The Oral Roberts Golden Eagles men's basketball team is the basketball team representing

Oral Roberts University Oral Roberts University (ORU) is a private evangelical university in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Founded in 1963, the university is named after its founder, evangelist Oral Roberts. Sitting on a campus, ORU offers over 70 undergraduate degree programs ...

Tulsa, Oklahoma Tulsa () is the second-largest city in the state of Oklahoma and 47th-most populous city in the United States. The population was 413,066 as of the 2020 census. It is the principal municipality of the Tulsa Metropolitan Area, a region with ...

. The team is a member of

Summit League The Summit League, or The Summit, is an NCAA Division I intercollegiate athletic conference with its membership mostly located in the Midwestern United States from Illinois on the East of the Mississippi River to the Dakotas and Nebraska on the W ...

. Oral Roberts has made appearances in six NCAA Tournaments, the most recent appearance in

2021 File:2021 collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: the James Webb Space Telescope was launched in 2021; Protesters in Yangon, Myanmar following the 2021 Myanmar coup d'état, coup d'état; A civil demonstration against the October–November 2021 ...

. The team has also appeared in eight

National Invitation Tournament The National Invitational Tournament (NIT) is a men's college basketball tournament operated by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). Played at regional sites and traditionally at Madison Square Garden (Final Four) in New York City ...

s, one

College Basketball Invitational The College Basketball Invitational (CBI) is a men's college basketball tournament created in 2007 by The Gazelle Group. The inaugural tournament occurred after the conclusion of the 2007–08 men's college basketball regular season. The CBI s ...

, and two

CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament The CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament (CIT) was an American men's college basketball postseason tournament founded by Collegeinsider.com. The tournament was oriented toward schools that did not get selected for the NCAA Division I men's ...

s. The Golden Eagles have won seven regular season conference championships and six tournament championships. The team has been members of the

Southland Conference The Southland Conference, abbreviated as SLC, is a collegiate athletic conference which operates in the South Central United States (specifically Texas and Louisiana). It participates in the NCAA's Division I for all sports; for football, it pa ...

and the

Midwestern Collegiate Conference The Horizon League is an 11-school collegiate athletic conference in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I, whose members are located in and near the Great Lakes region. The Horizon League founded in 1979 as the Midw ...

. In the opening round of the 2021 tournament, the Golden Eagles recorded just the ninth 15 vs. 2 upset in tournament history, defeating

Ohio State The Ohio State University, commonly called Ohio State or OSU, is a public land-grant research university in Columbus, Ohio. A member of the University System of Ohio, it has been ranked by major institutional rankings among the best public ...

75–72 in overtime, in the process winning their first tournament game since 1974. Two days later, they became just the second 15 seed (after the 2013 Florida Gulf Coast Eagles) to advance to the Sweet Sixteen, after defeating #7

Florida Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, and to ...

81–78. On April 10, 2017, the school fired all-time winningest coach Scott Sutton after 18 years. He finished with an overall record of 328–247. The school named Paul Mills as the new head coach on April 28. Prior to the 1993–94 season, ORU was known as the Titans. The Golden Eagles and

Tulsa Golden Hurricane The Golden Hurricane are the athletic teams that represent the University of Tulsa. These teams are referred to as the Tulsa Golden Hurricane (or variously as TU or Tulsa). Before adopting the name Golden Hurricane in 1922, the University of Tu ...

exchange a traveling trophy, the Mayor's Cup, in the two teams' crosstown rivalry.

Postseason play

NCAA tournament results

The Golden Eagles have appeared in six NCAA tournaments. Their combined record is 4–6.

1974 NCAA Tournament

ORU, in just its eighth season of varsity competition, made the big show and almost stole the show, coming within three points of advancing to the Final Four. The Titans finished the regular season 21–5 before receiving the NCAA bid and then proceeded to knock off Syracuse 86–82 in overtime in the sub-Regional in Denton, Texas in the first round and Louisville 96–93 at the Mabee Center to move on to the Elite Eight. ORU's dream season came to an end on its home floor, however, as Kansas overcame a nine-point deficit in the game's final minutes to send it to overtime, where the Jayhawks won 93–90. ORU, at 23–6, won 20-plus games for the fifth straight season, closing out

Ken Trickey Kenneth Franklin Trickey Sr. (August 30, 1933"Ken Trickey"
''

postseason party with a 68–66 decision over Xavier. The Titans had won the regular season conference title with an 11–3 record and then took all three games in the MCC tourney to gain the right to play Memphis State in Memphis, Tenn., in first-round NCAA play. ORU, behind junior center

Mark Acres Mark Richard Acres (born November 15, 1962) is an American former professional basketball player who spent most of his career in the National Basketball Association (NBA). He was a 6'11", power forward/center. Acres attended Oral Roberts Univ ...

