Oral Roberts shocks Ohio State, first big upset of NCAAs
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. (AP) — Ohio State's players were dancing around in the moments before tipoff against Oral Roberts, relaxed and full of swagger.
The Buckeyes aren't dancing anymore. The 15th-seeded Golden Eagles pulled off the first major upset of the first NCAA Tournament in two years, holding off second-seeded Ohio State 75-72 in overtime on Friday.
“When they rank them, it was only just a number at the end of the day,” said Kevin Obanor, who led Oral Roberts with 30 points and 11 rebounds. “We put our shoes on just as the other team puts their shoes on. We just had the mindset of, ‘Show us that you deserve to be No. 2,' and we came out with a lot of confidence.”
Oral Roberts got poised, impeccable performances from its two stars, Obanor and guard Max Abmas, to become the ninth 15 seed to win a first-round game and the first since Middle Tennessee shocked Michigan State in 2016. Last year's tournament was called off because of the pandemic.
Obanor scored seven of Oral Roberts' 11 points in overtime, including two free throws with 13 seconds left. Abmas, the nation's leading scorer, had 29 points.
“Their two players that obviously concerned us were terrific, so give them, their coaches, their players, their program, their university a lot of credit for this win,” Ohio State coach Chris Holtmann said. “We had no illusions that this was going to be by any stretch anything other than a really challenging game, and it obviously was that from the very jump.”
Ohio State could have tied it in the closing seconds of overtime, but Duane Washington Jr.'s open 3-pointer from straight away bounced off the side of the rim, and Oral Roberts celebrated its first tournament win since 1974.
The Golden Eagles' roster is full of lightly recruited players who found their way to the small, private Christian school in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The Summit League champions bowed their heads in a prayer circle after their victory over the Big Ten power.
“I know growing up, all my life, I was always like the underdog,” Obanor said. “The school is not a big school. Just to prove people wrong, it's a blessing just to have people that are really committed and believe that we're the better team.”
The Golden Eagles (17-10) will play seventh-seeded Florida in the South Region on Sunday.
E.J. Liddell had 23 points and 14 rebounds to lead the Buckeyes (2110). Washington had 18
points and 10 rebounds but made just 7 of 21 shots.
Oral Roberts scored the game's first seven points, including a 3-pointer by Abmas from the logo that drew a collective “Ooooh!” from the socially distanced crowd.
The Buckeyes led by eight before the Golden Eagles rallied. Abmas hit a 3-pointer with about five minutes left in the first half to give Oral Roberts a 26-25 lead, prompting a chant of “O-R-U!” He hit another 3 moments later to force an Ohio State timeout. He made 5 of 7 3-pointers in the first half and had 18 points at the break as the Golden Eagles led 36-33.
The Summit League champions led by seven in the second half before Ohio State rallied to take a 60-58 lead on a pullup jumper by CJ Walker with just under five minutes to play.
Obanor was fouled with 14 seconds to play, and he made both free throws to tie the game at 64. Washington missed a step-back jumper in the closing seconds, and the Buckeys had no answer for Obanor in the extra session.
“This is obviously a really, really bitter end to a terrific season,” Holtmann said. “We'll own that and accept it and we'll move forward.”
FLORIDA 75, VIRGINIA TECH 70
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Colin Castleton scored 19 points and grabbed 14 rebounds, Tre Mann hit a stepback 3-pointer with 23 seconds left in overtime and seventh-seeded Florida held off No. 10 seed Virginia Tech.
Florida was cheered on by Keyontae Johnson, who has supported and inspired his teammates from the bench since his return from a scary medical episode. Johnson collapsed on the court during a game in December and was forced to sit out the rest of the season.
Castleton was dominant on the inside and Mann showed up with a pair of key 3-pointers late for the Gators (15-9).
Mann hit a 3 with 2:49 left in regulation, a shot that became huge as Virginia Tech rallied in the closing seconds and forced overtime on Nahiem Alleyne's 3-pointer with 1.4 seconds left. Mann's second big 3-pointer gave the Gators a 74-70 lead and proved enough after Cordell Pemsel's missed jumper with 10 seconds left.
