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The Basics
NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Championship First Round
Score: No. 15 Oral Roberts 75 - No. 2 Ohio State 72 (OT)
Record: ORU (17-10) - OSU (21-10)
Location: West Lafayette, Ind. (Mackey Arena)
 
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – March Madness is here and the No. 15 seed Oral Roberts men's basketball team showed off on the national stage cutting down No. 2 Ohio State in overtime, 75-72, in the NCAA Men's Basketball Championship First Round Friday afternoon inside Mackey Arena.
 
The Golden Eagles led by as many as seven in the second half giving the Buckeyes fits all day with its dynamic duo as Kevin Obanor and Max Abmas combined to score 59 points posting 30 and 29 points, respectively, to pull off the upset over nationally-ranked OSU (No. 7 in AP Poll). It was ORU's first top-10 win since defeating No. 8 Xavier in 2011 and first win at the NCAA Championship since 1974.
 
It was a dream start for ORU as Abmas got the No. 15 seed on the board first and moments later hit from distance jumping to a 7-0 lead on the Buckeyes. After OSU rattled off 10-straight points, it was another deep triple by Abmas that pulled the Golden Eagles even. The Buckeyes stretched their advantage to 19-13 before ORU got a dunk from DeShang Weaver to stop the run.
 
The Golden Eagles fell behind by eight with seven minutes in the half when Obanor took over the game connecting on a pair of 3-pointers along with a two-handed slam. The redshirt junior scored eight-straight ORU points pulling within two and Abmas drilled another long ball giving the Golden Eagles a 26-25 lead. Abmas wasn't done yet as the nation's leading scorer hit another 3-pointer and ORU pushed out to a seven-point cushion, 34-27, taking a 36-33 margin into the locker room.
 
The Buckeyes came out with a vengeance in the second stanza and regained a 37-36 lead before ORU countered scoring the next six points all coming from behind the arc by Obanor. The Golden Eagles extended their advantage to 49-42 as Carlos Jürgens came away with a mid-court steal and finished at the rim with 12:44 to play. Jürgens later added two free throws keeping ORU in front, 51-45.
 
It was a battle for the Golden Eagles to hold off a surging OSU squad and eventually had to overcome a four-point deficit in the final 2:34. ORU kept the Buckeyes from scoring during the stretch and Obanor calmly tallied the game's final four points in regulation at the free-throw line, including the tying pair with 14 seconds to play sending the game into overtime, 64-64.
 
In the extra period, Obanor could not be stopped as he dominated the paint and scored five-straight points highlighted by an and-1 chance giving ORU a 69-64 edge. The Buckeyes closed the gap to one as the clock read 16 seconds, but it was Obanor that sealed the win at the line hitting twice more and the Golden Eagles celebrated the upset on the court, 75-72.
 
Turning Point
Facing a four-point deficit late in the second half, ORU fought for every possession and turned up the pressure defensively. The Golden Eagles did not allow the Buckeyes to score in the final 2:34 of regulation forcing their two best players into turnovers. That was all Obanor needed as he drove to the lane and drew contact securing free throws to tie the game and send it to overtime where he would not be denied.
 
Individual Leaders
Oral Roberts: Obanor put together his second 30-point game of the season and added 11 rebounds for a double-double. He was a perfect 7-of-7 at the free throw line and made 5-of-12 from distance, while playing all 45 minutes.

Ohio State: Sophomore E.J. Liddell was a force for the Buckeyes totaling a 23-point, 14-rebound double-double making 10-of-15 attempts.

Inside the Box Score
- Obanor caught fire late in both the first and second frames recording his 13th double-double of the season with 30 points and 11 rebounds. The Houston, Texas, native knocked down all of his free throws and scored seven of ORU's points in overtime.
 
- Abmas showed why he was an All-American for the Golden Eagles finishing with 29 points and never left the court playing all 45 minutes. The sophomore knocked down 5-of-10 from 3-point range and was 10-of-24 from the floor to go with four rebounds, three assists and two steals.
 
- Jürgens played a key role for ORU all afternoon totaling six points and dished out a game-high six assists, but was most impressive by coming up with five steals.
 
News and Notes
- ORU is now 3-5 all-time at the NCAA Tournament in six appearances and pulls off only the ninth 15 vs. 2 upset in NCAA tournament history as No. 15 seeds were 8-132 coming into today. The Golden Eagles also are the lowest-seeded team to win an overtime game in the round of 64 since the tournament's inception.
 
- It was the ninth time this season the Golden Eagles finished with less than 10 turnovers in a game giving the ball away just six times, while forcing the Buckeyes into 16.
 
- ORU played its first overtime game of the season Friday and third all-time at the NCAA Championship improving to 2-1.
 
Up Next
The Golden Eagles take on No. 7 Florida with a trip to the Sweet 16 on the line Sunday at a time and location to be determined.
 
For the latest information on ORU Men's Basketball, follow the Golden Eagles on Twitter and Instagram, or go to www.ORUAthletics.com. Fans can also receive updates on the team by downloading the ORU Athletics app from the App Store or Google Play Store.