From the opening whistle, it was evident the Golden Grizzlies meant business in their 110-51 win over Cleary University in their home opener.
The Golden Grizzlies came out strong the entire first quarter, and from that point on, Oakland showed no signs of slowing down. Markyia McCormick’s triples, along with Jasmine Dupree-Hebert’s consecutive threes, widened the score gap to 55-21 with under four minutes left in the second quarter.
The Golden Grizzlies kept their foot on the gas for the remainder of the game and reached the 100-point mark off a Maddy Skorupski triple. Cleary struggled to convert on shots, and this allowed Oakland to maintain its stronghold. The Golden Grizzlies had scored 56 points off of their 38 turnovers.
There were contributions from many Golden Grizzlies. Madison Royal-Davis scored 17 points, and Dupree-Hebert had 15 points.
Alexis Johnson showcased exceptional accuracy, netting 16 points on an impressive 8-12 shooting from the field. Kianni Westbrook had 10. Brooke Quarles-Daniels added 11 points.
Linda Van Schaik’s sharpshooting abilities resulted in 11 points, hitting three of six from beyond the arc, while Skorupski’s efficient scoring rounded out the double-digit scorers with 10 points, shooting 4-7 from the field.
This high-scoring performance highlighted Oakland’s depth and versatility, showing that this was a team effort where multiple players contributed significantly to the scoreboard, capitalizing on scoring opportunities all across the lineup.
“Our team did what they had to do,” head coach Jeff Tungate said. “It was good to see a lot of people score the basketball, shots were going in. I thought we were really unselfish with the basketball, that was good to see. I thought we made the extra pass, trying to find an open teammate.
“It’s great to be home. I thought it was a really great crowd tonight to be our first home game. It was great to see everyone back. It’d be great to see everyone back again when we play Madonna and continue the crowd’s growth as the season goes on because this team deserves it. They’re a great group of kids and work really hard. I think they’re great representatives of Oakland University, so I hope everyone comes to follow them.”
Reflecting on the team’s performance, Tungate also had some positive things to say about how the team’s unity shines.
“I think we got great chemistry. I think they enjoy playing together. I think they enjoy being on the floor together, and I think that’s a huge thing, and if that continues, I think we have a chance of doing something special. So, I’ve said from the beginning, this team’s got great depth — the deepest team I’ve ever had. They’re just a fun group, fun to be around every single day.”
His words underscored the underlying strength of this Oakland team, and the camaraderie that was shown was the driving force behind their success and a great way to open the season on the blacktop.
What’s Next?
The Golden Grizzlies are scheduled to play against Madonna University at the OU Credit Union O’rena. Tip-off is slated for Saturday, Nov. 25, at 5:30 p.m. Conference play is then set to begin on Thursday, Nov. 30, when Oakland hosts Purdue Fort Wayne.
