Oakland wins crucial game against Wright State, moves to second place in league
Thanks to a scoring rush by Martez Walker and Percy Gibson fed by three assists from Kay Felder (and a three by Felder himself), Oakland men’s basketball (19-9, 11-4) put up a 12-0 run late in the second half to put away an 89-73 win against the Wright State Raiders (16-12, 10-5) Monday evening at the Nutter Center.
Oakland stands primed to secure the second seed in the Horizon League Tournament, which would mean a two-game bye, AKA a trip straight to the semifinals.
“You don’t go 7-0 on the road in this league unless you got toughness,” Oakland head coach Greg Kampe said in the post game GrizzVision interview with Neal Ruhl, “and we showed it tonight.”
Martez Walker led Oakland with a career-high 22 points. He shot 4-for-4 from 3-point range and 6-for-10 from the field while grabbing six rebounds and playing 31 minutes.
Jalen Hayes shot 5-for-10 from the field on the way to 17 points, picking up 11 rebounds on the way, his 12th double-double of the season. He played 38 minutes.
Kay Felder, who on game day was named Horizon League Men’s Basketball Player of the Week for the sixth time in this season (tying a league record), scored 15 and dished 12, his 15th double-double of the season. He made his 45th free throw in a row, an Oakland record.
Percy Gibson scored 14, going 5-for-9 from the field and snatching seven rebounds.
Max Hooper made four 3-pointers for 12 points, grabbing a couple of boards, as well.
Nick Daniels scored seven and got a technical foul.
Mark Alstork put up 18 points for Wright State, going 7-for-17 from the field and picking up five boards.
Joe Thomasson shot for 13, getting five rebounds.
Kampe said the two seed was at stake Monday night.
“And our players knew it,” he said.
The Golden Grizzlies face off at Valparaiso on Friday, Feb. 19 at 8 p.m. ET. Watch on ESPNU or listen on WDFN-AM (1130).
The Horizon League Tournament runs March 5-8 at Joe Louis Arena in Detroit.