The Basics
Score: Oral Roberts 73 – Kansas City 67
Record: ORU (6-16), (2-7) – KC (10-14), (2-7)
Location: Mabee Center (Tulsa, Oklahoma)
 
TULSA, Okla. – The Oral Roberts men's basketball team defeated the Kansas City Roos 73-67 Saturday evening in front of a crowd of more than 4,000 people on Hall of Fame night.
 
The Golden Eagles soared to a 17-point halftime lead in the opening 20 minutes of action. Jalen Miller and Darius Robinson Jr. got ORU going early as the duo combined for nine of the team's first 13 points. After leading 15-13 with 12 minutes left in the half, the Golden Eagles caught fire and torched the Roos with a 14-0 run. Five different players made a basket for ORU during the run as the home team held a 16-point lead with 7:48 to play. Josh Ijeh ended the run after converting on a fast break layup following an ORU turnover. The Golden Eagles closed the half strong, though, and took a commanding 17-point lead into the break, leading 45-28.
 
After a first half full of highlights and scoring, the tide began to shift on ORU as the Golden Eagles struggled to continue the offensive rhythm they had found earlier. Jamar Brown and Gob Gob combined for 24 second-half points for the Roos as KC nearly pulled off a dramatic comeback. The road team went on a 13-0 run from the 5:25 to the 1:07 mark and held ORU without a field goal for the final 8:35. With 22 seconds remaining and ORU's lead trimmed down to just two points, star guard Issac McBride stepped up to the free throw line and knocked down two clutch shots to ice the game for the Golden Eagles. ORU held on for the final seconds and snapped its five-game losing streak with a 73-67 win over Kansas City.
 
Box Score Highlights
Oral Roberts Individuals: Issac McBride 16 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, 9-10 FT; Jalen Miller 14 points, 3-5 3PT; Sam Alajiki 11 points, 4 rebounds, 3-4 3PT.
 
Kansas City Individuals: Jamar Brown 17 points, 9 rebounds; Gob Gob 16 points, 4 rebounds; Cameron Faas 12 points, 4-9 3PT.
 
Key Team Stats
ORU shot 42.0 percent (21-50) from the floor, 45.8 percent (11-24) from three, and 71.4 percent (20-28) from the free throw line. ORU had 13 turnovers, while KC had 12. The Golden Eagles were outrebounded 40-29. ORU's bench produced 26 points, while the Kansas City reserves scored 16 points. ORU led for 37:08 minutes of the game.
 
Key Turning Point
From the 11:44 to the 7:48 mark, the Golden Eagles strung together a 14-0 run that opened up a 16-point lead for the home team. ORU made five field goals during that run and knocked down two free throws, and all five of ORU's field goals were made by a different player.
 
Key Stats & Notes

• Issac McBride led the Golden Eagles in scoring for the 13^th time this season.
• Jalen Miller nearly tied his career-high of 15 points with a 14-point outing tonight.
• Sam Alajiki reached double-digit scoring for the first time since returning from injury.
• ORU knocked down 10+ threes for the first time since 1/16/25 at South Dakota.
• ORU moves to 2-7 in Summit League play.
• Kansas City has now lost seven straight games.
• McBride is up to 1,804 points in his ORU career.

Up Next
The Golden Eagles resume action next Saturday, February 8, at 7:00 p.m. in the Mabee Center against South Dakota.
 
For the latest information on ORU men's basketball, follow @ORUMBB on X, Instagram, and Facebook or go to www.ORUAthletics.com. Fans can also receive updates on the team by downloading the ORU Athletics App in the Google Play or App Store.