by TULSA, Okla. – Lakota Beatty (Caddo/Lakota/GrosVentre) scored a career high 27 points as the Oral Roberts women’s basketball team fell short, 76-72, against South Dakota Friday evening at the Mabee Center.
The Golden Eagles and Coyotes had a hard fought battle in the first half with the advantage to South Dakota who led by four at the break. ORU held South Dakota to 1-for-11 overall to start the game. Both teams bounced back and shot over 50 percent in the second quarter. Maya Mayberry led the Golden Eagles with nine points. As a whole, ORU shot 42 percent in the first half and South Dakota shot 43 percent. Ciara Duffy had 11 first half points for the Coyotes.
Lakota Beatty came out of halftime and did not miss a field goal in the second half. The senior guard scored 20 points in the third quarter, personally out-scoring the Coyotes. Beatty went 7-for-7 overall and 6-for-6 from three-point range in the third 10 minutes of play. She continued her hot shooting and went 8-for-8 in the second half and 7-for-7 from three-point range for 24 points. As a team, the Golden Eagles took a 10 point lead with 9:24 to play. South Dakota erased the deficit and took their first lead of the fourth with four minutes to go. The Coyotes went on a 21-6 run and ORU went down by six with 2:30 remaining. The Golden Eagles pulled it to within two points with seven seconds before free throws gave the Coyotes the final four point differential.
ORU shot 46 percent overall in the game and held the Coyotes to 44 percent. The Golden Eagles went 13-for-28 from long range for 46 percent. Beatty finished the night with a career high 27 points going 9-for-14 overall and 8-for-11 from three-point land. The nine field-goal makes is a career high for Beatty as well as the eight three-point makes. She also had six rebounds and four assists. Maya Mayberry had a solid night with 17 points going 3-for-5 from long range.
Allison Arens and Ciara Duffy each had 20-plus point outings. Arens led the Coyotes with 26 points and seven rebounds. Duffy had 25 points going 8-for-14 overall and 3-for-5 from beyond the arc. The Coyotes shot 34 percent from three-point range and 82 percent from the free throw line.
