Not even 90 seconds into his team’s matchup against Big Ten powerhouse Ohio State, college basketball’s leading scorer demonstrated he wasn’t intimidated by the NCAA tournament stage.
Max Abmas came around a screen 30 feet from the rim, brazenly pulled up and sank a 3-pointer with both feet inside the mid-court logo.
That shot was emblematic of everything that followed in Oral Roberts’ stunning 75-72 overtime upset of the second-seeded Buckeyes. Not once did the 15th-seeded Golden Eagles appear timid or overwhelmed. Not once did they shrink from the moment.
Behind the impossibly deep range and creativity off the dribble of Abmas and the jump shooting of co-star Kevin Obanor, Oral Roberts built a six-point overtime lead against the second-seeded Buckeyes.