Old Titan Posted July 24, 2014 Share Posted July 24, 2014 'Nuther side note: The way Tulsa is being portrayed as a "heavyweight" in this event, while ORU is a "middleweight", really suc stinks. OSU, Tulsa, ORU Men's Basketball Teams To Play MGM Grand Main Event (Tulsa World) The Golden Hurricane showed quite the glass jaw last November - ORU punched 'em in the mouth at the Reynolds Center, and they went down hard. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ORUalum Posted July 24, 2014 Share Posted July 24, 2014 "Upon further review"... The only name among those four big boys that I actually heard about previously was Oregon State. Auburn was NOT in fact mentioned; but another SEC school was (who, obviously, isn't in this field). Several websites, including nbcsports.com, reported in June that the Tigers are hosting Milwaukee and Louisiana for their two games, not ORU: Auburn, Oklahoma State Among Eight teams in November's MGM Grand Main Event (nbcsports.com) So, is ORU playing at OSU or at Tulsa as part of the Golden Eagles road-game commitment for this event? Or, is ORU one of the two mid-majors playing at Auburn, and those websites were premature in their match-ups? I'm betting on the latter... from Auburn's athletic dept official release on June 12...."Auburn will play host to Wisconsin-Milwaukee on Nov. 14 and Louisiana on Nov. 21 at the Auburn Arena." that's pretty specific for Auburn's athletic dept to release. of course, things could be changing as ORU and the last school are added. i've got my fingers crossed for a game in Stillwater. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TrueBlue82 Posted July 24, 2014 Share Posted July 24, 2014 If ORU has good luck in scheduling (and a good travel agent), playing at Oregon State and Weber State the week before Thanksgiving and then on to Las Vegas would take care of the "west of the Rockies" portion of the schedule all in one trip. Of course, I'm hoping at least one of those games leaks into December - as I try to get to as many intermountain/western games as possible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TrueBlue82 Posted July 24, 2014 Share Posted July 24, 2014 More info on the "Middleweight" bracket - games will be played on the Monday and Wednesday before Thanksgiving at 11 am and 1:30 pm Pacific. The two games on the road against the "heavyweights" will be played PRIOR to arriving in Las Vegas (so I would assume something like Tuesday the 18th at Auburn and Friday the 21st in Corvallis???). Notes on Louisiana and Milwaukee (and ORU): The Main Event’s Middleweight bracket features a competitive field of teams that each could be competing for conference titles next season. Despite the loss of NBA Draft lottery selection Elfrid Payton, Louisiana appears primed to make a run at a return trip to the NCAA Tournament. Last season’s Sun Belt Conference champions return second-leading scorer Shawn Long (18.6 points and 10.4 rebounds). Milwaukee returns three starters from last season’s 21-win team led by juniors Matt Tiby (12.0 points) and Austin Arians (11.1 points). Coach Scott Sutton has built Oral Roberts into one of the nation’s top mid-major programs averaging more than 20 wins per season over the past decade. The Golden Eagles lose only one starter from last season and will be led by Obi Emegano (19.0 points) and Korey Billbury (15.3 points). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theeagleman5 Posted July 24, 2014 Share Posted July 24, 2014 That makes ORU sound imposing.....the Golden Eagles will be facing very strong competition in this tournament....winning just one game might be difficult.....but this should be good for our RPI.....isn't deposed former Tennessee coach Bruce Pearl now at Auburn?....TheEagleman recalls reading that he has signed up a bunch of top recruits for Auburn....so the Tigers will be a much improved squad.....Oregon State has been in rebuild mode since firing President Obamas' brother in law.....and of course, OSU has a really good team despite losing Marcus Smart.....TheEagleman is guessing ORU will most likely make OT happy by having to play a game at Gallagher-Iba in this tournament..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oruvoice Posted July 24, 2014 Share Posted July 24, 2014 What luck!?! I am flying to Las Vegas on November 26th, to meet a friend from Memphis and see the Tigers play in a Las Vegas Thanksgiving tournament. Can you say 2-for-1!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theeagleman5 Posted July 24, 2014 Share Posted July 24, 2014 When's the last time we had 3 of the 4 Oklahoma D-1 teams in the same tournament?....TheEagleman is guessing that it has to be one of the old Holiday All-College tournaments held in OKC back in the day......were there ever any years when all 4 Oklahoma schools were in the that tournament?....that would be exciting to do now.....play it at the BOK in Tulsa or the Chesapeake Arena in OKC.....lots of people would come..