' 28 points, gave Memphis State all it could handle but eventually bowed in defeat 92–83 to the homestanding Tigers. Acres, the MCC Player of the Year, was on his way to his third straight All-American season in which he would finish with team leading averages of 20.8 points and 10.5 rebounds. He was not alone during ORU's march to the NCAA Tournament, receiving support from junior teammates Sam Potter (18.1 ppg) and Jeff Acres (15.0), his older brother who bounced back from a redshirt season to play a key role in the Titans' resurgence. ORU, which opened the season with a 4–5 start, turned things around the rest of the way, posting a 17–4 record on its way to the MCC crown.

2006 NCAA Tournament

One year after coming so close to reaching their first NCAA Tournament in over 20 years, the Golden Eagles finally advanced to the Big Dance. Plagued by injuries to key players throughout the season, the Golden Eagles rallied down the regular-season's home stretch, tying IUPUI for the Mid-Continent Conference regular season title on the final day. ORU again earned the No. 1 seed for the Mid-Con Tournament and this time, there was no miracle, last-second shot in the title game. ORU romped by Chicago State, 85–72, in the title game in Tulsa, earning the school's first NCAA Tournament berth in 22 years. Junior guard Ken Tutt, who earlier missed 10 conference games with a broken foot, earned Tournament MVP honors. Despite being a 16 seed for the NCAA Tournament, the Golden Eagles were much-ballyhooed in the days leading up to their meeting with No. 1 seed Memphis, with some so-called "experts" labeling the Golden Eagles as the best No. 16 seed ever. ORU gave the Tigers a good tussle, but eventually came up short in Dallas. Junior forward Caleb Green once again enjoyed a tremendous season, claiming his second straight Mid-Con Player of the Year honor, and once again earning honorable mention All-America honors from the AP. The Golden Eagles enjoyed significant nationwide exposure, playing on national television three different times, including a 68–48 win over Southern Cal on ESPN2 while at the Great Alaska Shootout. The Golden Eagles kept the Mayor's Cup at the Mabee Center for the third straight season with a 62–48 defeat of Tulsa.

2007 NCAA Tournament

With seniors Green and Tutt leading the way, the Golden Eagles made history by becoming the first ORU team to reach consecutive NCAA Tournaments. Green, who became the Mid-Continent Conference's all-time leader in points and rebounds, earned conference player of the year for the third time and captured Mid-Con Tournament MVP honors. But it was Tutt's clutch shooting which carried the Golden Eagles to the tournament title. Tutt banked in a running jumper with 31 seconds remaining to give ORU a come-from behind victory over Oakland and a second straight NCAA Tournament berth. The basket not only gave ORU a title, but also put Tutt at 2,000 career points, making him and Green just the seventh duo in NCAA history to reach 2,000 together. But it was not just post-season success which the Golden Eagles enjoyed. On Nov. 15, ORU enjoyed the biggest regular-season victory in school history with a shocking 78–71 win at No. 3 Kansas. Marchello Vealy, who later won Mid-Con Sixth Man of the Year honors, scored a career-high 22 points off the bench, hitting seven consecutive three-pointers during the game.

2008 NCAA Tournament

With the loss of 2,000-point scorers Caleb Green and Ken Tutt, it seemed unlikely for the Golden Eagles to repeat as Summit League champions for the fourth consecutive year. However, a foursome of unheralded seniors and a high-scoring newcomer helped propel ORU to the unlikeliest of championship seasons. Seniors Moses Ehambe, Shawn King, Adam Liberty and Yemi Ogunoye guided ORU to a 24–9 overall record and a 16–2 conference record, which included a record 13–0 start. The best defense in school history propelled the Golden Eagles to regular season wins over Tulsa and Oklahoma State. Head coach Scott Sutton was named Summit League Coach of the Year. Junior guard Robert Jarvis sparked ORU's offense off the bench, leading the nation's reserves in scoring at 16.1 points per game on his way to Summit League Sixth Man of the Year. Ogunoye, a defensive stalwart for five seasons, earned Summit League Defensive Player of the Year, and Ehambe, on the strength of a record eight three-pointers in the opening round and 25 points in the championship game, earned Summit League tournament MVP honors.

