The Golden Grizzlies are looking ahead with their eyes set on the horizon — the Horizon League that is.

Oakland University’s athletics department has recently expressed a strong interest in joining the Horizon League if an invitation is offered.

“We are interested in the possibility of going to the Horizon League, but have not been contacted,” said OU Assistant Athletic Director Scott MacDonald. “So for now, everything is speculation.”

MacDonald’s comments were reiterated by Athletic Director Tracy Huth, who spoke with The Detroit News.

“Absolutely, we would definitely be interested,” Huth told The Detroit News. “ We have enjoyed our affiliation with the Summit League over the years, (but) it makes sense.”

Huth continued to explain the monetary and geographic benefits to joining Horizon as opposed to remaining with the Summit League.

The Horizon League is a Great Lakes regional conference in NCAA Division 1. Member schools of the conference are located in Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio and also includes the University of Detroit-Mercy in Michigan.

The league is looking to replace Butler, who will be leaving the conference in the 2013-14 seasons for the Atlantic-10 conference. The league, which will be down to nine members after Butler leaves, is looking for up to three universities to bring into the conference. Oakland has been rumored to be amongst those in talks.

The change in conference would greatly benefit Oakland in this respect, as the Summit teams are spread between Michigan and the Dakota’s after this year.

The travel for the athletics teams has been costly on the university due to this geographical issue. A switch to the Horizon would create a less costly travel schedule for Golden Grizzly teams. If Oakland does leave the Summit League, it would be common sense for all sports to move to the new conference, instead of just one, basketball for example.

Looking past the seemingly obvious benefits, a conference move could create a strong local basketball rivalry with the University of Detroit-Mercy. Another possible rivalry Oakland brings to the table is with Valparaiso, who once belonged to the Summit League.

The Horizon has a rich history in the sport of basketball. Multiple teams have made appearances in the later rounds of the NCAA men’s tournament, with Butler advancing to the championship game in both 2010 and 2011 but in a losing effort.

“Competitively, the premier sport is basketball and that suits us,” Huth told The Detroit News.

Huth said that the switch to the Horizon League with be a positive for the Oakland fan base as well, leading to a better turnout at games both home and away. The possibility of the men’s basketball team playing a team a couple hours away may lead to better fan turnout at away games.

One issue facing Oakland if an invitation is offered is in the bylaws of the Horizon League charter. A member school that is located within 25-miles of a possible new member can veto the offer, making it void. This is a problem with Detroit Mercy located roughly twenty miles from the OU campus.

While there has yet to be any official talks, OU athletics are optimistic about the possibility of playing in a more name-brand conference with regional value.

Oakland University is leaning towards the possibility of joining the Horizon League — if an invitation is offered by the conference, that is.

While there is no indication that the Golden Grizzlies will even be offered an invitation to the Horizon League, those in the athletics department are strongly interested in the chance of moving to a more regional league.

“We are interested in the possibility of going to the Horizon League, but have not been contacted,” said OU Assistant Athletic Director Scott MacDonald. “So for now, everything is speculation.”

Athletics Director Tracy Huth reiterated these same feelings to The Detroit News, citing the geographical benefits to be of general interest.

“We have enjoyed our affiliation with the Summit League over the years, but it makes sense. Geographically, it makes a tremendous amount of sense,” Huth said.

The Horizon League is losing staple member Butler to the Atlantic-10, which will leave the conference with only nine schools. While Oakland’s possible move is just speculation, the Horizon League has yet to meet with any OU officials on the matter.

When I look around Oakland University, a 1964 lyric by folk legend Bob Dylan runs through my head.

“… The times they are a-changin’.”

When you first pull into the University entrance, you immediately see the construction of the new Health Science building, which is ironic because Oakland’s image is also under the knife.

The campus additions like the medical school and various degree programs, go hand-in-hand with what OU athletics has done the past 10 years: grow.

I’ve gotten to know the various coaches in my year as the sports editor of The Oakland Post. Most athletes and athletic staff members share a unique mentality of optimism, as well.

That may seem like an obvious quality, but there is a degree of pride that involves much more than wearing a jersey.

Although there is progress in terms of interest, there are three ideas that I think will bring the Golden Grizzlies brand further into prominence.

Advertise the product

Having classes in different buildings, I’ve gotten an idea of what the students think of the athletics here. Frankly, most of them are oblivious. I can’t say I blame them.

