Kevin Obanor Exists To Dominate NCAA Tournament Games
Kevin Obanor came to Texas Tech to play in the NCAA Tournament. Not just play; he came to dominate. And through two games, he's done just that.
Obanor has notched back-to-back double-doubles against Montana State and Notre Dame averaging 13 rebounds in the two contests. This success isn't new for him either. Stretching back to Oral Robert's run in the 2021 NCAA Tournament Obanos has five straight double-doubles.
In other words, Obanor has notched double-digit rebounds and points in every NCAA Tournament game he's ever played in.
Obanor is averaging 19 points and 11.8 rebounds in those games with his team reaching the Sweet 16 in back-to-back years. Texas Tech would have certainly beaten Montana State without Obanor's output, but he owned the Fighting Irish inside, getting seven offensive rebounds in the contest. In contrast, Notre Dame finished with seven as an entire team.
Obanor also outrebounded his entire team, with only Kevin McCullar, Adonis Arms and Marcus Santos-Silva getting offensive boards of their own.
Obanor has been a menace on the boards and has scored at least 10 points in his last six games. He's also played his best in Texas Tech's biggest games of the season. He had 17 points against Texas in Lubbock. He went off for 23 and 13 against Baylor in Lubbock. In the double-overtime loss to Kansas in Lawrence, he scored 17 and had eight rebounds.
Obanor's next game will be the biggest of his career with a huge spotlight on Texas Tech and Duke on CBS in the primetime matchup on Thursday night in the Sweet 16. Coach K's final tournament, the only Sweet 16 matchup featuring both the three seed and two seed, Jim Nantz on the broadcast.
I think Obanor will rise to the occasion as he'd done many times before.