2012-13 ORU BASKETBALL
ORU EXPERIENCE
COACHES
2012-13 SQUAD
OPPONENTS
2011-12 REVIEW
HISTORY
SEASON REVIEW Led by Luper’s 34 points and a Kohl Center record 31 steals, ORU dominated the Badgers, 80-63. The victory was the first for the Golden Eagles over a Big Ten opponent since 1977. The Wisconsin win was part of a 5-0 start for ORU. The Golden Eagles also polished off three-time National Champion Louisiana Tech and defending Conference USA Champion Houston before falling for the first time on November 26 to Missouri State, 85-79. The Golden Eagles fell again three days later to Tulsa, but historic news arrived on November 30 as Luper was named to the 35-player Naismith Trophy early season watch list. Luper was the first player in ORU history to be considered for the prestigious award, which goes to the best player in women’s college basketball.
ORU came back from another double-digit hole but fell in their rematch with South Dakota on January 30, 60-57. The setback ended a streak of 21 consecutive Summit League home victories for the Golden Eagles, the third-best mark in conference history. Luper’s run at the record books commenced on February 4 in Fargo, N.D. The junior scored 41 points in an 84-75 victory over North Dakota State and broke former Golden Eagle Krista Binam’s Summit League scoring record of 2,105 points. Kevi Luper’s record-breaking day in Fargo provided one of the highlights
The Golden Eagles opened Summit League play in style on December 3 with a 109-59 trouncing of Southern Utah. Luper scored 31 in the victory and earned a record 13th Summit League Player of the Week award for her effort. The junior hit 31 points again on December 13 as ORU downed another defending conference champion, UALR from the Sun Belt, 78-63.
of 2011-12 On February 18, Luper’s record tour rolled in to Ft. Wayne, Ind., where ORU outlasted IPFW in overtime, 62-61. Luper became ORU’s all-time leading scorer with 16:56 left in the second half, hitting a jumper to pass Vivian Herron’s record of 2,192 points. Jones also hit a personal milestone on the day, topping the 1,000-point plateau.
A 50-point win over Southern Utah was the largest of the season for Jaci Bigham and the Golden Eagles
Consecutive losses to Grambling and Kansas ended the non-conference portion of the schedule, but Summit League play started back on December 29, and the Golden Eagles responded with a hard-fought 62-53 victory at new conference member South Dakota. Two days later, ORU fell to a hot-shooting UMKC club, but another milestone was hit as junior Jaci Bigham topped the 1,000-point mark for her career. ORU’s senior class stepped up on January 7 in a 71-65 victory over South Dakota State at the Mabee Center. Jordan Pyle led ORU with 17 points and Georgia Jones added 15 as ORU rallied from a double-digit deficit in the second half. The SDSU win kicked of a stretch where ORU won six out of seven games. Included in the streak was a 62-53 win over Oakland on January 21 where Luper topped 2,000 career points, and a 40-point pasting of IPFW two days later.
The Golden Eagles headed into the Summit League Championship as the No. 2 seed, but a deep run was not in the cards as Western Illinois scored an 84-71 upset in the tournament’s first round. Still, ORU qualified for their third straight WNIT, where they were beaten by Wichita State in the first round. Despite the earlier-than-expected end to the season, several Golden Eagles were honored with postseason awards. Luper was named Summit League Player of the Year for the third straight season after leading the conference with 23.8 points and 3.8 steals per game. The junior finished in the top-five nationally in both categories. Bernadett Balla was named to the Summit League AllBernadett Balla was ORU’s most Newcomer Team. improved player over the year and earned an All-Newcomer Team spot
The page officially turned on the 2011-12 season on April 27, as Misti Cussen was named the 10th Head Coach in ORU women’s basketball history. With Cussen now in charge and Luper returning for one final season, the Golden Eagles have their sights set on one goal: a trip to the NCAA Tournament.
Five NCAA Tournament Appearances
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