With a 6-2 start to the 2011-2012 season, the Oakland University Golden Grizzlies are showing that their recent success isn’t a fluke.
The best start in the school’s Division 1 history started poorly with tough losses to two SEC teams – Alabama and Arkansas. Both games got out of hand for Oakland as the Grizzlies began trying to play their opponent’s styles, which simply never works on the road.
Since then, however, Greg Kampe’s squad has put some impressive wins on their March Madness RPI resume, winning six straight contests against an array of opponents.
After a tense 76-74 win at Houston, OU began a seven-game homestand with a sloppy win against a mediocre Utah Valley team, creating some doubts for their nationally-televised matchup against Tennessee. Once the ESPNU cameras started rolling and the game began, however, Oakland’s Reggie Hamilton simply would not let his team lose, scoring a career-high 35 points (after scoring 34 against Utah Valley) and icing the game late with free throw after free throw.
There was zero let-down from the players as they followed up arguably the school’s biggest home game with two resounding Summit League conference wins. League newcomer South Dakota got a rude welcome, getting blasted 101-83, and Hamilton’s old squad, University of Missouri-Kansas City, was never close, losing 86-73.
With the victory, the Golden Grizzlies have now won 31 straight games at home versus league opponents.
Besides Hamilton, freshman Corey Petros continues to shine. He has four straight games of at least 10 rebounds, and had his two of his three 2011 double-doubles in the last two games. Petros does have 3 or more fouls in six of the eight games, but his decision-making in terms of fouls should improve as the season progresses and he learns the collegiate game.
The upcoming schedule for Oakland could easily sway the Grizzlies’ seeding in March, as they take on four potential March Madness teams. A home game against Ohio University and a “home” game (actually played at the Palace) against #19 Michigan this week should provide a worthy challenge for Kampe’s squad.
After that, Oakland goes on the road to face their old Mid-Continent conference rivals Valparaiso and then to Tucson, AZ., where they will take on the Arizona Wildcats, Laval Lucas-Perry’s old school.
While Kampe hasn’t scheduled the juggernaut schedule of year’s past, he has put together a 2011-2012 schedule that will challenge his players, but also give them an opportunity to prove themselves on the court.
Ref: OUGrizzlies.com, ESPN.com, Daily Tribune (photo)