Eagles win, snap home loss streak - TW (2-5-06)

[ORUTerry]

Eagles win, snap home loss streak

By LYNN JACOBSEN World Sports Writer

2/5/2006

ORU comeback helps team end its three-game skid at Mabee Center.

Rachel Watman and Leah Cannon hit free throws in the final 4.6 seconds as Oral Roberts battled back from a 10-point deficit to beat Chicago State, 53-49, before 1,079 fans on National Women and Girls in Sports Day at the Mabee Center.

The victory was the third consecutive for the Golden Eagles (11-9, 5-4 Mid-Con), who completed the sweep over the Cougars. OR defeated CSU 65-59 in Chicago earlier this year.

The win also snapped a three-game home losing streak.

"We had to have this one," said junior Elisha Turek, who scored a game-high 19 points to move into seventh place in career scoring with 1,365 points. She also finished with nine rebounds to take over third place in career rebounds with 736.

Marianna Camargo converted a conventional three-point play with 8:49 to go to ignite ORU's second-half rally. She finished with 11 points.

"Marianna can drive on anybody," Turek said. "I think she's starting to find her role on this team."

The Golden Eagles hadn't lost three games at home since 2002-03 season.

"We really pride ourselves on our home-court advantage and to lose three at home, we needed this one," Turek said.

Chandra Timberlake and Tina Hill led the Cougars (8-12, 3-6) with 12 and 11 points.

Chicago State's pressure defense gave ORU fits and resulted in 19 turnovers. But the Golden Eagles had just three turnovers in the final nine minutes.

There were eight lead changes in the first half, and six ties.

Two late baskets from Ayesha Neasley gave CSU a 30-26 halftime lead. The Cougars extended the leda to 36-26 in the first two minutes of the second half.

ORU started to chip away on a Hardin jumper and two Camargo free throws to close to 38-34 with 12:19 remaining. From there, the Golden Eagles outscored the visitors 19-8.

ORU took its first lead of the second half, 50-49, on Camargo's basket with 32.8 seconds left.

Duygu Carkci had a chance to give the Cougars the lead with six seconds to go, but the ball clanked off the rim and into Watman's hands.

Watman was then fouled intentionally and made the second of two free throws for a 51-49 lead.

ORU got the ball out of bounds on the intentional foul and Cannon asked for the inbounds pass. Fouled immediately, the 5-foot-5 senior converted both free throws to secure the win.