TULSA—Oral Roberts University couldn't overcome 30 percent shooting and a minus-12 rebounding margin in a 50-43 season-opening loss to crosstown rival Tulsa in the annual Mayor's Cup game, Saturday at TU's Reynolds Center.

In what proved to be the lowest-scoring Mayor's Cup game ever, the teams combined to shoot less than 35 percent from the field, including 16.7 percent (5-30) from 3-point range.

It didn't get any better at the free throw line for either team, as ORU was only 10-of-21 from the stripe while Tulsa was 8-of-20. Tulsa out-rebounded ORU, 45-33.

Despite the poor shooting and the rebounding discrepancy, ORU was in the game until the end.

"It's difficult when you come into a hostile environment and you don't make plays down the stretch, you're not going to win," said ORU head coach Scott Sutton. "We couldn't get the big basket we needed in the final minutes."

Tulsa's Ben Uzoh led all scorers with 20 points, the only player on either team who consistently put the ball in the basket. Uzoh was 9-of-15 from the field. Without him, TU shot just 11-for-36.

ORU and Tulsa battled back-and-forth through a defensive first half, which saw ORU lead by as many as four (8-4). The Golden Hurricane grabbed their first lead when an Uzoh free throw made it 11-10 with 7:34 before halftime.

The Golden Eagles gained their final lead of the game on a pair of free throws by Kelvin Sango (Tulsa, Okla.) with 4:23 left in the half, making it an 18-17 game. Tulsa responded by scoring the final nine points of the half, and taking a 25-17 halftime lead.

ORU came out early in the second half and got right back in the game. Robert Jarvis (Humble, Texas) scored five straight points and Dominique Morrison (Kansas City, Mo.) added a jumper in the lane to put the Golden Eagles within 29-26 with 14:58 left.

Tulsa maintained a 4-7 point lead for the next 10 minutes before ORU made one final push. Down 47-39 with 4:38 remaining, the Golden Eagles got a jumper and a pair of free throws by Marcus Lewis (Long Beach, Calif.) to make it 47-43 with 3:19 left. But ORU missed three shots and had a turnover on its final four possessions as Tulsa held on.

Jarvis led ORU with 12 points, but was just 4-of-19 from the field including a 1-of-10 effort from three-point range. Lewis added 11 points and eight boards. Morrison chipped in with nine points, three blocks and two rebounds.

Glenn Andrews aided Uzoh's effort with 11 points, while 7-foot-1 center Jerome Jordan added eight points, 10 rebounds and three blocks before leaving with cramps mid-way through the second half.

The Golden Eagles return to action when they host John Brown, 7:05 p.m., Monday at Mabee Center.

--ORU--