Huge hands in prayer have long been the benchmark for Oral Roberts’ campus in Tulsa, Oklahoma. They are made of bronze, are 18 meters high and weigh 30 tons. They are known as the greatest praying hands in the world, there is much of an attraction for cross-country travelers and those who revel in obscure American culture.
Well, the Christian private school now has another indelible identifier. With a victory over Florida’s No. 7 in the NCAA men’s tournament on Sunday, Oral Roberts became only the second number 15 to advance to Sweet 16.
Led by the dynamic duo of junior striker Kevin Obanor and second-year guard Max Abmas, Oral Roberts surprised the establishment of college basketball for the second game in a row. On Friday, the Golden Eagles surprised runners-up at Ohio State, becoming the ninth team in NCAA history to pull runners-up against runners-up.
The private school was founded by televangelist Oral Roberts, who wrote an appropriate memoir about his life and ministry: “Expect a Miracle.”
On Sunday, one came. ORU joined the Florida Gulf Coast in the tradition of the NCAA. In 2013, the team remembered how Dunk City won victories over Georgetown and San Diego State. He played lobs in clutch situations and played with an arrogance that made him America’s toast. Oral Roberts, who has not won an NCAA tournament since 1974, eliminated a double-digit deficit in the second half on Sunday to beat the Gators 81-78.
“It’s really incredible,” said Obanor.
What has been remarkable about Oral Roberts is the unremarkable way in which he has won two victories and done his business. In his opening statement after the victory, coach Paul Mills praised God and hoped to have clean underwear.
“For me, I’m happy to have the chance to do laundry,” he said. “Tomorrow will be a good day because I’m without clothes.”
Oral Roberts defeated Ohio State on Friday by firing shots, flexing his defense and manipulating the pressure of human nature to force Buckeyes to cool down and win in overtime.
Against Florida on Sunday, the Gators led by up to 11 in the middle of the second half. Oral Roberts did not hesitate, as he hit five consecutive goals in a three-minute stretch, starting at the 5:02 mark in the second half. None of these were higher than a score of 3 by DeShang Weaver, who was 0-for-5 from the field before burying a 3-point to give ORU the lead forever, 80-78, with 2:09 remaining.
“You’re going to have a chance to win,” Mills recalls telling Weaver in the time limit before the shot. “I need you to drop these three.”
Obanor, a 6-foot-1 junior from Houston, finished the game with 28 points and 11 rebounds. Abmas, the country’s top scorer, was 26. They operated last week with some classic underdog narratives – ignoring the spread, blocking praise and focusing on the next opponent. “We don’t allow our people to put a number on our school,” said Obanor. “This is not what courageous people do.”
After the Ohio state break, Mills gave the team a bus ride back to the hotel to look at their phones and celebrate their victory. He promised them that no matter how good the victory in the first round was, Sweet 16 would feel even better. He was pleased with how they closed in Florida. When he entered the locker room on Sunday night, he had a message: “I told you so!”
Arkansas’s third place is next for Oral Roberts, which is a regional game because Fayetteville is just two hours from Tulsa. The two programs clashed earlier this season, with Arkansas returning to win 87-76 in Fayetteville. Oral Roberts actually led by 12 points in that game, and Abmas hit just 4 of 11 shots from the field.
There is nothing exceptionally unique about what Oral Roberts is doing. There is no such thing as a new age scheme or a magic transfer factory. It’s a well-trained team – Mills came from Scott Drew’s team in Baylor – from under-recruited overestimators who are playing at a high level. The Golden Eagles are a paradigm of what modern basketball looks like. They play with five snipers, spread the ground and execute a quick attack. Against Florida, they didn’t even shoot very well, hitting 10 to 30 out of 3.
Mills made the most astute coach move of the tournament by intentionally smearing Florida’s Osayi Osifo to steal possession in the final minutes. Mills later admitted that he knew Osifo was just a 50% free-throw pitcher and ORU was struggling to make it stop. Osifo obeyed by losing the front of a one-and-one with 3:11 remaining. Fifteen seconds later, Obanor gave ORU the lead and changed the momentum.
After the game, Mills said he had not thought of the story that Oral Roberts was making. Joining the NCAAs, he had no idea that the school hadn’t won a game since 1974. Although ORU’s outfit is a little more discreet than that of Florida’s Gulf Coast Dunk City in 2013, the team found the moment with equal self-confidence.
“We play hard, we play brave and dirty and we live with the results,” said Obanor. “And whatever happens, it happens.”
What will certainly happen is unprecedented attention. Florida Gulf Coast athletic director Ken Kavanaugh predicted “much more deserved attention”. He told Yahoo Sports about what ORU will experience: “It must be extremely pleasant. I hope they will exceed our shared platform. “
For Oral Roberts, most of his national fame in basketball revolved around Bill Self, once his coach. Former NBA player Mark Acres or Haywoode Workman is the most well-known player in the school’s history.
After a stunning weekend in Indianapolis, Florida’s unprecedented Gulf Coast conquest now has company. Oral Roberts is living up to his founders’ mantra – miracles have become the expectation. “We are not capitulating to anyone here,” said Mills.
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