To go undefeated through one’s entire conference schedule is no easy task, however, the ORU men’s basketball team did just that this season and for the first time in the program’s history. They are the only Division-I men’s basketball team do accomplish that feat this season.

With an overall record of 27-4, the Golden Eagles finished conference play with a perfect 18-0 record, and will be the No. 1 seed in the Summit League tournament this weekend. They secured the undefeated record with a 69-65 win at South Dakota State on Saturday.

Eastern Washington (22-8, 16-1) in the Big Sky Conference, was undefeated in their conference heading into the final game of the season but lost to Idaho State, 71-63, on Saturday.

ORU is on a 14-game win streak, the nation’s second longest winning streak. The Golden Eagles have won seven-straight on the road, the fourth longest road game win streak in the nation.

ORU heads to the 2023 Summit League Championship, March 3-7 as the No. 1 seed and will play the winner of the game between No. 8 Denver and No. 9 North Dakota, Saturday, March 4 at 6 p.m. at the Denny Sanford Premier Center in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

This will be the first time in seven years that I will not be able to attend and report from the Summit League basketball tournament, as I’ll be staying in town to broadcast three ORU home baseball games this weekend. Obviously, I’m hoping ORU wins the Summit League Tournament or receives an at-large invitation to the NCAA Tournament, then I’ll get to travel with the ORU Pep Band to that tournament.

Two years ago, when ORU won the Summit League Tournament and advanced to the NCAA Tournament, only a limited number of fans from each university was allowed to attend, and no bands, because of COVID restrictions.

FIRST NIL VIOLATION AND PENALTY

Much has been made over the past year about two powerhouse college basketball players, twins Haley and Hanna Cavinder. They transferred from Fresno State to Miami last spring, and now they are at the center of an NIL controversy.

The social media stars, and two of the top name, image, and likeness earners, told Front Office Sports that NIL was not a factor in their decision to transfer.

“I know that a lot of people can assume it could be about NIL,” Hanna Cavinder said at the time. Instead, it was about winning, finding a place where the two could “have the best opportunity to get to the March Madness tournament.”

However, now, their transfer is the subject of the NCAA’s first NIL infraction. Miami women’s basketball coach Katie Meier was punished for “facilitating” a meeting between a team booster, Miami businessman John Ruiz, and prospective athletes, the Cavinders. Ruiz also met them earlier than he should have, and provided a “recruiting inducement” – a free dinner.

The punishments pretty much match the crime, as not being very severe. Meier was suspended for three games, and the team, currently on the March Madness bubble, incurred a one-year probation and a fine. The Cavinder twins were not punished, and Ruiz will still be allowed to associate with the program.

In a statement provided to Front Office Sports, Meier called the violation an “inadvertent mistake.” Miami acknowledged responsibility and added: “The University encourages the membership to review NCAA bylaws that have been on the books for decades and may no longer be applicable or realistic in today’s environment.”

Some may be surprised that the first infraction and fine handed down relating NIL came against a women’s basketball program, as opposed to the more lucrative football deals. However, it had nothing to do with the sport, but rather the attention drawn by the parties involved.

The Cavinder twins are two of the most famous faces of the NIL era, with projected earnings at or above $790,000 each. Ruiz has almost single-handedly put himself, and Miami, in the national spotlight using his barrage of interviews, openness about deals, and daily Twitter presence.

The NCAA said it was alerted to the case by tips. But it also noted in its report that it learned of Ruiz’s dinner with the twins because of a photo he posted on Twitter in April; several days before the transfer was announced.

Obviously, the NCAA is losing some of the power over these matters it once held, and doesn’t want to lose face with all these NIL deals that are so widely talked about in the news and social media. In January, a new bylaw went into effect saying news reports or social media posts can constitute evidence of a violation.

The NCAA could not find any direct evidence of serious NIL-related inducements at Miami. Meier never asked Ruiz to offer the athletes a deal. The NCAA put in its report that NIL opportunities weren’t discussed between Ruiz and the Cavinder twins at dinner. However, just broadcasting the infraction and punishment to the world, shines a bad light on the university, coach, players and boosters.

That’s part of the NCAA’s idea of punishment.

TULSA BEACON WEEKEND

My guests this week on the “Tulsa Beacon Weekend” radio show will include former Harlem Globetrotter and competitor on “The Amazing Race,” Herb Lang, and we’ll talk marriage enrichment with David and Denise Glenn. The show airs on Saturday at 12:00 p.m. CST on 970am KCFO.