MORE ORAL HISTORY
15 SEED ORU STUNS GATORS
ORAL ROBERTS 81 FLORIDA 78
There is no other event like this, arguably no more magical month than March, where dreams can come true for dreamers from any school anywhere, where if you believe enough, you too can be Cinderella, even if nobody else believes you can.
You can be the No. 4 seed in your Summit League Tournament, and you can wind up as the second 15 seed — Florida Gulf Coast was the other — to advance to the Sweet 16.
If Loyala Chicago could take down No. 1 seed Illinois, you knew there was nothing that could stop Oral Roberts from being Comeback Kids storming back from an 11-point second-half deficit and laying claim to the tag of Destiny’s Darlings with an 81-78 victory that lit the Mabee Center Watch Party back in Tulsa on fire.
“We put our shoes on just as they put their shoes on,” Kevin Obanor said, parroting his postgame line following the Ohio State game. “We just come out with that mentality of, ‘If you feel like you’re better than us, just prove it.’ ”
Ohio State couldn’t prove it. Florida couldn’t prove it. Arkansas will next try to prove it to the Golden Eagles.
“I know a lot of people didn’t believe, but we’re making history,” Obanor said. “It still hasn’t even sunk in yet that we’re headed to the Sweet 16.
This is something a kid could only imagine, and it’s finally coming to pass.
“I’m very grateful for the opportunity, but you could say we’re the bracket busters for sure for sure.”
Obanor, a 6-foot-8 redshirt Junior from Houston who was recruited by Arkansas, scored 28 points and sidekick
Max Abmus added 26 and the ORU fans inside Indiana Farmers Coliseum began chanting “Cinderella.” Obanor scored 30 against Ohio State; Abmus scored 29.
It was a 25-11 run down the stretch that devastated the Gators.
“We don’t just let people put a number behind our school and just let them tell us that we can’t do this and that, that’s nor what gritty people do,” Obanor said, “we’re gonna prove people wrong.”
The Golden Eagles trailed 67-56 when Obanor converted a four-point play and Abmus sank a pair of free throws to make the Gators very nervous.
A layup by Carlos Jurgens off a turnover brought Oral Roberts within 74-73.
When Obanor hit a short jump hook, the Golden Eagles led 77-76 with just
under three minutes left.
“This is March,” Mills reminded his team. “This is when players make plays.”
A huge corner 3 by D. J. Weaver gave ORU an 81-78 lead. He had been scoreless until then.
“I said, ‘D.J., you’re gonna have a chance to win it, or put us up, I need you to knock down this 3,’ ” Mills said. “That kid is not scared.”
Florida’s Trey Mann missed a lastsecond 3 and a desperation right corner prayer by Scottie Lewis missed.
“We’re not done yet. We still got unfinished business,” Obanor said.
First Sister Jean for Loyola Chicago. Divine intervention at Oral Roberts?
“We’re just gonna let God handle it,” Obanor said, “and everything will happen naturally.”
Naturally.