You rarely see any commercials advertising the games and the O’rena sign is much too small. It’s not uncommon to hear of people driving right past it or not knowing where it’s located at.

The leading scorer in the nation, Reggie Hamilton, passed under the nose of many students.

The Oakland Basketball All-Access series that premiered this season on Fox Sports Detroit is a good start, but outside of the website, I didn’t hear hardly any buzz about it on local news or around campus.

To get more people at games, they’ll have to put more money in advertising.

‘If you build it, they will come’

The University of Michigan has opened both a brand new indoor football and practice facility in the past two years.

Opening a dedicated practice facility will put Oakland among the state’s elite and will no doubt give them a recruiting advantage against schools in the Summit League and comparable in-state schools like University of Detroit-Mercy.

Head basketball coach Greg Kampe  discussed the importance of a dedicated facility last December on WXOU.

This will no doubt come with a cost but a new facility is worth the investment.

Time to jump ship

The Grizzlies need to move onto what I believe is greener pasture in the Horizon League. They might have their chance very soon.

ESPN’s senior college basketball writer Andy Katz mentioned in late March Butler University has interest in moving  to the Atlantic-10 conference and replacing Temple University, according to many sources.

If you’re an OU basketball fan, you’ve no doubt heard the rumor of UDM blocking Oakland from the move to the more favorable and geographically-friendly conference, but it has never been officially confirmed.

The possibility of an UDM and OU matchup could generate excitement in the Metro Detroit area, which has been predominately controlled by professional sports.

A move to the Horizon League, would cut travel costs more than half across the board.

Oakland has had success over Horizon teams like Valparasio, formerly of the Summit League (then called the Mid-Con).

Invested emotion

Oakland has done something crucial and done it correctly: created a core fan base — the Grizz Gang.

People cared that OU lost to Southern Utah in the Summit League Tournament in a disappointed fashion.

Seeing multiple tweets and comments from fans and students alike, voicing their disapproval isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Emotion  shows a bond is there.

People change, relationships come and go, but love for sports teams rarely does.

OU can capitalize on this student relationship by showing that school pride isn’t only tied to academics, but also to the fields and courts of the campus.

This season, the Grizz Gang faithful were treated to the heroics, leadership and spectacular play of a star senior on the hardwood.

While Reggie Hamilton may have grabbed the most headlines in the program and caused other performers to be lost in the shadow of his play, the Oakland women’s basketball team was led by a dominant force that cast a large shadow of her own.

Brittany Carnago cemented her place among the all-time Oakland greats by rewriting the books and being the unquestioned leader of her squad both on and off the court.

Head coach Beckie Francis pointed to her defensive prowess as what defined her game.

“Brit is an awesome defender, she holds the record in blocked shots at Oakland and was one of the best defenders in our conference and in the nation,” Francis said. “She intimidates with her size and is the best overall center the program has ever had since I have been the OU coach.”

The two-time Oakland captain finished her career with 276 blocks — a school record.

This season, Carnago was ranked 7th in blocks among all Division I female players, registering 3.28 per game.

On Dec. 11, she swatted away 11 shots in a win against the University of Illinois-Chicago, which ranked the second most in a game in all of the NCAA this season.

In addition, Carnago averaged 8.6 points, 5.2 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game this season.

While Francis was obviously pleased with Carnago’s defensive dominance, the coach pointed to other aspects of her play and character that truly made Carnago one of the best to ever put on an Oakland uniform.

“Brit is a wonderful player and leader and is also very unselfish offensively, consistently being one of the tops (on the team) in assists,” Francis said. “Brit also leads by example academically, the team GPA is 3.3 or higher every semester and Brit consistently gets over a 3.5.”

While Coach Francis was quick to praise her star center, Carnago credited her coach for her success this season

“Coach Beckie has really helped me in ways to take my game to the next level and has instilled in me a work ethic that has helped me to develop into the player I am today,” Carnago said. “Not only has she helped me as a player, but she is always cheering me on and trying to get my name out there for professional coaches to see me.”

Carnago was able to show off her skills in front of many professional coaches at a recent showcase. Late last month, the 6-foot-4 center participated in the 2012 ProHoops Free Agent Camp in Denver. The invitation-only event showcased the abilities of some of the best players in the country in front of WNBA personnel.

