TULSA, Okla. (Interstat) — Oral Roberts used a dominant third quarter to defeat Missouri-Kansas City 81-65 in a women’s basketball game Thursday night at Mabee Center. The Golden Eagles, now 10-8, broke open a tight contest by outscoring the Kangaroos 26-14 in the period. Jalei Oglesby led Oral Roberts with 21 points, while Anna Trusty added 18 and Kayten Donley had 13 points and six assists. Elauni Bennett scored a game-high 20 points for Missouri-Kansas City, which fell to 5-13. Zaire Harrell added 14 points and Tierra Trotter scored 12. Oral Roberts led 32-31 at halftime before its decisive run. An announced crowd of 791 attended the Summit League contest.

TULSA, Okla. (Interstat) — The Oral Roberts Golden Eagles used a dominant third-quarter surge to pull away from the Missouri-Kansas City Kangaroos and secure an 81-65 victory in a Summit League women’s basketball game Thursday night at the Mabee Center. A tightly contested first half gave way to a decisive 26-14 third-quarter advantage for the Golden Eagles, turning a four-point halftime lead into a commanding 58-45 cushion entering the final period. Oral Roberts never looked back, improving to 10-8 overall and 3-2 in conference play, while UMKC fell to 5-13 and 1-4. The game’s pivotal shift came immediately after halftime. With Oral Roberts leading 32-28, the Golden Eagles unleashed a 14-4 run over the first five minutes of the third quarter. The spurt was fueled by balanced scoring and stifling defense, as UMKC managed just one field goal during the stretch. Jalei Oglesby, who finished with a team-high 21 points, and Anna Trusty, who added 18, were central figures in the breakout, consistently finding seams in the Kangaroo defense. Oral Roberts point guard Kayten Donley orchestrated the offense with precision, dishing out six assists to go with 13 points. Her backcourt mate, Gentry Baldwin, chipped in nine points. The Golden Eagles’ ball movement and ability to convert in transition overwhelmed UMKC, which struggled to maintain its first-half composure. Missouri-Kansas City had started the game with purpose, trading baskets with the Golden Eagles in a fast-paced opening quarter. Elauni Bennett, the Kangaroos’ standout guard from Lee’s Summit, Missouri, was aggressive early, scoring eight of her game-high 20 points in the first period. Her driving layup with 2:53 left in the first gave UMKC a 19-17 lead, but Oral Roberts’ Preslee Hartsock answered with a layup and a free throw to close the quarter with an 18-15 edge for the home team. The second quarter continued the back-and-forth trend. Zaire Harrell, who scored 14 for UMKC, and Tierra Trotter, who added 12, helped the Kangaroos keep pace. A three-pointer from Jamyah Winter, who finished with 12 points off the bench, brought UMKC within two at 27-25 with just over four minutes left in the half. The teams traded scores until the break, with Oral Roberts taking a slim 32-28 lead into the locker room. Any momentum for the visitors was extinguished by Oral Roberts’ third-quarter explosion. The Golden Eagles shot efficiently from the floor and capitalized on seven UMKC turnovers in the period, converting them into easy points. A three-pointer from Trusty at the 5:16 mark pushed the lead to 46-35, and the advantage ballooned to 16 points by the end of the quarter following a driving layup from Trusty just before the buzzer. The fourth quarter saw Oral Roberts maintain its double-digit lead throughout. UMKC made several pushes, including a quick layup from Harrell to open the period, but the Golden Eagles consistently answered. Every time the Kangaroos cut the deficit to 12 or 13, Oral Roberts responded with a score, often from Oglesby or Trusty. A late layup from Donley with 58 seconds remaining provided the final margin of 81-65 before an announced crowd of 791. Bennett’s 20-point effort led all scorers and included a block and three offensive rebounds for UMKC. Alyssa Febres contributed five assists off the bench for the Kangaroos. For Oral Roberts, the win was a return to form at home following a road loss to South Dakota State last weekend. The Kangaroos, who were coming off a 77-56 road win at North Dakota, continue their conference schedule at home against Saint Thomas on Saturday. Oral Roberts, which has won three of its last four, will host Omaha on Saturday. The two teams are scheduled to meet again in Kansas City on Feb. 21.

Preview: UMKC Visits Oral Roberts in Summit League Women’s Basketball Clash TULSA, Okla. (Interstat) — The Oral Roberts Golden Eagles look to get back on track in Summit League play when they host the Missouri-Kansas City Kangaroos on Thursday night at the Mabee Center. Oral Roberts (9-8, 2-2 Summit) returns home after a 103-76 road loss to South Dakota State on Saturday. The Golden Eagles had won two straight conference games prior to that defeat, including an 83-61 victory at South Dakota. Kayten Donley has been a consistent force for ORU, averaging 11.2 points, 4.2 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game. She scored 16 points in the win at South Dakota and followed with 12 points and five assists against the Jackrabbits. The UMKC Kangaroos (5-12, 1-3) are coming off their most impressive win of the season, a 77-56 road victory at North Dakota on Saturday. That performance snapped a two-game skid. Guard Zaire Harrell erupted for 22 points in that win, showcasing the scoring potential she brings. Harrell’s production has fluctuated, but she leads a UMKC attack that will look to build on its 45.8% shooting effort from the field against North Dakota. Oral Roberts holds a clear advantage in the standings and won both meetings last season, including a 72-58 victory in Tulsa. The Golden Eagles have been strong at home this season, posting a 6-2 record at the Mabee Center. For UMKC, replicating its balanced scoring from Saturday will be key. Alongside Harrell, Emani Bennett (18 points) and Elauni Bennett (13 points) provided crucial support. Containing Donley and limiting Oral Roberts’ transition opportunities will be a primary defensive focus for the Kangaroos. The Golden Eagles will aim to control the paint, where they average nearly five more rebounds per game than UMKC. Oral Roberts also forces over 18 turnovers per contest, which could challenge a Kangaroos team that averages 16.5 giveaways. Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. CST. The game is the first of a regular-season series, with the teams set to meet again in Kansas City on Feb. 21.