3/2/2022
ROCHESTER, Mich. – Oakland University Men’s Basketball has advanced to the quarterfinal round of the Keeps 2022 #HLMBB Tournament with a game against the No. 4 seed Wright State Raiders on Thursday, March 3 at 7:00 p.m. in Dayton, Ohio. The “Voice of the Golden Grizzlies” Neal Ruhl will be on the call at The Bet 1270AM (WXYT-AM) and on the Audacy App.
INSIDE THE SERIES
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Overall: Wright State, 15-7
At Home: 5-6
On the Road: 2-8
Current Streak: Wright State, 2
Last Meeting: L, 78-74 (2/18/2022)
Series Note: OU hasn’t won in Dayton since 2016
The Raiders were granted a first round by in the Keeps 2022 #HLMBB Tournament after compiling a 15-7 conference record which featured a season sweep against the Golden Grizzlies to go along with an 18-13 overall mark.
WSU’s Tanner Holden was named All-League First Team on Monday as the junior averaged 19.9 points per game during the regular season while All-League Second Team member, Grant Basile, was just behind at 18.3 per contest while doubling as the team’s leading rebounder at 8.5 per game.
Jamal Cain led the Golden Grizzlies to a game-high 17 points in the win over the Jaguars in the first round at home on Tuesday. Cain now averages 20.0 and 10.1 points and rebounds per game, respectively, still as the only Horizon League player to average a double double with 15 on the season in a tie for tenth nationally.
Jalen Moore has now put up back-to-back 16 point games piggy-backing off a 19-point showing in OU’s loss to Purdue Fort Wayne last week. The junior dished out nine assists Tuesday night against IUPUI to average 7.9 assists per game for second in the NCAA.
Trey Townsend’s return to the starting lineup Tuesday saw the Oxford native put up nine points in a limited, 22 minute game. Townsend is third on the team in scoring per game, currently, at 13.4 a contest for second in the league in field goal percentage at 53.2% (160-301).
Oakland has the second-best scoring margin in the Horizon League at 6.4 as the Golden Grizzlies average 75.1 points per game, though OU last scored 75-plus on February 13. Cain is the league’s leader in rebounding while holding onto second in scoring with WSU’s Holden right behind.
OU is 165th in the NCAA NET Rankings with a 1-3 quad one record and a 12-6 quad four record ahead of teams like Boston College, Missouri, and Nebraska. In the NCAA RPI according to CBS Sports, the Golden Grizzlies fell down six spots to 126th.
The Golden Grizzlies are now 183rd according to kenpom with the fifteenth-best out of conference record to their credit.
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NOTES
NATIONAL TALENT
Once again, Jamal Cain sees himself in the mix of national attention with the grad student from Pontiac in more than one category.
Category – Place (Total/Average) // NCAA Last Updated March 1
Double Doubles – Tied-11th (15)
Defensive Rebounds Per Game – 21st (7.00)
Rebounds Per Game – 14th (10.1)
ONE THE BEST IN THE NATION
Moore is second in the NCAA in assists per game at 7.9 with a total of 230. Moore is just shy of Yuri Collins of Saint Louis in first. Moore was the 2020-21 national leader in assists per game.
OAKLAND IN THE QUARTERFINALS
Since 2019, the Golden Grizzlies are 1-2 in #HLMBB Quarterfinal matchups with the most recent game coming in 2021 where Oakland bested Youngstown State in overtime at the O’rena, 87-83. No. 10 seed Robert Morris upset No. 7 Youngstown State in Youngstown 77-73 to face No. 1 seed Cleveland State while No. 8 Milwaukee and No. 6 Detroit Mercy held on to play No. 2 Purdue Fort Wayne and No. 3 Northern Kentucky, respectively.
OAKLAND WHEN….
OU is now 17-5 when winning at halftime while posting a 7-7 record when scoring 74 points or less as the Golden Grizzlies’ chances improve when scoring 75 or above at 13-4. When Jamal Cain is the leading scorer, Oakland is 11-6 and 15-7 when the Pontiac native is the leading rebounder. For Moore, OU is 8-1 when the guard has double-digit assists.
ALL-LEAGUE HONORS
Cain was named #HLMBB Co-Player of the Year (the first time the award had been shared since 1983) while also being tabbed to the All-League First Team. Moore was named All-League Second Team while Parrish was placed on the All-League Defensive Team.
WEAR THE COLORS
Oakland is 9-3 when wearing white during the season with the most recent win coming against Detroit Mercy as the two losses in that uniform set came in neutral site action against Michigan State at Little Caesars Arena, Wright State, and Purdue Fort Wayne. When wearing gold, the team is 5-2 with both of the uniforms’ losses coming to Northern Kentucky.
PRICE + LAMPMAN FROM DEEP
Osei Price is shooting 40.0% (26-65) while Lampman shoots 35.8% (64-179) with the most attempts. These two are the team’s scoring leaders off the bench with 4.3 and 7.4 points per game, respectively. Oakland has one of the longest three-point scoring streaks in the NCAA at 1,064 games.
