Kevi Luper Sets Summit Scoring Record
RECORD BREAKER: ORU junior Kevi Luper set the Summit League career scoring record on Feb. 4 against North Dakota State.
Oral Roberts University junior guard Kevi Luper set the Summit League career scoring record on Feb. 4 as the Golden Eagles topped North Dakota State University, 84-75, at the Bison Sports Arena.
Luper scored 41 points in the game, the second-highest total of her collegiate career. The two-time All-American ended the game with 2,120 career points, 15 better than former standout Krista Ragan’s previous summit league record of 2,105.
Luper’s 41-point effort also broke a 27-year-old Bison Sports Arena single-game scoring record.
The Adair product was 16-for-28 from the floor, 3-for-5 from three-point range and 6-for-6 from the free throw line. She came into the game needing 27 points to break Ragan’s record, which fell at the 12:15 mark of the second half.
The game also marked a resurgent effort from junior Jaci Bigham, who scored 12 points and dished eight assists. Freshman Bernadett Balla was also a huge factor in the win, contributing 10 points and pulling down eight rebounds.
had four players in double figures, led by Hannah Linz with 18. Janae Burich and Dani DeGagne scored 15 points each, while Jamie Van Kirk scored 11.
Burich led all players with 14 rebounds.
The Bison could not miss in the first five minutes, knocking down four of their first five three-point attempts. A long bomb by Linz at the 15:12 mark gave them a 15-11 advantage.
But the pendulum swung in ORU’s favor midway through the half, as the Golden Eagles mounted an 8-2 run to claim the lead. Luper kicked off the spurt with back-to-back baskets, and Oral Roberts led, 27-21, with 7:30 left in the half.
Luper was the star as went on an 8-0 run to build their first double-digit lead of the game. The junior hit a pair of three-pointers during the run, giving the Golden Eagles a 40-29 edge.
They carried a 44-36 lead into the halftime locker room. Luper scored 19 points in the opening period.
Luper went on a one-man crusade early in the second half, scoring seven straight points to pad ORU’s lead to 53-41 with 14:58 left.
Soon, the Summit’s scoring record was in sight. Luper broke the record with 12:15 remaining in the game on a pull-up jumper from the left baseline. The basket gave the Adair product 2,107 career points and put ahead, 59-45.
tried to rally, cutting the deficit to seven points, at 75-68, with 2:17 to play. But the home team would get no closer.
Luper did not just excel in the scoring column on this record-breaking night. The two-time Summit League Player of the Year added seven steals, five rebounds and four assists.
Her 41-point game equals the 11th-highest scoring performance in history.
The next record in Luper’s sights is the all-time scoring mark of 2,192 points, held by Vivian Herron.
Updated 02-27-2012
READER COMMENTS
About Post Author