Mann, an all-SEC performer, finished with 14 points. Scottie Lewis added 15 for the Gators.
Alleyne was brilliant for the Hokies (15-7) through regulation but was held to just one basket in overtime. He finished with 30 points and scored the final 12 of regulation for Virginia Tech.
BAYLOR 79, HARTFORD 55
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — MaCio Teague scored 22 points and top-seeded Baylor shook off a slow-as-molasses start to roll past 16th-seeded Hartford.
Baylor opened its March Madness run at the same stadium the Final Four will take place in during the first week of April. The Bears (23-2) will next face either North Carolina or Wisconsin.
Teague went 4 for 8 from 3-point range, Davion Mitchell scored 12 points and the Bears did what 1s do to 16s — slowly overpowered them with waves of talent.
Austin Williams scored 19 points to lead the Hawks (15-9).
TEXAS TECH 65, UTAH STATE 53
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. (AP) — Mac McClung scored 16 points in his first NCAA Tournament game and Kyler Edwards added 12 to help sixth-seeded Texas Tech pull away from 11th-seeded Utah State.
The Red Raiders (18-10) snapped a two-game losing streak and made new memories in the tournament after their most recent appearance, a loss to Virginia in the 2019 national championship game.
Neemias Queta had 11 points, 13 rebounds and six assists, and tied Utah State's single-game school record with seven blocks. Justin Bean had 13 points and eight rebounds for the Aggies (20-9), who lost their final two games.
Kevin McCullar had 10 points and seven rebounds for Texas Tech.
MIDWEST ILLINOIS 78, DREXEL 49
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Kofi Cockburn muscled his way to 18 points and Illinois cruised past 16th-seeded Drexel in the Illini's first game as a No. 1 seed in 16 years.
Illinois (23-6) will face eighth-seeded Loyola Chicago in the second round of the Midwest Region on Sunday.
Drexel (12-8) never really had chance at containing the 7-foot, 285-pound Cockburn, who was 8 for 11 from the field.
James Butler — 6-8 and 242 pounds — drew the daunting task of trying to handle Cockburn, without much success. The senior did have 10 points and 10 rebounds for Drexel.
All-American Ayo Dosunmu finished with 17 points for Illinois.
LOYOLA CHICAGO 71, GEORGIA TECH 60
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Lucas Williamson scored 21 points in a dynamic performance by the defensive whiz, All-America forward Cameron Krutwig added 10, and eighth-seeded Loyola Chicago beat No. 9 seed Georgia Tech.
The surprise national semifinalist in 2018, the Ramblers (25-4) were relegated to the NIT the following year and missed out on the tournament — along with everyone else — when it was canceled due to COVID-19 last season.
After trailing 43-40 midway through the second half, Loyola heated up from beyond the arc and clamped down on defense, forcing Georgia Tech (17-9) into a series of missed shots and ugly turnovers during the decisive final five minutes.
Buddy Norris also had 16 points for the Ramblers, who went 11 of 27 from beyond the arc and shot 47% from the field overall.
Jordan Usher scored 15 points, Michael Devoe had 14 and Jose Alvarado 13 for the Yellow Jackets, who were forced to play without ACC player of the year Moses Wright after the big man tested positive for COVID-19.
OREGON STATE 70, TENNESSEE 56
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Roman Silva scored 16 points and 12th-seeded Oregon State took advantage of Tennessee's icy perimeter shooting to beat the fifth-seeded Vols.
Oregon State (18-12) became the 51st 12 seed to take down a five seed since the NCAA Tournament bracket expanded in 1985. The 7-foot-1 Silva bulled his way through the Vols for an 8-for-8 night. Oregon State hit seven 3s in the second half to win its first NCAA Tournament game since reaching the 1982 Elite Eight.
Oregon State will face either Oklahoma State or Liberty on Sunday.
Keon Johnson led the short-handed Vols (18-9) with 14 points. Tennessee's John Fulkerson was out with a facial fracture and concussion.