2021 NCAA Tournament

Seeded fourth in the Summit League tournament, the Golden Eagles topped North Dakota before nabbing upset wins over top-seeded South Dakota State and North Dakota State in the respective semifinal and championship rounds. A crucial block and steal by Francis Lacis with two seconds remaining in the latter game allowed the Golden Eagles to escape with a 75–72 victory and reach their first NCAA men's basketball tournament in 13 years. Placed in a No. 15 seed in the South region, ORU went on to pull off a shocking upset of the No. 2 seed and Big Ten runner-up Ohio State Buckeyes in a 75–72 overtime triumph. Kevin Obanor and Max Abmas combined for 59 points in the victory. The Golden Eagles beat the Florida Gators 81–78 to advance to the Sweet Sixteen, becoming just the second No. 15 seed to advance to the regional semifinal round (and first since Florida Gulf Coast in 2013). But against the Arkansas Razorbacks, they fell by a 72–70 final which caused their run to end.

NIT results

The Golden Eagles have appeared in eight

s (NIT). Their combined record is 2–8.

1972 NIT

ORU's first postseason team ever, the 1971–72 edition of the 'run-and-gun' Titans featured: guard Richard Fuqua, who would finish second in the nation among small-college players in scoring with a 35.9 average; forward Eddie Woods, who averaged 14.5 rebounds per game, still an ORU single-season high; forward Sam McCamey, ORU's first draftee when he was selected in the eighth round of the 1972 draft by Boston; and guard Eldon Lawyer, Fuqua's running mate. The team won four straight games to open the season before losing at Murray State 94–87 on Dec. 18. ORU then reeled off a school record 22 wins in a row, the last being a 94–74 drubbing of Memphis State at Madison Square Garden in the opening round of the NIT. ORU's season and win streak came to an end three nights later when the Titans lost to St. John's 94–78. The 1971–72 team, which topped the century mark in scoring 20 times in 28 games, led the nation offensively with a 105.1 points per game average and in rebounding at 60.2 boards per game. ORU finished 16th in the final Associated Press ranking.

1973 NIT

Making a second consecutive appearance in the NIT, the 1972–73 ORU Titans posted a final record of 21–6, marking the fourth straight 20–win season for the university. Headlining the 1972–73 edition was senior guard Richard Fuqua, who led the team for the fourth straight year in scoring with a 23.5 average. Sophomore center David Vaughn steered the team with Fuqua. He posted averages of 19.2 points and 14.3 rebounds to earn All-American honors along with Fuqua. Both players were drafted following the season, with Fuqua going to Boston and Vaughn to Virginia in the ABA. For the second consecutive year, ORU led the nation in scoring, averaging 97.3 points per outing, while scoring 100 or more points in a contest 11 times. The Titans also ranked first nationally in field-goal attempts per game (98.5) and in rebound margin (+15.3). The 1972–73 team average of 65.9 rebounds per game still stands as a school record. The 1972–73 season did mark the end of ORU's school-record 52-game home winning streak when Marshall defeated the Titans 106–103 on Feb. 10 in the Homecoming game. The streak had dated back to Feb. 17, 1969, when the Titans played in the old Dome on campus. ORU's appearance in the NIT came to an abrupt 82–65 end at the hands of North Carolina at the Garden.

1975 NIT

The Titans did not skip a beat under new head coach Jerry Hale, posting a 20–8 record and advancing to postseason play for the fourth straight year. The team's appearance in the NIT at Madison Square Garden marked the third time in four seasons in the postseason classic for the Titans, who nipped Memphis State 97–95 in the first round before losing a hard-fought battle to Oregon 68–59 four nights later. Sophomore forward

Anthony Roberts Anthony John Roberts (born 19 April 1970) is an Australian politician. He is the New South Wales Minister for Planning and the Minister for Homes in the Perrottet ministry since December 2021. Roberts is a member of the New South Wales Legisl ...

blossomed into an offensive force and gave an extended glimpse of things to come by averaging 22.4 points per game to lead the team. Roberts had averaged just 5.2 points per outing in limited action the year before. He was followed closely by fellow sophomore Arnold Dugger, who averaged 17.1 points in his first season with the Titans after coming to ORU with Hale from the junior college level. Roberts and Dugger would each earn All-American honors at the end of the season, with Roberts being named to the Independent First Team squad. The team's 20–8 record marked the sixth consecutive 20-plus win campaign and included wins over Texas A&M, Jacksonville and Southern Illinois.

