NCAA TOURNAMENT: Oakland to dance with Texas

BY DAN STICKRADT

SENIOR EDITOR

dan.stickradt@northoaklandsports.com

ROCHESTER HILLS — For the first time in its Division I era, Oakland University will be making a consecutive strip to the NCAA men’s basketball tournament.

And just like last year, the Golden Grizzlies will face an opponent from a power conference. Oakland’s date to the dance this year will be Texas, and the Grizzlies will shuffle in Tulsa, Okla., as one of the 16 teams in the West Regional.

“I knew it was going to be a big name. I thought it was going to be Kentucky or Florida or somebody like that,” admitted veteran Oakland coach Greg Kampe, whose team could play the winner of Arizona or Memphis if the Grizzlies can upset Texas. “I wasn’t expecting Texas. They weren’t even on our radar.”

Kampe left Sunday’s night’s Selection Sunday celebration at Oakland’s Athletics Center “O’rena in immediate search for information about Texas.

“I know they have little horns on their (athletics gear),” said Kampe.”I don’t know much about them.”

Oakland has some common opponents this season, as Texas beat both Michigan State and
Illinois back in December. Those two teams also beat Oakland, although Michigan State escaped OU’s upset bid, 77-76.

When Oakland reached the NCAA last season, they were a No. 14 seed and drew No. 3 Pittsburgh, falling to the Panthers (89-66) in the first round in Milwaukee. The Golden Grizzlies held the lead midway through the first half before forward Derrick Nelson received a concussion.

Pittsburgh went on a 20-2 run after that point to take the wind out of OU’s upset bid.

Oakland first reached the tournament in 2005, winning the Summit League (then Mid-Continent Conference) as a No 7 seed. Oakland played in the Play-In game that season, defeating Alabama A&M before drawing the No. 2 overall seed North Carolina, who ended up winning the national title that season.  

“I don’t think there will be any nerves. It will be more excitement, said 6-foor-9 senior forward Will Hudson, who started last year’s game against Pittsburgh. “A lot of us were there last year. We know what it takes.”

Kampe scheduled one of the school’s toughest non-league schedules in school history, with the likes of NCAA tournament teams Tennessee, Michigan State, Ohio State, Michigan, Illinois, Purdue and West Virginia. The Grizzlies also lost to Valparaiso and Wright State early in the season, two non-tournament teams.

Ohio State is the No. 1 overall seed in this year’s tournament, while Oakland upset Tenneseee in Knoxville when the Volunteers were ranked seventh in the nation at the time. The Ohio State loss was the only blowout loss for Oakland this season.

“I think that’s going to pay off, at least we hope it does,” offered Kampe. “We played a lot of the big boys for a reason.”

This is OU’s first-ever game with Texas.

“It’s a big name, and any time you go up against a big name, you have a chance to do something special,” said Kampe of playing Texas of the Big XII Conference. “Last year it looked pretty good for us until Derrick (Nelson) went down (with an injury against Pittsburgh).”

Oakland has won the Summit League each of the last two seasons with 17-12 records and won back-to-back conference tournaments to gain the league’s automatic bid. No team has won a first-round game from the Summit League, although the Grizzlies did win the Play-In game six years ago.

“I think we got a taste of what it was like last season,” said Keith Benson, Oakland 6-0foot-11 senior center and two-time Player of the Year in the Summit League.

This year the field expands to 68 teams, with fourth Play-In games scheduled for Dayton, Ohio, Tuesday and Wednesday.

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Category: Campus Clips, Colleges / Other, Oakland University