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ORUalum Posted July 24, 2014 Share Posted July 24, 2014 @ Oregon St. -- Nov 22 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ORU82 Posted July 24, 2014 Share Posted July 24, 2014 Fantastic! This news coupled with what we have heard already about Tulsa, Oklahoma and New Mexico State plus the Summit is great. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ORUJason Posted July 24, 2014 Share Posted July 24, 2014 What would be funny is if they were able to add another heavyweight team and pushed Tulsa down into the middleweight bracket. Probably wouldn't happen, but if the right opponent was added, it would be within the realm of possibility. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theeagleman5 Posted July 24, 2014 Share Posted July 24, 2014 Tulsa a "heavyweight"???..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oruvoice Posted July 24, 2014 Share Posted July 24, 2014 Oregon State = winnable game. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theeagleman5 Posted July 24, 2014 Share Posted July 24, 2014 TheEagleman would rather ORU play at Oregon State than Auburn....maybe we will be playing BOTH OSUs in this tournament???.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ORUalum Posted July 25, 2014 Share Posted July 25, 2014 Mayor's Cup/Homecoming rolled up into MGM Main Event. i don't know why we did not think of that. Tulsa gets shafted a bit as they do not get to host 2 games like the rest of the "Heavyweights." OPENING GAMES November 14 Milwaukee at Auburn November 15Tulsa at Oral Roberts November 17 Louisiana at Tulsa November 21 Milwaukee at Oklahoma State Louisiana at Auburn November 22Oral Roberts at Oregon State Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Titan Posted July 25, 2014 Share Posted July 25, 2014 Some "middleweight": ORU is 1-1 all-time vs. both Auburn and Oregon State, and got a "W" the last time out against Tulsa and Oklahoma State, neither of which was played in the Mabee Center. Also, really surprised TU agreed to counting the game at ORU as one of their two "middleweight" games. They lose a home game against a mid-major, which should be part of the deal. From ORU's standpoint, it's great: the primary reason to play in one of these tourneys is to get the two neutral site games against comparable mid-major competition. The two road games against the big boys are the price you pay for that. ORU just got this tournament for half price.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theeagleman5 Posted July 25, 2014 Share Posted July 25, 2014 This is a real bonus.....so this sort of makes ORU "1/2 a heavyweight".....lol.....and it's kind of a slap for TU.....TheEagleman loves it!......now we have to beat them for a 2nd year in a row at Mabee Center......it's the homecoming game so there should be a sellout crowd..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ORUalum Posted July 27, 2014 Share Posted July 27, 2014 Some "middleweight": ORU is 1-1 all-time vs. both Auburn and Oregon State, and got a "W" the last time out against Tulsa and Oklahoma State, neither of which was played in the Mabee Center. Also, really surprised TU agreed to counting the game at ORU as one of their two "middleweight" games. They lose a home game against a mid-major, which should be part of the deal. From ORU's standpoint, it's great: the primary reason to play in one of these tourneys is to get the two neutral site games against comparable mid-major competition. The two road games against the big boys are the price you pay for that. ORU just got this tournament for half price.... also along with saving travel costs to a second school like an Auburn, it adds a slot for an additional guarantee game if the program needs additional funds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Titan Posted July 28, 2014 Share Posted July 28, 2014 Here's what I'm wondering: how are the tournament organizers going to find that last mid-major team at this late date? Most schools start classes in as soon as two weeks - their schedules for 2014-2015 are virtually set, especially when it comes to an event like this adding FOUR games over a 10-day period in November. If there's no announcement about the fourth mid-major this week, there's no telling what might happen - ORU might be playing Findlay Prep as one of their two games in Vegas... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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