ORU Falls in Season Opener at Marquette, 89-67

[Bogus Smith]

ORU Falls in Season Opener at Marquette, 89-67

Box Score

MILWAUKEE, Wis. – Five Marquette women’s basketball players scored in double figures to lead the Golden Eagles to an 89-67 defeat of Oral Roberts University on Saturday afternoon at the Al McGuire Center in Milwaukee, Wis. ORU freshman Georgia Jones (Manchester, England) scored 20 points in her collegiate debut, while junior Janae Voelker (Newton, Kan.) also added 20 points in the defeat.

Marquette jumped out to a 9-3 lead in the first four minutes of the opening half before Jones, Amy Pryor (Norman, Okla.) and Voelker all drilled three-pointers to lead an 11-2 run for ORU and give the Golden Eagles their first and only lead of the contest at 20-19.

The Marquette defense forced eight ORU turnovers over the following six minutes, as the Golden Eagles scored 19 unanswered points to take a commanding 38-20 lead.

Jones hit a jumper at the 2:54 mark to end the ORU drought, and followed with a three-pointer 48 seconds later to bring the contest to 38-25.

Marquette finished the half on a 23-5 run and forced 16 Golden Eagle turnovers for the 42-25 halftime advantage.

ORU opened the second half on a 7-1 run to close the deficit to 43-32, but fell into another scoring slump, as Marquette scored 14 unanswered points en route to its biggest lead of the game at 25 at the 15:02 mark.

Jones hit a three-pointer with six minutes remaining for her seventh consecutive point, which pulled the Golden Eagles to within 15. After two Voelker free throws at the 4:47 mark, ORU closed the deficit to 13 points.

Marquette’s Lauren Thomas-Johnson ended the 16-4 ORU run by busting a three-pointer 12 seconds later, as the Golden Eagles scored six unanswered to push the deficit back to 19 and put the game out of reach.

ORU’s Pryor went 3-for-3 from beyond the arc for 10 points, while Jordan Pyle (Mustang, Okla.) added 10 points and tied for the team-lead with seven boards off the bench.

The Golden Eagles host Wichita State at 7:05 on Tuesday night at the Mabee Center.