ORU women win home opener over Friends

TULSA — Behind strong performances from newcomers Taleyah Jones and Emily Robinson, the Oral Roberts University women’s basketball team rolled past Friends 10047 in the 2023-24 home opener Thursday afternoon at the ORU Mabee Center.

For the second straight game, Jones led the Golden Eagles (11) in scoring with 22 points on 8-of-18 shooting. The sophomore torched the nets in the opening quarter, netting 15 of her game-best 22 points.

Robinson notched her first collegiate double-double as the freshman registered 10 points to go along with a team-best 10 rebounds. The Bokchito native became the first ORU freshman to record a double-double since Tirzah Moore during the 2021-22 season. Robinson also added three assists and two steals on the day.

Former Howe Lady Lion Jalei Oglesby followed Jones with 16 points on 6-of-9 shooting to go along with five rebounds. Freshman Annyka Hellendrung and senior Ruthie Udoumoh each registered 12 points, while Megan Weinrich rounded out six Golden Eagles in doublefigures with 10.

ORU raced out to an 11-0 start in the opening period, capped off by an and-one from Jones at the 6:43 mark.

The Falcons (1-1) finally broke through on the scoreboard with 6:26 remaining behind an Ashlyn Ryall 3-point basket.

The Golden Eagles responded with a 13-3 surge over the next three minutes, which featured a lay-up, a 3-pointer and two free throws from Jones. Oglesby drained a midrange jumper as time expired to give ORU a commanding 35-14 lead going into the second quarter.

The Golden Eagles maintained constant pressure on the Falcons throughout the second, outscoring them 26-8. Oglesby sparked a 15-0 ORU run to open the quarter with a pull-up jumper in the paint. Transfer guard Ashlyn Sage led the charge during the surge, netting five points. During the run, ORU held Friends scoreless for nearly seven minutes, forcing six turnovers during that span. The Golden Eagles headed into the halftime break with a sizable 61-22 advantage.

Following a Weinrich jumper to open the second half, the Falcons pieced together a 7-0 run that spanned nearly three minutes. Oglesby put an end to the run at the 5:18 mark and jumpstarted a 22-3 stretch for ORU as the Golden Eagles ended the third with an 85-32 lead. During the surge, Hellendrung pieced together a 9-0 run of her own as the freshman knocked down three consecutive triples.

Golden Eagles fans got a look at some of the new faces on the 2023-24 squad as five newcomers manned the floor to open the fourth. With 3:51 remaining in the contest, ORU surpassed the century mark behind a fast-break layup by freshman Gentry Baldwin.