 54 percent (13-24) showing from distance.

The Golden Eagles showed no ill-effects from the long road trip this past weekend, jumping up 11-2 early and grabbing their first double-digit lead (23-13) on a Dominique Allen put-back with 11:55 showing.  

A resilient North Dakota State team was able to reel the Golden Eagles back to within two points (25-23) by the seven minute mark, but a 13-2 ORU scoring outburst over the next four minutes put the hosts back in command with a 14 point lead with time winding down.

Jordan Pyle put the finishing touches on a brilliant ORU first half, canning a three as the clock expired to give the Golden Eagles a 49-35 cushion at intermission. 

ORU kept their foot on the gas in the final 20 minutes, moving the lead to as many as 33 late in the game before settling for the 29 point victory.

The scrappy Golden Eagle defense swiped 17 steals on the game and scored 31 points off of 25 Bison miscues. 

Pyle finished with 19 points, five boards and tied a career-best with five steals. 

Savanna Buck added 15 points for ORU with a 4-6 display from downtown. 

Abby Plucker led the way for North Dakota State with 26 points and nine rebounds while shooting 4-8 from the land of plenty. 

With the victory, ORU improves to 16-7 overall and 12-0 in the Summit League. The current 11 game winning streak ties this year’s squad with the 1979-80 Golden Eagles for the fourth longest in program history.

North Dakota State falls to 10-12 on the year and 6-6 in conference.

The Golden Eagles are back in action this Monday, as they host South Dakota State at 7:05 p.m. in the Mabee Center.