Buckeyes Should Pursue Oral Roberts Transfer Max Abmas, And Here's Why

Everyone still remembers the Ohio State Buckeyes' run through the Big Ten Tournament in 2021.

They had all the momentum carrying into a tournament title berth, losing 91-88 in an overtime thriller to the Illinois Fighting Illini. The Buckeyes earned a No. 2-seed in the South Region of the NCAA Tournament against — don't shudder too much — Oral Roberts.

The Golden Eagles stunned Ohio State in a historic 75-72 overtime First Round upset. Oral Roberts went on a Sweet 16 run that tournament to put its program on the map, and the Buckeyes became the butt of many jokes and "Or-al Rob-erts" chants at road-game arenas, including at Cameron Indoor Stadium against Duke earlier this season.

If you remember in that game, there were two stone-cold killers for Oral Roberts that helped drive the nails in Ohio State's tournament coffin: forward Kevin Obanor and guard Max Abmas.

The two combined for 78.7 percent of the Golden Eagles' 75 points, as Obanor scored 30 points and Abmas notched 29.

After the 2020-21 season, Obanor transferred to Texas Tech where he's spent the last two seasons and led the Red Raiders in scoring last season with 14.4 points per game.

It was announced Monday that Abmas has entered the transfer portal after 123 games played with the Golden Eagles.

Abmas could be a game-changer for a high-major.

Averaged 21.9 points, 4.4 rebounds and 4 assists this past season and is an elite shooter.

Been to 2 NCAA tourneys. https://t.co/7Jrqayh2c1
— Jeff Goodman (@GoodmanHoops) April 3, 2023

And now, it's head coach Chris Holtmann's job to make Abmas say no.

Ohio State is looking to replace its two top scorers in forwards Brice Sensabaugh and Justice Sueing who both declared for the NBA draft March 25 and March 29, respectively.

What better replacement than one of Oral Roberts' all-time best scorers?

Abmas put his scoring abilities on display for the national audience to see in the 15-2 upset against Ohio State, but he's been doing that since he arrived to Tulsa, OK. averaging 14.5, 24.5, 22.8 and 21.9 points per game, respectively, in his four years with Oral Roberts.

The Rockwall, TX. native scored 2,562 points, which was good for the third most in program history. His 20.8 points per game, 420 made 3s, 395 assists and 88.1 free throw percentage rank sixth, second, seventh and first all-time in Oral Roberts's history.

Abmas' 91.9 free throw percentage in 2022 was the highest single-season mark in program history.

His experience and scoring abilities, coupled with Bruce Thornton's raw talent entering his second season, would make for a lethal Buckeyes backcourt.

Last offseason, the Buckeyes went into the portal and nabbed guard Tanner Holden, who was the primary scorer at Wright State in his final year, averaging 20.1 points per game.

Things didn't exactly go according to plan for Holden in his first year in Columbus, garnering just 13.5 minutes and 3.6 points per game in 2022, so there are questions about making the leap from a mid-major program, like Oral Roberts and Wright State, to the Power 6 level of college basketball.

In 13 career games against Power 6 teams, Abmas averaged 20.5 points per game, failing to score in double digits just once and notching at least 20 points in eight of those contests.

Chinese general Sun Tzu coined the phrase "Keep your friends close and your enemies closer."

Nevertheless, enough time has passed to put the differences aside and get the guy responsible for one of the most historic losses in Ohio State basketball history to Columbus.

If the Buckeyes can't beat Abmas, might as well join him, right?

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