1977 NIT

ORU returned to the NIT for the fourth time in six years on the strength of a 21–6 regular season record. Unfortunately, the team's appearance in the NIT was short-lived as Oregon spoiled a record-setting performance by senior forward Anthony 'Woosie' Roberts in a thrilling 90–89 win over the Titans at the Mabee Center. Roberts, who completed the season as the nation's second-leading scorer with a 34.0 average, blistered the Ducks for 65 points in the NIT loss, setting a single-game tournament high that still stands today. Woosie, who also averaged 9.2 rebounds while shooting 54.4 percent, earned consensus All-American honors for his senior-season heroics. Joining Roberts to form ORU's Titan-ic trio were senior guard Arnold Dugger and senior forward Alvin Scott. Dugger concluded the season with 501 career assists and still holds the record while accomplishing the feat in just three seasons. Scott swatted away a team-leading 81 shots and led the team in rebounding with a 9.5 average. His season block total is an ORU record. Roberts, Dugger and Scott were all drafted in 1977, with Roberts going in the first round to Denver. Scott, picked by Phoenix in the seventh round, enjoyed a long career with the Suns.

1982 NIT

Five years to the day of the 1977 Titans' 90–89 loss to Oregon, ORU was back in the NIT, hosting state rival Oklahoma at the Mabee Center. The Sooners put a damper on the anniversary festivities with an 81–73 victory, spoiling the Titans' fifth appearance overall in the NIT. ORU, coming off an 11–16 season in 1980–81, relied on the contributions of both young and old throughout the campaign. Freshman center Mark Acres became just the third first-year player to lead the team in scoring, joining Dana Lewis in 1967–68 and Richard Fuqua in 1969–70, by averaging 14.6 points per game. Acres also paced the Titans in rebounding with an 8.1 average. Senior guard Gary 'Cat' Johnson finished second behind Acres with a 14.2 scoring mark and sophomore forward Lester Gill placed third with 12.2 ppg. Acres earned AP honorable mention All-American accolades for his efforts. The Titans, in their third season under head coach Ken Hayes, opened the season 7–3 and used that momentum to overcome injuries and a tough conference slate to qualify for the NIT berth.

1997 NIT

Oral Roberts advanced to Division I postseason play for the first time since 1983–84 and the first time as the Golden Eagles. With the leadership of four seniors and the impressive play of junior sensation shooting guard Tim Gill, Head Coach

Bill Self Billy Eugene Self Jr. (born December 27, 1962) is an American basketball coach. He is the head men's basketball coach at the University of Kansas, a position he has held since 2003. During his 19 seasons as head coach, he has led the Jayhawks to ...

led his team to a postseason berth for the first time under his direction in the fourth and last season of his tenure as head coach. ORU's final regular season record was 21–6, and this was the Golden Eagles' final year as an independent. Victories over such teams as No. 16

Arkansas Arkansas ( ) is a landlocked state in the South Central United States. It is bordered by Missouri to the north, Tennessee and Mississippi to the east, Louisiana to the south, and Texas and Oklahoma to the west. Its name is from the Osage ...

, nationally ranked

Tulsa Tulsa () is the second-largest city in the U.S. state, state of Oklahoma and List of United States cities by population, 47th-most populous city in the United States. The population was 413,066 as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. ...

and established

Oklahoma State Oklahoma (; Choctaw: ; chr, ᎣᎧᎳᎰᎹ, ''Okalahoma'' ) is a state in the South Central region of the United States, bordered by Texas on the south and west, Kansas on the north, Missouri on the northeast, Arkansas on the east, New ...

were not enough to give ORU an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament, but the National Invitation Tournament did extend a bid. The Eagles gladly accepted and headed up to

South Bend, Indiana South Bend is a city in and the county seat of St. Joseph County, Indiana, St. Joseph County, Indiana, on the St. Joseph River (Lake Michigan), St. Joseph River near its southernmost bend, from which it derives its name. As of the 2020 United S ...

