Photo Gallery

HOUSTON – HBU used a 15-5 run five minutes to turn a four-point lead to a 14-point advantage late in the second half, as the Huskies defeated visiting Oral Roberts, 84-75, Thursday evening from Sharp Gym.

It was HBU's first-ever win over Oral Roberts, as ORU now leads the all-time series, 3-1, and the teams split the season series.

HBU (11-13 overall, 7-6 SLC) was led by Shanice Steenholdt, who earned her 13th double-double of the season with game highs of 27 points and 14 rebounds. Tayler Jefferson scored 13 and Rachel Arthur chipped in with 12.

Kaylan Mayberry led Oral Roberts (7-15 overall, 6-6 SLC) with 18 points, followed by Christian Key with 17. Bernadett Balla came off the bench to pull down a team-best 10 rebounds. As a team, HBU shot 53 percent from the floor compared to ORU's 38 percent.

ORU led, 7-4, following a three-pointer by Noora Jaevikangas. HBU proceeded to use a 16-5 run to take an eight-point lead, 20-12, with 13:46 remaining in the first half.

The Golden Eagles trimmed HBU's lead to three, 25-22, following a jumper by Balla, but HBU scored four-straight points for a seven-point lead, 29-22, with just under seven minutes to go in the opening half. Ashleigh Nwanguma had all four points.

Leading by just two, 33-31, with 4:26 remaining, HBU closed out the first half on an 11-6 run to take a seven-point lead at the break, 44-37. Heidi Sihvola made a layup just before the buzzer for the Huskies.

Steenholdt had 20 first-half points and five rebounds to lead all players. ORU's Jaervikangas and Key each had seven points.

HBU led by as many as nine early in the second half. Steenholdt's jumper gave the Huskies a seven-point edge, 48-41, then stole the ball and found a wide-open Arthur to give the Huskies a nine-point lead.

ORU battled back to cut the deficit to four, 56-52, with 11:29 remaining, but HBU used a 15-5 run to take a 14-point lead, 71-57, with 6:27 to go in regulation. The Huskies held a double digit lead the rest of the game until Mayberry stole the ball and made a layup at the buzzer to make the final, 84-75.

HBU, winners of seven of its last ten games, hosts conference leader Central Arkansas Saturday at 3 pm.