Oral Roberts University Men's Basketball Returns Home to Face Central Arkansas

By Press release submission

Dec 10, 2022

The Oral Roberts men's basketball team will begin a five game homestand when Central Arkansas visits the Mabee Center Saturday, December 10 at 7 p.m.

It will be Youth Sports Night at the Mabee Center. Families can receive up to four (4) FREE general admission tickets when their child/children wears a jersey of a team they compete on to the game. Jerseys can be any sports and are not limited to basketball.

Quick Hits
• Max Abmas was named preseason Summit League Player of the Year and to the league's preseason First Team. Abmas earned a spot on the Naismith Player of the Year Watch List and the NABC Preseason Player of the Year Watch List as well as on the 2023 Bob Cousy Award Watch List and Wooden Top 50. All for the second-straight season.

• For the first time since 2011-12, the Golden Eagles were picked No. 1 in the Summit League preseason rankings. ORU is also receiving votes in the College Insider Mid-Major Poll.

• Abmas continues where he left off last season averaging 17.4 points per game. Three other Golden Eagles average double-digits with Issac McBride, Kareem Thompson and Connor Vanover. Vanover averages 12.6 points, McBride scores 10.7 and Thompson averages 10 ppg.

• Vanover has totaled 30 blocks this season. He currently is third in the nation in total blocks and second in blocks per game (3.7). As a team, ORU is 19th in the nation in blocks.

• McBride has a 3.88 assist/turnover ratio to lead the Summit League and is No. 15 in the nation.

• ORU is hitting 11.1 triples per game, which puts the team 6th in the nation and first in the Summit League. The Golden Eagles have totaled 100 three-point buckets this season.

• On the glass, ORU leads the Summit League in defensive rebounds per game (28.7).

• This will be the 8th all-time meeting between Oral Roberts and Central Arkansas. ORU leads the series, 4-3. The Golden Eagles are 4-0 when facing the Bears at the Mabee Center.

Scouting the Opponent
• Central Arkansas is 5-4 on the season. In its previous game, UCA defeated Arkansas State, 72-67, at home.

• Four Bears are averaging double-figures with Camren Hunter leading the way with 16.6 ppg. Eddy Kayouloud scores 14.9 ppg, Collin Cooper scores 11.6 ppg and Masai Olowokere averages 10.1 ppg.

• UCA averages 76.3 points per game and shoots 43.2 percent from the field and 34.0 from three-point range. The Bears out-rebound its opponents by 2.8 rebounds per game.