COLLEGE MEN’S BASKETBALL: Bader’s 11 three-pointers help Oakland sink IUPUI
ROCHESTER HILLS — It was a record setting night for Oakland University’s Travis Bader.
The junior sharpshooter hit a school-record 11 3-pointers and scored a career-high 47 points to lead Oakland past IUPUI 89-71 Thursday night.
Bader’s point total is the highest this season by a Division I player, beating a 42-point performance by Tyler Haws of BYU. It is also the highest single-game total in Oakland’s Division I history, and third all-time at the school.
“After the last game (a 97-78 loss to South Dakota), I said something really stupid like I let them get in my head,” Bader said. “That’s probably the dumbest thing I’ve ever said because I’m the only person that can get in my head. So I kind of reflected on that a bit and just came out here shooting, doing what I do in practice and putting up shots.
“My teammates did a great job finding me in transition and finding me in the offense. Corey (Petros) probably knocked a couple guys out tonight trying to screen. Same with Drew Valentine and Ryan Bass.”
Bader, who leads the nation in 3-pointers made, was 11-for-18 from beyond the arc, 15-for-24 overall and 6-for-6 at the free-throw line. That helped the Golden Grizzlies (9-13, 4-4 Summit) shoot 55 percent overall from the field, including 14 of 30 on 3-point attempts.
Sean Esposito scored 21 points and Donovan Gibbs had 15 for IUPUI (6-17, 1-8), which lost its seventh straight.
Petros added 12 points and 11 rebounds for Oakland, and Duke Mondy had 11 points. The Grizzlies outrebounded the Jaguars 37-18 and swept the season series between the schools.
Bader opened the game with back-to-back 3-pointers that put the Grizzlies up 6-0.
Oakland led 37-26 at halftime and extended the margin to 63-37 with 12:20 left on a dunk by Bass in transition. However, he was whistled for a technical and the Jaguars scored the next eight points. IUPUI later cut the lead to 72-61 with 6:48 remaining. But Bader answered with a 3 on the other end and then scored 16 of Oakland’s final 17 points, including all six of his free-throw attempts.
Oakland coach Greg Kampe said he was angry with Bader after hearing his remarks following the South Dakota loss.
“That told me the whole mindset of our basketball team,” Kampe said. “Mentally we were in a fog. As a coaching staff, we had to reshape that thinking and get things going in a different direction.
“Like he said, a lot of guys got him open. Bass did a heck of a job getting him the ball. They recognized it was his night and everything was going. That’s what I liked. … I think there were two times where he went out and got his own shot. The rest came out of the offense and great screens and passes.”
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