Buoyed by a 17-1 Summit League conference record (25-10 total) last season, the Oakland University Golden Grizzlies finished ranked fifth in the collegeinsider.com Mid-Major Top 25 poll.
The Grizzlies return in the latest preseason Top 25 poll released on Monday. They come in at 24th with 79 total points, and they are one of only two Michigan teams in the poll (Detroit Mercy is ranked 15th).
Without three of their most decorated seniors – Keith Benson was drafted by the Atlanta Hawks, and Will Hudson and Larry Wright joined professional teams in Australia and Germany, respectively – it’s not surprising that OU received so few points.
Benson will go down as the best player to ever don the Black and Gold, Hudson is one of the grittiest and hardest-working forwards to come through Rochester, and Wright made shots when it mattered most, including the dagger three-pointer that helped OU defeat Tennessee last season.
Despite losing these three, however, there’s still plenty to like about OU’s chances in the Summit League this season.
Oakland’s dynamic point guard Reggie Hamilton will regain full control of the Grizzly offense, joined by sharp-shooting sophomore Travis Bader and University of Michigan transfer Laval Lucas-Perry. Hamilton will also likely be asked to mentor Ryan Bass, OU’s high-flying point guard of the future.
Head coach Greg Kampe’s defense will be led by junior Drew Valentine, who topped the Summit League in steals per game last season with 1.7. Despite being 6-foot-5, Valentine often played both forward positions last season and had numerous fast-break opportunities off his defense.
With the team being so guard-heavy, Kampe has hinted at the possibility of a four- or five-guard lineup, depending on the matchup and situation. That strategy would help given the lack of in-game experience in the team’s frontcourt.
A prolific perimeter game would help open up the post for freshmen Corey Petros and Kyle Sikora, two centers who will be looked upon to carry the torch from Benson and Hudson. Early indications show Petros as a capable scorer down low, while Sikora may find his niche as a shot blocker, but those roles could change as these two big men progress.
After several seasons of playing high-profile teams with varied results, Kampe has a much more manageable non-conference schedule in 2011-2012. In addition to their annual game against Michigan at the Palace of Auburn Hills, Oakland will play SEC mainstays Alabama, Arkansas, and Tennessee; former Mid-Con rival Valparaiso; perennial Pac-12 contender Arizona; and Ohio University, who upset Georgetown in the 2010 NCAA Tournament.
The game against the Volunteers will likely be the biggest home game of Oakland history, and ESPNU has even picked up the game for their 9 p.m. primetime slot.
While a third consecutive 17-1 Summit League record will be difficult to achieve, OU clearly has the talent to do well. Having a solid win-loss record in the conference, combined with several winnable out-of-conference matchups, would definitely help Kampe and his team’s seeding in March should they be eligible for the third straight postseason.
Ref: OUGrizzlies, collegeinsider.com, Oakland Press