Abmas gives Oral Roberts shot at being Cinderella

INDIANAPOLIS — It wasn’t long ago that Max Abmas was just another overlooked recruit who didn’t even get a scholarship offer from a school within his home state.

One incredible season has changed everything.

He’s made a rapid rise to become the nation’s leading scorer for an Oral Roberts team in its first NCAA Tournament since 2008. And he’s part of a group of players at mid-major programs capable of busting brackets with big March moments that live on in tournament lore.

It’s happened before: Guys like Stephen Curry and Ja Morant riding tournament heroics to upset wins that made them household names on college basketball’s biggest stage.

“I’ve kind of looked at it – Steph Curry, Ja Morant, they had great tournaments,” the sophomore said. “So I mean, it’s kind of one of the things you think about. But for me, it’s just staying within the offense and just doing my role, whatever the team needs me to do.”

The NCAA Tournament’s one-and-done format is so adored because even the heaviest of favorites can be tripped up by a plucky underdog. But it takes players like Abmas, UNC Greensboro’s Isaiah Miller, Ohio’s Jason Preston, Winthrop’s Chandler Vaudrin and Utah State big man Neemias Queta, among others, to make those upsets happen.

Some may be NBA prospects, but for now they are focused on sticking around Indiana for more than just one tournament game, even though they are playing for double-digit seeds facing bigger or more athletic opponents from power conferences.