ORU Hosts Free Watch Party At Mabee Center For March Madness Game

Oral Roberts University is looking to make March Madness history again as the basketball team takes on Duke University Thursday evening.

Fans are welcome to go to the Mabee Center for a watch party. Doors open at 5:15 and admission is free.

Oral Roberts University basketball fans are ready to capture some of the same energy they did two years ago, when the team made it to the Sweet 16 for the first time since 1974.

"Beating Duke would just be unbelievable,” ORU Senior Associate Athletic Director, Scott Higgins said.

With the whole arena open to the public, there is more space for fans than at the March Madness watch parties in 2021.

"Everybody was so excited and like, the energy was crazy,” ORU Sophomore, Gretchen McPherson said.

McPherson turned out two years ago, before she was a student. She and her roommate, Brianna Najera, are looking forward to cheering on their Golden Eagles.

"A lot of people are doubting us, but I think we can do it,” Najera said.

Najera is on ORU's pom team, so she cheers on the basketball team at every home game.

"Every time they make a three, like the crowd is insane,” she said.

Higgins said fans at the Mabee Center can look forward to games and prizes during commercial breaks and at halftime, as everyone there “expects a miracle.”

"We still got the biggest screen in Oklahoma up there to watch the game on. We're gonna have games and fun so it will be even better than it was two years ago,” Higgins said.

If ORU wins against Duke on Thursday, ORU will host another watch party at the Mabee Center on Saturday night.