Golden Eagles Prep For Critical Summit League Clash Against SDSU

The Oral Roberts men's basketball team will travel to South Dakota State on Saturday for an important contest in terms of Summit League standings, where the Jackrabbits currently sit one game ahead of the Golden Eagles.

Saturday's game will tip off at 4:30 p.m. as part of a triple header at Frost Arena, and will be broadcast on ESPN3 and will be available online and on mobile devices through the WatchESPN app.  First-year radio broadcaster Adam Hildebrandt's radio call of the game can be heard at 97.1 FM in the Tulsa area and around the world for free through www.ORUAthletics.com and through the ORU Athletics Front Row App or ORU Golden Eagles Live App.

Quick Hits

• ORU and South Dakota State are tied 9-9 in the all-time series after the Golden Eagles won the first meeting of the year 94-88 at the Mabee Center. ORU got 24 points from Albert Owens, 20 points from Kris Martin with Jalen Bradley and Emmanuel Nzekwesi scoring 16 and 14, respectively. That victory snapped a six-game losing streak inside the series for ORU.

• Albert Owens has been virtually unstoppable in Summit League play averaging 20.8 points and 6.1 rebounds per game over the first 10 Summit League games. He has topped the 20 point mark eight times, including back-to-back career high 28-point performances against Omaha and North Dakota State.

• Last season, ORU had just one player (Obi Emegano) average in double figures scoring. This season, ORU has three above that mark; Albert Owens 17.0 ppg, Kris Martin 14.3 ppg and Jalen Bradley 14.2 ppg. All three have upped their scoring in league play; Owens 20.8 ppg, Martin 15.1 ppg and Bradley 14.8 ppg.

• The Golden Eagles had two of their best defensive performances in years to end the nonconference schedule holding No. 10 Creighton 25 points below their season average and holding Little Rock to 48 points, the fewest since 2014.

• The Golden Eagles return three starters and a total of eight lettermen from last year's squad, including three of the top four in scoring, and more than 50 percent of the total points from last year.

• Junior Albert Owens returns as the leading scorer, rebounder, free throw shooter (made) and shot blocker.

• USA Today picked the Golden Eagles to finish seventh, but tabbed freshman Dezmond McDaniel as the league's Rookie of the Year. 

For tickets, visit the Mabee Center website or call 495-7ORU (7678).