Oklahoma State Rolls Past ORU With Strong Second Half
It wasn’t always pretty, but Oklahoma State finished nonconference play on a high note.
OSU beat Oral Roberts 86-74 at Gallagher-Iba Arena in Stillwater on Sunday to improve to 8-3. Remaining undefeated at home, OSU was in a fight with its in-state opponent but had just enough to get over the hump.
While it didn’t lead to immediate separation, the Cowboys began to push the pace and play at their desired tempo in the second half. Still, it eventually helped the Cowboys push their lead past 10 and seize control.
OSU continued to push its lead before a late rally by ORU pushed the final margin closer.
After nearly losing to Tarleton State on Wednesday, OSU didn’t exactly come out like a team with something to prove. Never holding a double-digit lead in the first half, OSU struggled to gain any separation.
After being in a tight battle with the Golden Eagles for most of the first half, the Cowboys made a run going into halftime to gain some separation. With some scores from Arturo Dean and Abou Ousmane, OSU rode its run to a 38-31 halftime lead.
ORU’s success in the first half was thanks mostly to its hot shooting from beyond the arc. In the first 20 minutes, ORU shot 7-of-13 from beyond the arc to keep the game close.
Big man Andrija Vukovic earned his first meaningful minutes for the Cowboys on Sunday. He finished with six points and spent plenty of time at the foul line, shooting 10 free throws.
OSU’s ability to get to the line was not limited to Vukovic, either. The Cowboys shot 17-of-22 at the line in the first half, finishing 31-of-39 at the charity stripe. Along with the points OSU racked up at the line, getting a number of ORU’s key players in foul trouble proved to be key as the game progressed.
Ivan is a sports media student at Oklahoma State University. He has covered OSU athletics since 2022 and also covers the OKC Thunder for Inside The Thunder and Thunderous Intentions.