Oral Roberts vs North Dakota State Odds and Picks for Summit League Title Game

• No. 4 seed Oral Roberts upset top-seed South Dakota State on Monday to advance to the Summit League finals against North Dakota State on Tuesday
• No. 3 seed North Dakota State is looking for its third straight tournament title and has won four of the last seven
• Check the odds, analysis and betting predictions, below

Fourth-seeded Oral Roberts has won three games in a row and six of its last eight as it prepares to face No. 3 seed North Dakota State in the finals of the Summit League tournament in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, at 9:00 pm ET on Tuesday.

Two-time defending tournament champion North Dakota State fashioned a 17-3 run to overcome a nine-point deficit with seven minutes to play in a 79-75 semifinal victory over South Dakota on Monday. It has played in the league title game in six of the last eight seasons.

Oral Roberts vs North Dakota State Odds

Odds as of March 8th.

Oral Roberts 6-foot-8 forward Kevin Obanor tipped in a missed Max Abmas 8-foot floater at the buzzer to give the Golden Eagles a 90-88 victory over top-seeded South Dakota State on Monday.  Oral Roberts is seeking its first Summit League title since 2011.

FOR THE WIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! @_KevinObanor at the buzzer
(@MidcoSN) pic.twitter.com/LHyTAPEcG8

— ORU Basketball (@ORUMBB) March 9, 2021

North Dakota State had lost three of its last five regular-games before winning both its tournament games by four points 79-75. It stopped UMKC 69-65 in the quarters.

Max Abmas, Scoring Machine

Abmas, a 6-foot-1 sophomore from Dallas, was one of the Golden Eagles’ highest-rated recruits when he arrived on campus before last season, and he has taken off in year two.

Abmas has almost doubled his scoring average to 24.1 points per game from the 14.4 he had as a freshman while also increasing his efficiency and his range. Abmas entered the semifinals averaging 3.87 three-pointers per game, second in the NCAA. His 86 makes ranked third, and his 44.2% shooting from distance was eighth.

He is the only player in Division I with two 40-point games, and he had scored at least 20 points in 10 straight games before being held to 18 points and 10 assists in the victory over South Dakota State.

North Dakota focused its defense on Abmas and held him without a three-pointer for the first time this season in the quarterfinals, but he still scored 22 points in a 76-65 victory.

Bison Go For a Three-peat

North Dakota State is no stranger to the Summit League finals. The Bison won the 2018 tournament as the No. 4 seed and repeated its last year the No. 1 seed.

The Bison are led by 6-10 forward Rocky Kreuser (14.8 points per game) and 6-6 guard Sam Greisel (11.8) Greisel was one of three Bison on the 2020 all-tournament team, the only back. Kreuser had 20 points and eight rebounds and Griesel had 16 points Monday.

Kreuser was particularly efficient, making 5-of-7 field goal attempts and 10-of-11 free throws.

Golden Eagles Scheduled Up

Oral Roberts (15-10) played an aggressive non-conference scheduled, which hurt their record but served them well at tournament time.

The Golden Eagles played five regional toughies and sure-NCAA Tournament participants in their first eight games — Missouri, Wichita State, Oklahoma State, Oklahoma and Arkansas. They lost all five, all on the road, but played Wichita State and Oklahoma State within five points.

Abmas revealed himself almost immediately, scoring 28 points against Wichita State in the third game of the season and 36 against Oklahoma State in game four. He made 13 3-pointers in the two games, going 6-for-11 against Wichita State and 7-of-2 against Oklahoma State.

By the Numbers

Oral Roberts is 6-2 AST in its last eight games and has covered both its game in the Summit League tournament. The Golden Eagles have been over the total in six of their last eight games.

North Dakota State is 2-4-1 ATS in its last seven after covering as a three-point favorite against South Dakota on Monday. The Bison have been over the total in six of their last seven and eight of their last 11.

The teams split a pair of close games at North Dakota State on Feb. 5-6 in the regular season, decided by six and seven points. Obanor had 49 points and 28 rebounds in the games with a double-double in both.

North Dakota has the pedigree. Oral Roberts has the players.

The pick: Oral Roberts (+1)

The post Oral Roberts vs North Dakota State Odds and Picks for Summit League Title Game appeared first on Sports Betting Dime.

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