, to face Notre Dame and Big East player of the year

Pat Garrity Patrick Joseph Garrity (born August 23, 1976) is an American former professional basketball player who played for ten years in the National Basketball Association (NBA). He was a member of the National Basketball Players Association Executive Comm ...

on March 12, 1997. ORU went into the game with wins in 12 of its last 13 games, but whatever the reason, the Golden Eagles did not show up to play against the Fighting Irish. Notre Dame only led by six at the half (35–29), but extended its lead to as many as 18 points in the second period (74–56 at 0:15) and ended up winning by 16, 74–58. Gill still led all scorers in the contest with 21 points.

2005 NIT

A much-anticipated season culminated with a post-season tournament berth, though it was not the tournament the Golden Eagles had hoped for. Following a 23-win regular season, a Mid-Continent Conference regular season title and a pair of wins in the Mid-Con Tournament, the Golden Eagles were stunned in the Mid-Con finals by Oakland, losing 61–60 at John Q. Hammons Arena in Tulsa. The Golden Eagles accepted a bid to the NIT—their first post-season berth in eight years—and lost 85–72 at Maryland in a nationally televised first round game. Caleb Green enjoyed a monster sophomore season, earning Mid-Con Player of the Year honors and also capturing Associated Press All-America (HM) honors, the first ORU All-American in over 20 years. Head coach Scott Sutton was honored as the NABC District 12 co-Coach of the Year, sharing the honor with his father, Oklahoma State's Eddie Sutton. ORU picked up several impressive wins, most notably a defeat of Georgetown in the Hawaii Rainbow Classic, and an ESPN Bracket Buster win at Southwest Missouri State. The Golden Eagles handed Tulsa a record-setting 70–47 defeat in the annual Mayor's Cup game.

2012 NIT

The Golden Eagles went 17–1 in The Summit League to be regular season champions but failed to win the Summit League Basketball tournament. As regular season conference champions, they received an automatic bid into the NIT. They lost to WAC regular season champion Nevada in the first round to finish the season 27–7.

CBI results

The Golden Eagles have appeared in the

(CBI) one time. Their record is 1–1.

CIT results

The Golden Eagles have appeared in two

s (CIT). Their combined record is 2–2.

Notable players

Retired numbers

The Golden Eagles have retired three numbers in program history.

NBA/ABA players

(

Boston Celtics The Boston Celtics ( ) are an American professional basketball team based in Boston. The Celtics compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference Atlantic Division. Founded in 1946 as one of t ...

Orlando Magic The Orlando Magic are an American professional basketball team based in Orlando, Florida. The Magic compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference Southeast Division. The franchise was establ ...

Houston Rockets The Houston Rockets are an American professional basketball team based in Houston. The Rockets compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member team of the league's Western Conference Southwest Division. The team plays its ho ...

Washington Bullets The Washington Wizards are an American professional basketball team based in Washington, D.C. The Wizards compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference Southeast Division. The team plays ...

) * Calvin Garrett (Houston Rockets,

Los Angeles Lakers The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles. The Lakers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Western Conference Pacific Division. The Lakers play their ...

) * DaQuan Jeffries (

Sacramento Kings The Sacramento Kings are an American professional basketball team based in Sacramento, California. The Kings compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Western Conference Pacific Division. The Kings are the oldest ...

) * Larry Owens (

San Antonio Spurs The San Antonio Spurs are an American professional basketball team based in San Antonio. The Spurs compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Western Conference (NBA), Western Conference Southwest Division ( ...

Washington Wizards The Washington Wizards are an American professional basketball team based in Washington, D.C. The Wizards compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference (NBA), Eastern Conference Southeast D ...

New Jersey Nets New is an adjective referring to something recently made, discovered, or created. New or NEW may refer to: Music * New, singer of K-pop group The Boyz Albums and EPs * ''New'' (album), by Paul McCartney, 2013 * ''New'' (EP), by Regurgitator, ...

) *

(

Denver Nuggets The Denver Nuggets are an American professional basketball team based in Denver. The Nuggets compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Western Conference Northwest Division. The team was founded as the D ...

, Washington Bullets) * Alvin Scott (

Phoenix Suns The Phoenix Suns are an American professional basketball team based in Phoenix, Arizona. They compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA), as a member of the league's Western Conference Pacific Division. The Suns are the only team in t ...

) * Greg Sutton (San Antonio Spurs,

Charlotte Hornets The Charlotte Hornets are an American professional basketball team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. The Hornets compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference Southeast Division, and pla ...

Philadelphia 76ers The Philadelphia 76ers, colloquially known as the Sixers, are an American professional basketball team based in the Philadelphia metropolitan area. The 76ers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eas ...

