by STILLWATER, Okla. – Three Golden Eagles scored double-digit points in the Oral Roberts women’s basketball team’s 89-69 setback at Oklahoma State Friday evening in Stillwater, Oklahoma.
A slow start for ORU and a quick start from Oklahoma State resulted in a 36-12 opening quarter inside Gallagher-Iba Arena. The Golden Eagles shot 38 percent from the field in the first 10 minutes, but the Cowgirls went 15-for-18 overall for 83 percent and 5-for-5 from the three-point line. Oklahoma State began to cool off in the second quarter shooting 50 percent from the field and scoring 25 points, but held ORU to nine.
The Golden Eagles won the second half, out-scoring OSU in the third and fourth quarters. The Golden Eagles scored 27 in the third to OSU’s 21 and in the fourth ORU out-scored the Cowgirls 21-7. ORU had its best shooting quarter in the third going 8-for-11 from the three-point line. The Golden Eagle defense held Oklahoma State to 3-for-19 overall in the fourth quarter for 16 percent.
Lakota Beatty (Caddo/Lakota/Gros Ventre) led ORU with 23 points on the night shooting 9-for-18 overall and 5-for-11 from long range. Beatty added on seven rebounds and six assists to her stat line as well. Maya Mayberry recorded 21 points with a career high seven rebounds. Mayberry went 4-for-5 from the three-point line. Rylie Torrey also scored in double-digits with 13 points on the night.
Oklahoma State was led by Vivian Gray with 24 points and Braxtin Miller with 23. Gray shot 9-for-19 from the field and Miller went 8-for-19. Latashia Jones led the Cowgirls in rebounding with 12 and Kassidy De Lapp had 10 and was one point shy of a double-double.
THE LEADERS
Oral Roberts: Lakota Beatty led the team with 23 points. Beatty and Mayberry each recorded seven rebounds in the game
I went to this game with one question in mind – did Lakota make the right move? That night Lakota was the most seasoned player on the court, and should have been. Lakota played for 5 seasons transferring from OSU to ORU midway and starting there. Most division 1 guards transfer elsewhere if they dont get the playing time. Lakota started one game when OSU hosted Kansas. For 8 minutes the cowgirls waned until another speedy guard with little scoring ability was brought in. The mix appeared to be right as OSU eaked out a win. Lakota’s court time began to slip – with all that scoring ability. Transferring later that year Lakota sat out a year and finally became the legend scorer and offensive player at ORU. OSU can recruit bigger and better girls at post and forward, ORU is lacking. This makes it essential for the guards to make up the scoring slack. Lakota’s great toolset of 3pt, layup, and assist scoring is right for the ORU mix. Did Lakota make the right move? I say yes!