Oral Roberts Holds Off Cajuns, 62-53

TULSA, Okla. ? Despite shooting 35.1 percent from the floor, Louisiana's men's basketball squad was in the hunt for its first road victory of the season for the majority of the game. However, a second-half scoring spurt by Oral Roberts was the difference as the Golden Eagles held off the Ragin' Cajuns 62-53 Tuesday night at the Mabee Center.

Louisiana (1-2) lost its fourth straight road game, dating back to last season. Tuesday's defeat marked the second straight loss for the Cajuns at the Mabee Center. The win snapped Oral Roberts' (2-2) two-game losing streak.

Oral Roberts' Robert Jarvis led all players with 19 points, while Marcus Lewis and Yemi Ogunoye each added 13 points. Ogunoye and Marchello Vealy, who made his season debut after serving a three-week suspension, grabbed a game-high eight boards.

Louisiana was paced senior David Dees (Dayton, Ohio), who chipped in 10 points. Elijah Millsap (Grambling, La.) added nine points and six rebounds.

Oral Roberts scored the first two buckets in the opening minutes of the second half to help jumpstart a 9-2 run, giving the Golden Eagles a 36-27 edge. UL responded with a long Corey Bloom (New Orleans, La.) three-pointer to cut the deficit to 36-30.

ORU's double-digit would soon return in the second half as the Golden Eagles then went on a 7-0 run to take a commanding 13-point edge, 43-30, with 10:34 remaining. But, just like ORU's earlier run in the second half, the Cajuns would answer with a triple ? this time from Dees. Dees' three and a Dison free throw would briefly cut the lead to less than 10 points, 43-34.

Louisiana eventually pulled to within five points, 50-45, with 3:33 left in regulation. The Cajuns had their share of chances to get closer, but missed shots and inopportune fouls down the stretch were the difference.

For the third straight contest, Louisiana controlled the game's opening tip. However, an ill-advised shot by Millsap and a quick foul led to an Oral Roberts basket, giving the home team an early 2-0 advantage.

ORU took a 4-1 edge heading into the first media timeout at the 15:37 mark, holding the Cajuns to 0-for-6 shooting from the field. It took Louisiana two more chances before making its first points from the floor thanks to a Chris Grandigo (Lake Charles, La.) runner in the lane.

Louisiana managed to cut the ORU lead to 9-7 on a Brandon Dison (New Orleans, La.) fast-break lay-up at the 10:57 mark. The Golden Eagles then went on an 8-0 run to bring their lead to double digits for the first time, 17-7.

The Cajuns responded with back-to-back baskets by Tyren Johnson (Edgard, La.). A triple and another jumper by Johnson brought the deficit back down to five points, 17-12. ORU quickly gained back those five points on successive shots by Jarvis.

With a 10-point lead in favor of Oral Roberts, Louisiana once again began chipping away. A five-point spurt brought the Cajuns to within five, 22-17. But, another Oral Roberts three-pointer would stall any further run by the Cajuns as the Golden Eagles clung to a 25-17 edge.

Despite a sub-par first half of shooting, Louisiana closed the opening stanza on an 8-2 run to enter the locker room down just two points, 27-25.

Louisiana was 10-of-30 from the field in the first half, while making just 2-of-10 from three-point range. Millsap tallied a team-high seven points and four rebounds, while Johnson added five points. Oral Roberts enjoyed a slightly better-shooting first half, hitting 47.8 percent of its shots on 12-of-23 shooting.

Lewis led all first-half scorers with 11 points. Jarvis added seven points and four rebounds.

Louisiana's Ragin' Cajuns return to action Tuesday, Nov. 27, when they host Conference USA member UAB at the CAJUNDOME. Tip-off is set for 7:05 p.m.

LOUISIANA-LAFAYETTE (53)

Dees, David 3-9 2-2 10; Millsap, Elijah 4-14 0-0 9; Dison, Brandon 3-6 1-2

7; Wallace, Courtney 3-3 1-3 7; Johnson, Tyren 2-3 0-0 5; Gradnigo, Chris

2-7 0-0 4; Daigle, Randell 1-3 0-0 3; Bloom, Corey 1-3 0-0 3; Milson, Abray

1-2 0-0 2; Barksdale, Maurice 0-3 2-2 2; Lago, Willie 0-2 1-2 1; Gary,

La'Ryan 0-2 0-0 0. Totals 20-57 7-11 53.

ORAL ROBERTS (62)

JARVIS, Robert 4-6 10-12 19; OGUNOYE, Yemi 4-5 2-3 13; LEWIS, Marcus 6-7 1-3

13; KING, Shawn 3-7 2-3 8; LIBERTY, Adam 0-1 5-6 5; EHAMBE, Moses 1-10 1-2

3; VEALY, Marchello 0-3 1-3 1; ALLEN, Curtis 0-0 0-0 0; HARDY, Andre 0-0 0-0

0. Totals 18-39 22-32 62.

Halftime: ORU 27, UL 25. 3-point goals--Louisiana-Lafayette 6-20 (Dees, David 2-5; Millsap, Elijah 1-2; Bloom, Corey 1-3; Johnson, Tyren 1-2; Daigle, Randell 1-3; Barksdale, Maurice 0-2; Lago, Willie 0-2; Gary, La'Ryan 0-1), Oral Roberts 4-12 (OGUNOYE, Yemi 3-4; JARVIS, Robert 1-2; EHAMBE, Moses 0-5; VEALY, Marchello 0-1). Fouled out--Louisiana-Lafayette-None, Oral Roberts-None.

Rebounds--Louisiana-Lafayette 27 (Millsap, Elijah 6), Oral Roberts 40

(OGUNOYE, Yemi 8; VEALY, Marchello 8). Assists--Louisiana-Lafayette 10

(Millsap, Elijah 2), Oral Roberts 11 (OGUNOYE, Yemi 4). Total

fouls--Louisiana-Lafayette 27, Oral Roberts 18. Technical

fouls--Louisiana-Lafayette-None, Oral Roberts-None. A-4613