VERMILLION, S.D. (Interstat) — The Oral Roberts women’s basketball team secured a decisive 83-61 victory over South Dakota at the DakotaDome on Thursday night. The Golden Eagles established control early, leading 38-27 at halftime and extending their advantage with a 24-point third quarter. Anna Trusty and Azailah Funches each scored 18 points to lead Oral Roberts (9-7, 2-1 Summit). Kayten Donley added 16 points. Molly Joyce scored a game-high 24 points for South Dakota (11-5, 2-1), which struggled offensively, shooting just 29.9% from the field. Oral Roberts capitalized on South Dakota’s 20 turnovers, converting them into 30 points. The Golden Eagles also held a 42-30 edge in points in the paint. Attendance was 1,107.

VERMILLION, S.D. (Interstat) — In a commanding wire-to-wire performance, the Oral Roberts Golden Eagles delivered a decisive 83-61 victory over the South Dakota Coyotes in a Summit League women’s basketball matchup Thursday night at the DakotaDome. The Golden Eagles, who never trailed, established control from the opening tip and methodically built their lead each quarter, improving to 9-7 overall. South Dakota, which entered the contest with an 11-4 record, fell to 11-5 with the loss before an announced crowd of 1,107. Oral Roberts set the tone early with a stifling defensive effort, holding the Coyotes to just 11 first-quarter points while forcing seven turnovers. The Golden Eagles capitalized on those mistakes, scoring 30 points off turnovers for the game. Offensively, Oral Roberts was efficient, shooting 48.4% from the field and converting 17 of 22 free throws. The most pivotal stretch of the game occurred late in the first quarter, transforming a competitive opening into a firm Golden Eagle advantage. Leading just 9-7 after a Jenna Hopp 3-pointer for South Dakota, Oral Roberts closed the period on a decisive 8-0 run. The surge was fueled by their defense, which generated three consecutive Coyote turnovers. A’Maya Holton ignited the sequence with a steal, leading to a Kayten Donley layup. After another South Dakota miscue, Hannah Coons buried a 3-pointer off an assist from Holton. Azailah Funches then capped the run with a steal and a driving layup just before the quarter expired, pushing the Oral Roberts lead to 17-7. That run effectively broke the game open. The Golden Eagles extended their lead to 38-27 by halftime and continued to pull away in the third quarter, outscoring the Coyotes 24-16 to take a 62-43 advantage into the final period. South Dakota never threatened in the second half, unable to cut the deficit below 15 points. Anna Trusty led all scorers with 18 points for Oral Roberts, adding three assists and a block in 30 minutes. Azailah Funches matched Trusty’s 18 points, while Kayten Donley contributed 16 points and two assists. Ari Gordon provided a significant spark off the bench with 10 points, two assists and two blocks. South Dakota was led by Molly Joyce, who scored a team-high 24 points. Patience Williams added 10 points, but the Coyotes struggled mightily from the field, shooting just 29.9% overall and a dismal 18.8% from 3-point range. Despite blocking 10 shots and grabbing 16 offensive rebounds, South Dakota’s 20 turnovers and cold shooting proved insurmountable. Oral Roberts dominated inside, outscoring South Dakota 42-30 in the paint, and their bench outscored the Coyotes’ reserves 30-10. The Golden Eagles also shared the ball effectively, finishing with nine assists on 30 made field goals. The victory gives Oral Roberts momentum as they prepare to face South Dakota State on the road Saturday. South Dakota looks to rebound Saturday at Saint Thomas. According to National Statistical’s ELO system, Oral Roberts entered the game with a 64.50 percent probability to win, a projection they exceeded with their comprehensive performance.

VERMILLION, S.D. (Interstat) — A surging South Dakota women’s basketball team looks to continue its strong start to Summit League play when it hosts Oral Roberts on Thursday night at the DakotaDome. The Coyotes (11-4) have won three straight, including a 67-47 road victory at Missouri-Kansas City last Saturday. Guard Molly Joyce led the way with 21 points, continuing a standout season. She is averaging 15.3 points over her last three games. Oral Roberts (8-7) enters after a dominant 95-67 home win over North Dakota, snapping a two-game skid. The Golden Eagles were fueled by guard Gentry Baldwin’s 17 points and eight assists, and forward Anna Trusty’s 20 points. Baldwin has been a consistent catalyst for Oral Roberts, averaging 9.0 points and 4.2 assists per game. Her playmaking will be critical against a South Dakota defense that has held opponents to 56.2 points per game during its winning streak. The matchup pits South Dakota’s balanced attack and home-court advantage against an Oral Roberts team capable of high-scoring outputs. The Coyotes are 6-1 at home this season, while the Golden Eagles are 2-4 in true road games. South Dakota has won the last four meetings between the programs. In their only matchup last season, the Coyotes secured a 77-58 victory in Tulsa. Following this contest, South Dakota travels to face Saint Thomas (Minn.) on Saturday. Oral Roberts visits South Dakota State on the same day.