The rivalry continues: What to know before OU faces UDM tomorrow afternoon
The Oakland men’s basketball team (10-7, 2-2) will head roughly 26 miles south down I-75 to Calihan Hall to face rival University of Detroit Mercy (9-6, 3-1) at 3 p.m. on Saturday. Here’s what you need to know before tomorrow’s mid-afternoon game in the D.
#METROSERIES: The game will be Oakland’s first basketball match-up with Detroit this season and count towards the Metro Series, the recently branded rivalry between the schools. The Golden Grizzlies split its games with the Titans last season but ultimately claimed the Metro Series Cup with a final score of 26 to 10.
BATTLE OF THE OFFENSES: Oakland and Detroit are the top-two teams in the Horizon League for scoring offense, averaging 85.6 and 84.6 points per game, respectively. Oakland’s average is also eighth in the nation and Detroit’s is 16th.
FIRST LEAGUE GAME ON THE ROAD: Oakland began league play on Jan. 2 and hosted its first four games at home on the blacktop court. The Golden Grizzlies defeated Cleveland State but fell to Youngstown State and Valparaiso before ending the home stand with a 25-point victory over UIC.
A WEEKS REST: The men were able to spend the week away from competition after playing four league games in nine days.
TOUGH AT HOME: This season, Detroit has a 9-1 record on its home court, with the lone loss coming from Valparaiso, and is averaging 89.6 points while only allowing 77.7.
BEYOND THE ARC: Detroit and Oakland also lead the league in three-point percentage. Detroit is first with 39.8 percent and Oakland is second with 39.0 percent. Oakland has made a three-point shot in 852 straight games, which is the ninth longest streak in the nation.
20-POINT GAMES: Kay Felder has recorded 20 points or more in every game this season. His 25.8 points per game is third in the nation and his 9.0 assists a night is first.
OTHER PLAYERS SHINING: Redshirt senior Percy Gibson is averaging 12.0 points per game and 6.8 rebounds a night while shooting 53 percent from the floor. Sherron Dorset-Walker has done a little bit of everything for the Golden Grizzlies this season, and his 7.5 rebounds a game are fifth in the league behind Jalen Hayes’ 7.9 a night. Max Hooper is averaging 11.3 points a game all off three-point shots, making an average of 3.5 a game to lead the league.
HORIZON LEAGUE STANDINGS AS OF JAN. 15:
1. Valparaiso (4-0, 14-3)
2. Green Bay (4-1, 11-6)
3. Detroit (3-1, 9-6)
4. Wright State (3-1, 9-8)
5. Milwaukee (3-2, 12-6)
6. Oakland (2-2, 10-7)
7. Youngstown State (2-3, 7-11)
8. Northern Kentucky (1-3, 5-10)
9. UIC (0-4, 2-13)
10. Cleveland State (0-5, 5-13)