South Dakota State reached 20 wins for the 6th time in the past eight seasons Thursday, knocking off Oral Roberts, 77-69.
With the win, the Jacks (20-10, 11-4 Summit League) stay in the hunt for a share of the regular season conference title with just one final matchup on Saturday against the Denver Pioneers.
Thursday’s contest inside the Mabee Center was the first full game without Jackrabbit point guard Owen Larson after suffering an ACL tear against Kansas City on Sunday, but the battle-tested Jacks played a consistent 40 minutes to come away with the win.
And in a game that didn’t have a lead greater than eight points, the consistent playmaking down the stretch against a hostile crowd on ORU’s Senior Day was a huge factor.
After a quiet first half, Golden Eagle guard Issac McBride connected from deep to knot the game at 55. McBride was shut out in the scoring category through the first 20 minutes but exploded for 23 points in the second half.
Over the next four minutes, the Jacks created a seven-point cushion with the help of a 12-5 run with four minutes to go, pushing the lead to eight moments later after trading a McBride free throw for an Oscar Cluff layup.
McBride was on another level throughout the second half, including one of the biggest shockers of the game when the senior netted his third three-pointer, getting fouled in the process for a four-point play. A JoJo Moore layup on the next possession cut the Jacks’ lead back to two with plenty of ballgames left.
Kalen Garry responded to the quick 6-0 run with a dagger from long range that ultimately put the nail in the coffin on an ORU comeback.
Cluff led the Jacks with his 21st double-double of the season, totaling 22 points, 12 rebounds and five assists. Joe Sayler added 12 points, Jaden Jackson tallied 11 points while, Stoney Hadnot netted 10 points, nine rebounds and two assists for the Jackrabbits.
McBride finished with 23 points and six rebounds for ORU, Sam Alajiki tallied 18 points and eight rebounds, while Jalen Miller totaled 11 points in the loss for the Golden Eagles.
Up Next
The Jacks take on the Denver Pioneers in the regular season finale Saturday. Tip-off inside the Hamilton Gymnasium in Denver is slated for 2 p.m. and can be streamed on the Summit League Network through Midco Sports Plus.
