The Joplin Globe, Joplin, MO

Missouri Southern Sports

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November 2, 2012

ORU surges past MSSU in exhibition

The Joplin Globe

TULSA, Okla. — Shawn Glover and Steven Roundtree combined for 43 points on 15-of-21 shooting from the field to lead Oral Roberts past Missouri Southern 83-66 Thursday night in a men’s basketball exhibition game at the Mabee Center.

Glover made 9-of-14 field goals while scoring 22 points, and Roundtree added 21 on 6-of-7 accuracy from the floor and 9-of-10 at the foul line.

Junior forward Jordan Talbert collected 18 points, six rebounds, four assists and two steals for the Lions. Junior guard Marquis Addison scored 14 points and made half of the Lions’ four 3-point goals. Point guard R.J. Leverette also had four assists, and guard Matt Everson had two steals.

The Lions led 8-6 after almost six minutes before ORU went on a 16-0 burst for a 22-8 lead. Missouri Southern cut the deficit to 29-25 on a Talbert layup and trailed 37-29 at halftime.

Oral Roberts, the preseason favorite in the Southland Conference, ran off 15 straight points early in the second half and stretched its lead to 52-30. ORU’s biggest lead was 55-32 before the Lions went on 17-5 spurt to trail 61-49 with eight minutes left.

“We played really well at times,” Lions coach Robert Corn said. “We only had 16 turnovers for the game, but it seemed like they came in spurts.

“We missed some shots, too, and they were getting the rebounds, getting it out quick and our transition defense was not very good during that stretch (early in the second half). It could have gotten really bad after that, but our guys kept plugging away and battling. We got back within 12 and had a chance to get within 10 when we had a layup blocked. We battled and competed pretty well.”

The Lions shot 43 percent (25-of-58) from the field while ORU was 28-of-48 for 58 percent. ORU outrebounded the Lions 35-24.

The Lions have another exhibition at 2 p.m. Sunday against the Missouri Tigers in Columbia.

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