“I feel that I represented myself and the program well (at the camp),” Carnago said. “I went hard in every drill, I was a leader, and I believe that I displayed my work ethic and talent with the time that I had.”

If scouts and coaches were impressed enough by her play, Carnago has the chance to become the first player in OU history to make the jump to the WNBA.

Francis recalled the first time she saw Carnago play, and she thought to herself “(Carnago) is a pro.” She also said the Oakland star already has three offers from teams overseas.

“I have two tremendous opportunities, one is playing overseas and the other is finishing (my) master’s degree,” Carnago said. “It’s a tough position to be in, but I am very lucky to have such amazing opportunities.”

Matt Pocket, the voice of the women’s team on WXOU for the past three seasons, believes that Carnago will make it to the “big show” next season.

“Her pro prospects are pretty darn good because the system that Coach Francis runs allowed Brit to showcase and develop a wide variety of skills,” Pocket said. “She’s a great system fit, in addition to being an intelligent player who can block shots, swing the ball on the perimeter, take the mid-range jump shot, post up with the ball and score off a couple of great moves.”

Fellow teammate Bethany Watterworth also believes Carnago will be able to make the jump to the professional stage.

“She will compete at the next level because she can match up with pro posts due to her size and athleticism and she has a great skill set,” Watterworth said. “You can’t coach height, and Brittany obviously has a lot of it and really knows how to use it to her advantage by using exceptional post moves.”

While Watterworth led the team in scoring this season, she pointed to Carnago as the true leader of the squad.

“Brittany is very hardworking and determined,” Watterworth said. “She is a great leader that I look up to, having the ability to rally the troops.”

Hopefully next season Watterworth and the rest of the Oakland community will be looking up to Carnago as she takes her talents to the next level.

Reggie Hamilton can’t stop.

“(Hamilton) is in the gym every single day,” said Saddi Washington, assistant Oakland basketball coach. “Whether it’s six o’clock in the morning or 11:00 at night, the kid is always in the gym. He hasn’t taken a day off since the season ended.”

The 2012 NCAA scoring champion has been preparing for the Portsmith Invitational Tournament in Portsmith, Va. on April 11 to 14 nonstop, where the best college basketball players from around the country are invited to showcase their talents for various pro scouts from the NBA and overseas.

The PIT has been a place of discovery for NBA legends like Dennis Rodman, Scottie Pippen and many others. Hamilton hopes to benefit from what PIT has provided for current stars in the past.

“I’m not nervous at all — I’m excited,” Hamilton said. “I’m ready to go out there and just play my game.”

Washington, who has played in the preseason camps of the Utah Jazz, Denver Nuggets and Atlanta Hawks, said Hamilton just needs to stay hungry.

“Every level you go up, the defense and learning a new scheme is different,” Washing
Terry Foster, former Detroit Pistons beat writer and current co-host of the Valenti and Foster Radio Show on 97.1 The Ticket, said Hamilton’s play in the two years has caught his attention.ton said. “He’s going to have to take a different mindset. That’s probably going to be his biggest adjustment but he’s capable of doing that.”

“(Hamilton) has that ‘spark,’” Foster said. “He’s a guy where you don’t know what’s going to happen and that’s what is exciting about him.”

Even though the Internet has changed the way NBA teams have scouted and view midmajor players, the smaller school stigma might be still in the eyes of some scouts.

“The reality of where and maybe the level he’s coming from, there are those who are going to try to find every avenue to say no (to

Hamilton),” Washington said. “If you put (Hamilton) on the floor with a bunch of other players he’s going to find a way to get your attention. He just needs the opportunity.”

Washington said Hamilton’s ‘spark’ or competitive nature is his greatest asset right now, and that’s something he’ll need to relay to the scouts.

Hamilton hopes he can show NBA teams he has other qualities that aren’t measurable.

“I hope I can show them my heart,” Hamilton said. “A lot of them might see me as ‘short point-guard that may not be able to compete at the NBA level but I’ve seen (players like) Chris Paul, J.J Barea and Ty Lawson all be successful.”

Even early on his career at the high school level, Hamilton’s infectious work ethic has benefited others around him.

Especially this year, where he led a young Grizzlies team to the post season and their fourth consecutive 20-win season.

“Reggie took a young team and bridged the gap,” Greg Kampe, head men’s basketball coach, said “He allowed our young players to get better.”

Foster believes Hamilton will get his shot at the next level. An unnamed NBA source also said he is projected to be a late second round pick.