MINISTER OF DEFENSE
Micah Parrish has 51 takeaways with seven blocks total on the year from the Detroit native with an average of 5.9 rebounds and 11.8 point per game, respectively. As previously mentioned, Parrish was named All-League Defensive Team on Monday.
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LAST FOUR
(vs) No. 12 IUPUI, March 1, W, 70-58
Oakland pulled away from the Jaguars in the last seven minutes of regulation in the first round of the Keeps 2022 #HLMBB Tournament with Cain, Moore, and Lampman leading in scoring with 17, 16, and 14 points.
(vs) Cleveland State, February 27, W, 65-57
On senior day, Cain and Parrish led the Golden Grizzlies with 20 points apiece as Oakland took down the Vikings at home. Cain tallied his fifteenth double double this season while Moore sat just behind with 16 points.
(vs) Purdue Fort Wayne, February 24, L, 81-70
For the third-straight game, Oakland fell to Purdue Fort Wayne inside the Athletics Center O’rena as Moore finished with 19 points as Parrish was just behind with 18. Cain grabs his 14th double double of the year with 12 points and 14 rebounds.
(vs) Northern Kentucky, February 20, L, 77-61
Oakland lost 71-66 to the Nores as NKU completed the season sweep, jumping up to third in the Horizon League while the Golden Grizzlies dropped to fifth with two games to go. Cain finished 37 minutes with 22 points to his name with eight boards.
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NUNN BETTER
On February 18, Oakland University Alum and current Los Angeles Laker, Kendrick Nunn, had his jersey with the No. 1 hung in the rafters of the Athletics Center O’rena. Nunn was NBA Rookie of the Year runner up to Ja Morant while with the Miami Heat before joining the Lakers in August.
MID-MAJOR BASKETBALL’S SEXIEST COACH?
Yes, really. According to SB Nation’s Mid Major Madness, Oakland Head Men’s Basketball Coach, Greg Kampe, earned 35% of the staff’s and fan’s vote on the website published on February 14. Kampe is ahead of the only other Horizon League coach named on the list, Will Ryan of Green Bay, by eight spots.
PRICE IS “MR. PERFECT”
According to Stats by STAT, Osie Price’s 7-7 FG, 5-5 3PT, and 8-8 FT stat line from Oakland’s game against University of Michigan-Dearborn makes him the only person in the last 20 years in the NBA, WNBA, NCAA Division I, II, and III to finish 100% from the field with at least five attempts in each category.
1000 POINT CLUB
Cain tallied his 1,000th point in his collegiate career with his 26 scored in the win over UIC on Saturday, January 29. Cain’s thousand points carry over from his time at Marquette University as the grad transfer finishes his collegiate playing career at Oakland,.
A SPECIAL FRIDAY NIGHT
Chris Conway’s previous career high in points was two points ahead of OU’s game with Ohio Christian. The Naperville, Illinois native earned his first career double double with 22 points and ten rebounds as Trey Townsend got his second double double of the year with 26 points (a career high) and 10 rebounds as well. Emmanuel Newsome made his first start of the season Friday as well tallying eight points, five rebounds, and a steal.
BATTLE IN LITTLE CAESARS ARENA
Moore tallied a double-double in the team’s 90-78 loss to Michigan State University with 25 points and 11 assists to his name as Cain notched his second straight contest with 20 or more points, his sixth overall of the season. The squad shot 43.9% (25-57) from the field as the team faced its first, and albeit short, losing streak of the season at two games.
FUN IN THE SUN
Oakland secured the Gulf Coast Showcase title with wins over Vermont, Rice, and Delaware. All three of OU’s victories were decided by eight points or less. The tournament took place at Hertz Arena in Estero, Fla. and featured eight mid-major teams. The winner of the MTE has advanced to postseason play in six of its eight years of existence.
UPSET IN STILLWATER
The Golden Grizzlies earned a 56-55 victory at Oklahoma State in their second game of the season. Moore scored the final seven points for OU in the win. The upset was Oakland’s 12th career win over a Power 5 program.
GET YOUR TICKETS
Season tickets can be purchased through the Athletics Ticket Office by calling (248) 370-4000 or emailing outickets@oakland.edu. Single-game tickets and mini-plans are also available for the 2021-22 basketball season. Click here for more information.
NEW HOME FOR OAKLAND BASKETBALL
Oakland recently announced a partnership with Audacy that made 97.1 The Ticket HD3 and The Bet 1270AM (WXYT-AM) the official radio providers for the department. With this new partnership, 97.1 The Ticket HD3 and The Bet 1270AM (WXTY-AM) will provide coverage for all Oakland men’s basketball games as well as the Greg Kampe Radio Show.
BACK FOR ANOTHER RUN
Kampe enters his 38th season at the helm of the Oakland men’s basketball program. He is the third-longest tenured active coach in Division I, only behind Jim Boeheim (Syracuse, 45 seasons) and Mike Krzyzewski (Duke, 41 seasons). Kampe’s 650 career wins rank 12th among active Division I coaches.
PUTTING OAKLAND ON THE MAP
Kampe joined Oakland in 1984 after six seasons as an assistant coach at Toledo (1978-1984). Formerly known as the Pioneers, OU had only six winning seasons in 16 years of competition before his arrival.
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