) * David Vaughn (

Virginia Squires The Virginia Squires were a basketball team based in Norfolk, Virginia, and playing in several other Virginia cities. They were members of the American Basketball Association from 1970 to 1976. The team originated in 1967 as the Oakland Oaks, a ...

) *

Haywoode Workman Haywoode Wilvon Workman (born January 23, 1966) is an American former basketball player who is a referee in the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played the point guard position at 6'2", and played 359 games in eight NBA seasons for fiv ...

(

Atlanta Hawks The Atlanta Hawks are an American professional basketball team based in Atlanta. The Hawks compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference (NBA), Eastern Conference Southeast Division (NBA), Sou ...

, Washington Bullets,

Indiana Pacers The Indiana Pacers are an American professional basketball team based in Indianapolis. The Pacers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference Central Division. The Pacers were first esta ...

Milwaukee Bucks The Milwaukee Bucks are an American professional basketball team based in Milwaukee. The Bucks compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference Central Division. The team was founded in 1968 ...

Toronto Raptors The Toronto Raptors are a Canadian professional basketball team based in Toronto. The Raptors compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference Atlantic Division. They play their home games a ...

)

Head coaches

* Paul Mills (2017–present) * Scott Sutton (1999–2017) * Barry Hinson (1997–1999) *

(1993–1997) *

Ken Trickey Kenneth Franklin Trickey Sr. (August 30, 1933"Ken Trickey"
''

Ted Owens (1985–1987) * Dick Acres (1982–1985) * Ken Hayes (1979–1982) * Lake Kelly (1977–1979) * Jerry Hale (1974–1977) *

Ken Trickey Kenneth Franklin Trickey Sr. (August 30, 1933"Ken Trickey"
''

Bill White (1965–1969)

Mabee Center

The

Mabee Center Mabee Center is a 10,154-seat multi-purpose arena, located on the campus of Oral Roberts University, in Tulsa, Oklahoma, United States.Bill Haisten, "Still Fine at 40: Built in 1972, ORU’s Mabee Center remains an effective venue today." ''Tulsa ...

has been home to the Golden Eagles since 1972. The arena bears the name of John and Lottie Mabee, who established the Tulsa-based Mabee Foundation in 1948. The benevolences of this foundation are evident throughout the Southwest where many edifices bear the name. Mabee Center was built as an elliptical cable-suspension structure with basketball in mind. The arena has 10,575 permanent theater seats - with no obstacles to clear viewing. Recently, four luxury suites were added on the south side or directly behind the team benches. The arena has drawn nine different national tournaments since the building opened. The Golden Eagles themselves played in the first NCAA tournament held here in 1974. Four other NCAA regionals (1975, 1978, 1982 and 1985) have been based at the Mabee Center. The National Invitation Tournament picked ORU as host four times (1977, 1980, 1982 and 1983). Mabee Center also annually hosts the Oklahoma state high school playoffs and the Oklahoma Coaches Association All-Star games. It was also the former site of the NAIA National Basketball Championship. Mabee Center regularly plays host to various conventions, conferences, seminars, and special events such as the annual Miss Oklahoma pageant. In the past, Mabee Center has hosted performers including

Elvis Presley Elvis Aaron Presley (January 8, 1935 – August 16, 1977), or simply Elvis, was an American singer and actor. Dubbed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, King of Rock and Roll", he is regarded as Cultural impact of Elvis Presley, one ...

Garth Brooks Troyal Garth Brooks (born February 7, 1962) is an American country music singer and songwriter. His integration of pop and rock elements into the country genre has earned him popularity, particularly in the United States with success on the co ...

Willie Nelson Willie Hugh Nelson (born April 29, 1933) is an American country musician. The critical success of the album ''Shotgun Willie'' (1973), combined with the critical and commercial success of ''Red Headed Stranger'' (1975) and '' Stardust'' (197 ...

Reba McEntire Reba Nell McEntire (born March 28, 1955), or simply Reba, is an American country music singer and actress. Dubbed " the Queen of Country", she has sold more than 75 million records worldwide. Since the 1970s, McEntire has placed over 100 single ...

and

Blue Man Group Blue Man Group is an American performance art company formed in 1987. It was purchased in July 2017 by the Canadian company Cirque du Soleil. Blue Man Group is known for its stage productions, which incorporate many kinds of music and art, bot ...

References

External links

* {{Summit League men's basketball navbox