Outside of impression he tries to relay to other players, Hamilton’s two strong seasons at Oakland have proven his offensive prowess isn’t up for debate. Hamilton was first in the nation with a regular season average of 25.7 points per game, and fifth in post-season scoring of 30.3 ppg.

“Reggie can score the ball better than anyone I’ve ever seen,” Kampe said. “Being able to score like that is commodity in the NBA.

Somebody is going to want that. Offensively, no one questions his talent.”

Washington believes people seem to forget the role as a distributor this season. Hamilton tacked on five or more assists in 22 of 32 games this season. Even though Hamilton is a shorter guard at 5-foot-11, Washington and Foster both agree Hamilton is going to have to figure out how to translate his game to the next level and may take a season or two. Whether that means in NBA developmental league or overseas.

“I do think there’s a pretty good chance he’s get drafted,” Foster said. “If he has the right coaching and the right attitude, I think he can come back and contribute to the league.” Hamilton acknowledges his game will have to evolve to succeed in the NBA.

“I know I’ll have to get other people involved first, then be a capable scorer.” Hamilton said. “I have no problem with changing my role.”

With an important summer on the horizon, Hamilton is optimistic about the next step.

“A lot of people in the past wouldn’t think I would be in the shoes I am in today,” Hamilton said. “Just to prove to myself that I made a huge accomplishment (by getting a chance at the NBA level) and all the hard work and sacrifice paid off would be blessing.”

When the final seconds ticked off the clock and Kentucky was crowned the national champion on April 1, the 2011-12 men’s basketball season officially came to an end.

Even though the season for  Oakland University men ended on Sunday, March 25 against Utah State, the year that passed was memorable for its notable wins, rebounding from losses and record-setting performances.

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On the men’s squad, redshirt freshman center Kyle Sikora is leaving after a solid first season for the Golden Grizzlies.

For the women’s team, sophomore guard Malika Glover, redshirt freshman forward Jenna Bachrouche and freshman guard Lauren Robak will not be sporting the black and gold next season.

Missing in the paint

Sikora saw the floor in all 33 games this season, including starting 16 straight to close out the year. The 7-foot center led the team with 23 blocks, a mark that was 12th best in the Summit League.

He contributed 61 rebounds and 51 points to the OU cause this year, but decided he wanted to be closer to his home town.

“I would like to thank (OU) and their coaching staff for the opportunities they have given me to develop as a player,”  Sikora said. “I only hope the best for them in the future.”

Lady Grizzlies loss

Sikora, a native of Key Largo, Fla., was recruited by colleges such as Florida Tech and Eckerd College in his home state, and was offered a chance to walk on at Florida State, but ultimately decided to come north to Oakland.

Glover averaged 3.6 points a game this season to go along with 1.8 rebounds and 1.4 assists. She started 11 games for the Grizzlies and saw the floor in every game this season. She had a season-high 10 points against UMKC in the Summit League tournament on March  4.

During her freshman season, Glover averaged 5.8 points, 2.5 rebounds and 1.0 assists per game for the season and saw action in every game as well. She put up a career high 16 points and seven rebounds against IUPUI on Jan. 10, 2011.

Bachrouche played in 22 games off the bench this season, averaging 1.3 points and one rebound per game. Against Western Illinois on Feb. 4, Bachrouche scored 14 points and five rebounds, both career highs.

During the 2010-11 campaign, Bachrouche played in four games before suffering a season-ending injury leading her to take a medical redshirt for the remainder of the year.

In high school, Bachrouche was a two-time captain at North Farmington and was named an all-metro honoree on The Oakland Press Dream Team.

Robak sat out this season with a redshirt. She starred at Our Lady of the Lakes High for all four years of her high school career and led them to back-to-back Class D state titles.

Robak was ranked No. 1 in The Oakland Press Top 50 players list was a unanimous first team pick AP All-State player her senior year.

“Malika, Jenna and Lauren have each made the decision to pursue other opportunities,” said Francis. “They are all good people and we wish them the best of luck.”

Their absence, along with assistant coach Katie Trolla stepping down and seniors Sharise Calhoun and Brittany Carnago graduating, will give Oakland a much different look next season.

Contact Timothy Pontzer via email at trpontze@oakland.edu and follow him on Twitter @timothy_pontzer

Oakland’s basketball season ends with loss to Utah State

The 2011-12 Oakland basketball campaign finished with a 105-81 blowout loss to the Utah State Aggies on Sunday night.

