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Western Illinois University Athletics

MBB_ORU_FP
WIU Visual Productions Center
66
Winner Oral Roberts ORU 8-8, 2-1 SL
57
Western Illinois WIU 7-8, 2-2 SL
Winner
Oral Roberts ORU
8-8, 2-1 SL
66
Final
57
Western Illinois WIU
7-8, 2-2 SL
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Oral Roberts ORU 33 33 66
Western Illinois WIU 27 30 57

Game Recap: Men's Basketball | | WIU Athletic Communications

Western Illinois Drops Hard-Fought Contest to Oral Roberts at Home Saturday

Garret Covington tallied a team-best 18 points, grabbed six rebounds and recorded four assists

Coach Wright Postgame Radio Interview | Coach Wright Press Conference | Photos

MACOMB, Ill. - Western Illinois men's basketball dropped a hard-fought Summit League contest at home Saturday evening (Jan. 10) to the Oral Roberts Golden Eagles, 66-57.
 
The Fighting Leathernecks fall to 7-8 overall on the year and 2-2 in league play, while ORU improves to 8-8 on the season and 2-1 in league action.
 
"I thought (tonight's game) was a competitive game," said head coach Billy Wright. "I think for the most part, in years past (Oral Roberts has always) been pretty dominant, and at the top of The Summit League year in and year out. I thought we had great shots, we just didn't make them tonight. But I was pleased with our defensive effort. It was much better than the other night at South Dakota State."
 
After falling behind 13-4 early in the contest, WIU put together a 12-3 run to knot things up 16-16 with just under 10 minutes to play in the opening half. The remainder of the first period was close with ORU scoring the final four points of the half and taking a 33-27 lead into the break.
 
WIU opened the second half by battling back to even the contest up 42-42 with 11:37 to go in regulation. The two teams then went back-and-forth for the next nine minutes before ORU pulled away, closing the game on a 12-3 run and picking up the nine-point victory.
 
Three Leathernecks finished in double figures led by sophomore guard Garret Covington who scored 18 points. The Edwardsville, Ill. native also grabbed six rebounds and dished out four assists in a team-high 38 minutes of play.
 
Juniors Jamie Batish and Tate Stensgaard scored 14 and 11 points, respectively. Stensgaard also pulled down a team-high eight boards.
 
Both teams struggled from the field and long range. ORU made just 17-of-50 (34.0%) from the field, while WIU only connected on 17-of-53 (32.1%). Western edged Oral Roberts from beyond the arc, making 6-of-17 (35.3%) compared to the Golden Eagles who made 4-of-13 (30.8%).
 
Western knocked down an impressive 17-of-20 (85%) from the free throw line, while Oral Roberts made 28-of-36 (77.8%).
 
The Leathernecks had more assists, 10-6, but committed more turnovers, 13-9.
 
Western hits the road for a pair of league games next week, playing at Denver on Wednesday (Jan. 14) and at North Dakota State (Jan. 16). WIU's game at Denver is slated for 6 p.m. CT and the game at NDSU will tip at 7 p.m. CT.

 
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