Indiana University Athletics
Oral Roberts recap
12/31/2004 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
December 31, 2004
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - Behind a D.J. White jumper with 14.7 seconds remaining, the Indiana men's basketball team won its second consecutive game, defeating Oral Roberts, 69-68, Friday night at Assembly Hall.White scored the go-ahead basket off of a feed from Bracey Wright. The Tuscaloosa, Ala., native had a career night in points with 23 and rebounds with 11 en route to his first career double-double.
Wright added 15 points, with freshman Robert Vaden chipping in 11.
Oral Roberts had one last chance to win the game, but Ken Tutt's jumper rimmed in and out, giving the Hoosiers the win.
The Hoosiers took a 35-31 advantage into the locker room and opened the second half on fire with a 7-2 run to take a 42-33 lead with 15:58 remaining in the game.
The teams went back and forth for a majority of the final 20 minutes.
After a pair of free throws by Jonathan Bluitt brought Oral Roberts back within one at 63-62, Marshall Strickland nailed his loan three-pointer of the game and his first basket since 12:48 in the first period to give IU a four-point lead at 66-62.
With the Hoosiers up by four, Luke Spencer-Gardner responded with a three-pointer to bring the Golden Eagles back within in one at 66-65 with 1:51 remaining.
Spencer-Gardner hit his final three-pointer of the night to give Oral Roberts a 68-66 advantage. It was Oral Roberts first lead since a 7-5 score with 17:20 remaining in the first half.
With Indiana trailing by two, Wright hit one of two free throws to bring IU within one at 68-67. On his second missed free throw attempt, White kept the ball alive for his fourth offensive rebound, setting up his game winner.
In the first half, the Hoosiers took their first lead of the game off of a Bracey Wright three-pointer at the 16:14 mark to give IU a 9-7 lead. Wright scored seven of IU's first nine points.
After two free throws by Larry Owens tied the game up at nine, the Hoosiers responded with a 9-0 run to double its lead to nine at 18-9. Oral Roberts battled back and cut the lead to five at 20-15, leading to an Indiana timeout.
The Golden Eagles battled back to tie the game up at 27 with 2:24 left in the first period before White regained the lead for the Hoosiers with back-to-back jumpers to give IU a four-point lead at 31-27.
After taking the lead at the 16:14 mark, the Hoosiers led for the remainder of the first half as Oral Roberts was only able to tie the score once at 27-27 at the 2:24 mark. IU ended the half with a four-point lead as Robert Vaden received a half-court pass from White and layed it in as time expired with Indiana up 35-31.
The Hoosiers were led in the first half by Wright and White, who added 11 and nine points, respectively. Freshman James Hardy added six first-half rebounds in just eight minutes of action. Hardy finished the game with four points and eight rebounds in 17 minutes of action, all career bests.
The Hoosiers return to action on Sunday, Jan. 2, as they host Furman in the final non-conference game of the season beginning at 1 p.m. at Assembly Hall.
Players Mentioned
F
/ Men's BasketballF
/ Men's Basketball
G
/ Men's BasketballG
/ Men's BasketballG
/ Men's BasketballG
/ Men's Basketball
G/F
/ Men's BasketballG/F
/ Men's Basketball
Forward
/ Men's Basketball
G
/ Men's BasketballG
/ Men's BasketballG
/ Men's BasketballWednesday, August 12
Wednesday, August 12
Tuesday, August 11
Tuesday, August 11