The matchup was a semifinal affair in the CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament. Oakland had reached the Final Four of the CIT after beating Bowling Green State, Buffalo, and Rice in the tournament.

The game against Utah State was the first time that Oakland had to travel away from campus to play in the CIT, and the cold mountain air was not kind to the Golden Grizzlies.

The offensive output marked the first time Utah State posted 100 points on a Division I opponent.

Utah State shot 71 percent in the first half, taking a 60-43 lead into halftime.

Oakland was never able to trim the deficit to single digits in the second half, as the Aggies coasted to a win and a berth in the CIT Championship game.

In his last game in an OU jersey, star senior guard Reggie Hamilton led the team with 23 points and nine rebounds.

Sophomore guard Travis Bader added 22 and freshman center Corey Petros led the team with 10 rebounds.

Ecker leads women’s golf team in Florida tournament 

The Oakland women’s golf team competed in the UC Spring Invitational in Crystal River, Fla. over the weekend.

The tournament, hosted by the University of Cincinnati, featured 19 schools from across the country.

Oakland placed 16th in the event, posting a 961 team score, a +97 for the course.

Senior Liz Ecker led the way for the Golden Grizzlies, placing 25th individually. Ecker, playing in her home state of Florida, shot a 231 over three rounds, a +15 over par.

Sophomore Elizabeth Dawkins also had a solid effort for Oakland, finishing with a final score of 248 (+32). That mark was a career-best for Dawkins in a three round event.

Oakland continues their campaign with the Detroit Titans Invitational April 9 to 10 at the Western Golf and Country Club in Redford, Mich.

Michigan State sweep Grizzlies team in weekend series

The baseball team (3-16) travelled to East Lansing over the weekend to face Michigan State for a three game series.

The Spartans outscored the Golden Grizzlies by a combined 23-4 margin to sweep all three contests.

Following a close 2-1 contest on Friday, in which the game was decided in the eighth inning, the Spartans powered their way to 11-2 and 10-1 victories.

While offense was scarce for the Oakland attack, one player shined for the Golden Grizzlies. Senior outfielder Aaron Cieslak went 5 for 11 during the series with two RBIs.

Overall, Oakland has lost nine out of their last 10 games, including dropping five straight.

The season continues with two more local non-conference opponents this week.

Trolla leaves Oakland women’s basketball coaching staff

Assistant coach Katie Trolla announced on Friday that she will step down from the Oakland women’s basketball staff for personal reasons.

Trolla spent eight years on the staff, serving in player development, scouting, and camps.

During Trolla’s time on the bench, Oakland captured the 2006 Summit League Championship, advanced to one NCAA Tournament and two Women’s NIT appearances.

Before her time as a coach, Trolla was a star player at OU, scoring 2,065 points to rank third all-time in school history.

Contact Timothy Pontzer via email at trpontze@oakland.edu and follow him on Twitter @timothy_pontzer

Late rally leads OU softball to first league victory 

The Oakland softball team (2-14, 1-5 Summit League) scored six runs in the final inning to notch their first league win, beating IPFW 7-3 in Fort Wayne, Ind. on Saturday March 17.

The Golden Grizzlies entered the seventh inning trailing IPFW 3-1.

With one out, Oakland loaded the bases to start the rally.

Freshman Morgan Muron began the comeback with an RBI single. Junior Erin Galloway followed with a double that pushed two more runs across the plate.

Galloway’s hit proved to be the game-winner, but the Grizzlies added insurance with three more runs.

Galloway had two hits and three RBIs on the day to lead the Oakland campaign.

Fellow junior Abbie Richardson picked up her first victory of the season, pitching 2.2 innings in relief while giving up only hit and recording a strikeout.

Oakland hopes to carry its momentum with a matchup with rival Detroit on March 21.

The Golden Grizzlies face the Titans in a doubleheader at Buysee Ballpark starting at 2 p.m.

Baseball team out hits Dayton but loses second straight game

The Oakland baseball team (3-12) fell just short to the Dayton Flyers on Sunday, 8-7.  The Golden Grizzlies managed to rally from a 5-1 deficit at one point, but ultimately fell in the late innings.

OU out hit Dayton 11-10 being led by the performance of senior Aaron Cieslak, who went 3-3 with a home run.

