North Dakota State vs Oral Roberts Odds
| North Dakota State Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+11 -110 | 153.5 -110o / -110u | +450 |
| Oral Roberts Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-11 -110 | 153.5 -110o / -110u | -625 |
The Summit League Tournament largely went to plan this past weekend, with top-seed Oral Roberts and 3-seed North Dakota State skating by each of their two opponents.
The Golden Eagles were the heavy favorites to cut down the nets in Sioux Falls after running the table in league play and now sit 20-0 against Summit competition.
But despite a gaudy 29-4 record, ORU is likely out of the conversation for an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament, meaning this championship game is all or nothing.
It's impossible to not feel the pressure mounting when shouldering such heavy expectations.
Signs of that pressure cracking the Golden Eagles showed in their semifinal battle against St. Thomas. The Tommies held a halftime lead and fought tooth-and-nail with the 13-point favorite for a full 40 minutes.
Tonight, ORU finds itself as another double-digit favorite against a dangerous opponent with nothing to lose.
North Dakota State was swept by ORU in the regular season, but this team features a ton of talent and is led by a coach in Dave Richman who has won the Summit League Tournament three times over his tenure.
6-foot-11 Grant Nelson and 6-foot-10 Andrew Morgan form the Summit's best frontcourt duo, the former being an NBA prospect and extremely challenging matchup for the Golden Eagles. In two games against ORU this season, Nelson is averaging 22.5 points and 8.5 rebounds per contest.
Oral Roberts' backcourt dwarfs NDSU's both from a talent and experience perspective. Two-time Honorable Mention All-American Max Abmas will name his number in the scoring column, and backcourt mate Issac McBride might be the second-best guard in the league.
The Bison are generally a good defensive team, but there's simply no stopping Abmas and Co.
NDSU was competitive for stretches against ORU in both games this season. In a tournament setting where tensions are high and the unthinkable is commonplace, the Bison are a good bet to keep this one close.
NDSU can put ORU's slower-footed bigs in space with pick-and-roll action, and both Nelson and Morgan will be fed early and often on the block and elbow.
The Bison have covered four of their past five contests against Oral Roberts. Both coaches are familiar with one another and should bring air-tight game plans to the Sioux Falls Convention Center.
This figures to be a close contest throughout, with Oral Roberts emerging victorious and North Dakota State covering the lofty spread.
Pick: North Dakota State +10.5 (Play to +10) |
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