Box Score | Season Stats | 2019-20 Schedule

The Basics
Score: Oral Roberts 68 - North Dakota 74
Record: ORU (12-11, 5-5 SL) – UND (11-13, 5-5 SL)
Location: Grand Forks, N.D. (Betty Engelstad Sioux Center)

GRAND FORKS, N.D. – Deondre Burns scored 21 of his career-best 31 points in the second half keeping the Oral Roberts men's basketball team within striking distance, but not enough to overcome North Dakota on the road falling 74-68 Thursday night at Betty Engelstad Sioux Center.

The Golden Eagles turned a two-point deficit at halftime into a brief lead seven minutes into the second stanza, but the Fighting Hawks regained control and stretched their margin to double figures. Burns willed ORU back within one in the final four minutes only to see UND score the next five points securing its home victory.

It was a low scoring affair early as the ORU defense forced the Fighting Hawks into seven turnovers in the first 10 minutes. The Golden Eagles were unable to extend an early margin as the teams were deadlocked, 10-10, and the visitors were kept off the scoreboard for more than six minutes, while UND put up just five points for a 12-10 cushion. Turnovers on three-straight possessions by ORU saw its deficit grow from one point to nine, 28-19.

Burns scored six of the Golden Eagles' eight points during an 8-0 run covering a span of 2:25 to climb back into the contest closing the gap to one with a minute before the break. ORU entered halftime trailing 29-27 limiting UND to just one point in the final 3:30 of the opening frame.

The Golden Eagles came out of the locker room playing inspired basketball scoring the first five points of the stanza jumping in front, 32-29. Max Abmas and Emmanuel Nzekwesi scored on back-to-back possessions keeping ORU in front by one with 13 minutes to play. The Fighting Hawks broke a 45-45 tie by out-scoring the Golden Eagles 15-5 over a three-minute stretch pushing their advantage to 60-50.

Burns capped a quick, 6-0 spurt for ORU that cut UND's lead down to one, 64-63, as the clock read 3:42. The Golden Eagles were never able to get any closer as the home side responded with a 6-0 run of its own and closed out the contest, 74-68.

Quote of the Game
"Their ability to make threes made the difference and our inability to shoot the ball well tonight and, uncharacteristically, turn it over 14 times, some of which were strange turnovers. If you aren't taking care of the ball and you aren't defending the arc it adds up." – Head Coach Paul Mills

Turning Point
The Golden Eagles fought back to take a lead in the second half, but it was a 15-5 run for the Fighting Hawks that turned momentum at the mid-point of the frame. UND broke a 45-45 tie recording six-straight points and added another 6-0 stretch turning its lead to the largest of the night, 60-50, at the 8:14 mark, hitting 3-pointers on consecutive possessions.

Individual Leaders
Oral Roberts: Burns carried the Golden Eagles in the second half knocking down 9-of-12 attempts in the frame on his way to a career-best 31 points. The senior from Yazoo City, Mississippi, scored 15 of ORU's final 20 points.

North Dakota: Marlon Stewart, The Summit League's third-leading scorer, and De'Sean Allen-Eikens each finished with 20 points leading the Fighting Hawks offensively, while Kienan Walter added 19.

Inside the Box Score
- Burns registered his eighth game of the season scoring at least 20 points, but took that to a new height Thursday ending with 31 points playing a team-leading 36:13.

- Abmas did half of his offensive damage attacking the rim in transition as the freshman tallied 12 points, while setting a career high blocking two shots.

- Nzekwesi finished two points shy of a double-double totaling eight points to go with his game-high 13 rebounds as the only player to reach double-digit rebounds.

- Kevin Obanor chipped in eight points, four of which came in the ORU's first six of the night, and joined Abmas with two blocked shots.

News and Notes
- The Golden Eagles and Fighting Hawks are now tied for fifth in The Summit League standings sitting at 5-5 in conference games.

- For just the fifth time this season, ORU did not reach double digits in free throws made hitting 8-of-10.

- The Golden Eagles totaled 4-of-15 (27 percent) from distance, while UND converted 6-of-11 3-point attempts during the first 12 minutes of the second half and tallied an 11-of-27 (41 percent) effort in the game.

- ORU was held to its second-lowest offensive output of an opening half scoring just 27 points before halftime. The Golden Eagles posted only 25 points in the first half at Wichita State on Nov. 23.

Up Next
ORU plays its final game of a challenging road swing in Fargo, North Dakota, against the Bison of North Dakota State at 1 p.m.

For the latest information on ORU men's basketball, follow @ORUMBB on Twitter or Instagram, or go to www.ORUAthletics.com. Fans can also receive updates on the team by downloading the ORU Athletics Front Row App at ORUAthletics.com/frontrow  or the ORU Golden Eagles Live App in iTunes or the Google Play Store. For tickets, visit mabeecenter.com or call 495-7ORU (7678).

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