Despite the barrage of hits, Oakland stranded nine base runners.

Sophomore Jason Hager took the loss for the Golden Grizzlies in relief. Hager notched four strikeouts in 3.1 innings. Oakland went 1-3 for the weekend, splitting two games against Canisius and dropping both matches against Dayton.

Oakland continues their season with a game at Toledo on March 21 at 3 p.m.

Coriasso leads men’s golf in Louisiana competition

The Oakland men’s golf team is currently competing in the Carter Plantation Intercollegiate Invitational, being hosted by Southeastern Louisiana.

Senior Michael Coriasso shot a 151 (+7 for the course) through two rounds to place 16th in the competition.

Coriasso shot an impressive second round 73 (+1) to finish out the first day of play.

Junior Nick Cunningham matched Coriasso’s second round performance with an identical 73.

After concluding this event on the morning of March 21, the men continue their season with an event in Bloomington, Ind. on April 4.

Conference and local teams earn first team honors

On March 14, senior guard Reggie Hamilton was named to the 2012 National Association of Basketball Coaches Division I All-District 12 first team.

Hamilton broke numerous school and conference offensive records this season. The senior went over 2,000 career points this season while running the point for Oakland’s high octane offense.

Three other Summit League players made the NABC All-District 12 first team, including Dominique Morrison from Oral Roberts, Alex Young of IUPUI and South Dakota State’s Nate Wolters.

Detroit’s Ray McCallum, although not a Summit League member, was also named to the first team. McCallum led the Titans to their first NCAA tournament since 1999. They lost to the No.1 seed Kansas on Saturday, 60-55.

Contact Timothy Pontzer via email at trpontze@oakland.edu and follow him on Twitter @timothy_pontzer

The Grizzlies threw it on thick early, taking out the Owls 77-70 in the third round of the CollegeInsider.com tournament to advance to the Summit League’s first post-season final-four appearance.

“I’m as happy as you can be,” Greg Kampe, head coach, said. “I told them (in the locker room), we made it to a final four.It’s not the big dance, it may be a little dance. But I don’t care if its the old folks home’s dance … no team in our league has (made it to the final four) before.”

Senior guard Reggie Hamilton finished with 30 points and was a perfect 14-for-14 from the free -throw line. This was his 10th-straight game of 29 points or more.

Freshman center Corey Petros was tied for second in scoring with 16 points and seven rebounds.

He credited the rest of the team’s awareness for getting him involved.

“It all starts from the guards with them looking for me,” Petros said. “They did a great job looking for me down low.”

Junior forward Drew Valentine had 13 point and seven rebounds. Ryan Bass added 10 points and four steals.

After Petros put Oakland on the board with the opening possession, the Grizzlies didn’t take their foot of the gas for the rest of the first half.

For the first three minutes, Oakland was 4-of-5 from the field, a different look considering the slow starts of the team in the earlier opening rounds of the CIT.

Aided by a 10-2 run within the first 10 minutes and a 12-0 run with 3:25 minutes left in the first half, Oakland’s offense was nothing but efficient with shooting 56.7 percent from the FG.

The Grizzlies sent Rice into halftime with an 18 point deficit.

“Our first half was flawless,” Kampe said. “It was textbook Oakland basketball against  a (good) Conference-USA school.”

Even with the hot shooting of the first half, Oakland didn’t start the second half quite the same.

The Grizzlies opened the half shooting 2-of-9 from the field and let Rice take advantage by letting them go on a 10-1 run. Oakland failed to hit 10 three pointers for the first time in seven games, going just 4-of-18 from outside the arc.

Rice was able to cut the OU lead to as little as three, but Oakland never let them take fully take over.

“We were getting great looks at the basket, we just couldn’t knock them down tonight,” Hamilton said. “Like Coach (Kampe) said, ‘sometimes that’s going to happen.’ Fortunately we still pulled out the win even with us not making shots.”

The Grizzlies ended a 17-straight winning streak for Rice when they outrebound their opponent.

Even though this is the first meeting between Rice and OU, the Owls have a 4-3 against the current Summit League membership.

Their last matchup was against the departing Oral Roberts in the Las Vegas Invitational in December 2010.

The Grizzlies will face the winner of the Utah State and Loyola Marymount game on Wednesday March 21.

“This a special season,” Kampe said. ”I can’t tell you how proud I am of this team.”