TULSA, Okla. (Interstat) — In a grinding, defensive struggle where points were at a premium, the Oral Roberts Golden Eagles made just enough plays down the stretch to edge the South Dakota Coyotes 67-62 in a Summit League men’s basketball game Saturday at the Mabee Center.

The game, played before a crowd of 2,574, was a tale of two star performances and a collective offensive freeze from beyond the arc. Oral Roberts guard Ty Harper, a junior from Norcross, Georgia, poured in a game-high 29 points, while South Dakota’s 6-foot-10 center Cameron Fens of Dubuque, Iowa, answered with a dominant 25-point, 36-minute effort for the Coyotes.

Neither team could find a consistent shooting rhythm. South Dakota shot just 22 of 53 from the floor, a stark 41.5 percent, and was an icy 3 of 18 from three-point range. The Golden Eagles were scarcely better, hitting 23 of 59 field goals and matching South Dakota’s 3-for-17 mark from deep. The difference materialized at the free-throw line and on the glass. Oral Roberts converted 18 of 23 free throws compared to South Dakota’s 15 of 26, and the Golden Eagles secured 10 offensive rebounds to the Coyotes’ four, leading to critical second-chance opportunities.

South Dakota, which entered the game with a 67.8 percent probability to win according to Interstat’s ELO system, fell to 14-15 overall. Oral Roberts improved to 7-22.

The most important sequence of the game unfolded in the final minute with Oral Roberts clinging to a 63-62 lead. After a Silas Bennion assist led to a Cameron Fens layup to pull South Dakota within one point with 1:01 remaining, the Coyotes forced a missed jumper from Ty Harper on the ensuing possession. With 35 seconds left and a chance to take the lead, South Dakota’s Jordan Crawford missed a layup. Oral Roberts’ Yuto Yamanouchi-Williams secured the defensive rebound and was immediately fouled.

The 6-foot-11 freshman from Japan calmly sank both free throws with 12 seconds left, pushing the Golden Eagles’ lead to 65-62. South Dakota, out of timeouts, rushed a potential game-tying three-pointer from Uzziah Buntyn that missed. Harper grabbed the defensive board, was fouled, and sealed the victory with two more free throws with six seconds remaining, providing the final margin.

The game was characterized by physical defense and turnovers, with Oral Roberts recording nine steals to South Dakota’s five. The Golden Eagles also held a slight edge in assists, 9-5, and blocks, 3-2. South Dakota’s offense, which managed only 62 points on 74 possessions for an offensive rating of 83.4, was hampered by 13 turnovers. Oral Roberts was marginally more efficient, scoring 67 points on 71 possessions for a 94.5 offensive rating.

Beyond Harper’s scoring outburst, Oral Roberts received 13 points from Ofri Naveh of Neot Golan, Israel, and seven points from Luke Gray of Edmond, Oklahoma. For South Dakota, Fens’ interior presence was supplemented by 14 points from Uzziah Buntyn of Round Rock, Texas. The Coyotes dominated points in the paint, 34-28, but could not overcome their perimeter shooting woes and the Golden Eagles’ advantage in free-throw accuracy.

The victory gave Oral Roberts a season split with South Dakota, avenging a 77-69 loss in Vermillion on Jan. 29. South Dakota returns home to face Omaha on Wednesday, while Oral Roberts hosts Denver on Thursday.