NCAA Basketball: 10 teams with upset potential in 2023 NCAA Tournament
By Joey Loose
Oral Roberts
Two seasons ago, Paul Mills coached this Oral Roberts team to the Sweet Sixteen as a 15-seed. They lost a few pieces off that team and struggled comparatively last season, but things are much different this year. The Golden Eagles completed a clean sweep through Summit League play and all four of their losses are in road games against Quad 1 opposition. There are no bad losses or bad performances, just one of the most talented mid-major squads in the country.
It all starts with Max Abmas, the super-talented senior guard who averages 22.3 points per game and helped lead that Sweet Sixteen team two seasons ago. This is his third straight year averaging at least 20 points a game, but it’s not just Abmas causing havoc at Oral Roberts. Formerly at California and Arkansas, 7’3 forward Connor Vanover has found a home here, averaging 12.6 points a game with considerable minutes. As for experience, Issac McBride, Carlos Jurgens, and Kareem Thompson all returned from last year’s squad, with the latter two teammates with Abmas during the Sweet Sixteen, and McBride averaging greater than 12 points a game this year.
Back in 2021, Abmas scored at least 25 points in all three of the Golden Eagles’ Tournament games and you can basically guarantee he’s going to have another standout performance if they get back to the Big Dance. This team scores a lot, blocks a lot of shots, and usually makes their 3-pointers; making you pay no matter how you defend them. A 12-seed looks about right for the Golden Eagles at the moment, and you can bet they’ll be the trendy pick to upset a 5-seed in the Tournament. Even if you slow down Abmas, there’s talent and experience on this roster: they’ve done this before and they’re ready for more.