The men’s basketball team soared to victory on a memorable senior night against the Detroit Mercy Titans, 75-70.
In a game that featured a rollercoaster of momentum swings that left fans at the OU Credit Union O’rena on the edge of their seats, the Golden Grizzlies delivered an electrifying performance.
Detroit Mercy came out into the second half the same way they ended the first, with a lot of their shots falling for them, extending their lead 44-37, credited to the Titans’ Jayden Stone. The Grizzlies got going when Tuburu Naivalurua had a commanding dunk, setting off a series of Oakland runs.
Oakland’s very own Trey Townsend, who continuously proves why he is the Horizon League Player of the Year, made his presence felt with back-to-back buckets. His contributions were later followed by a huge triple by Blake Lampman, as he tallied a total of 20 points for the night.
Despite Stone’s offensive rhythm still on display, the Grizzlies remained resilient. A pinpoint bounce pass from Townsend to Chris Conway for the jam put Oakland ahead, 53-52. The Titans showed that they refused to back down, attacking the rim and relying on foul calls that sent them to the line in order to stay close with less than two minutes left on the clock.
In the final moments of the game, with the Horizon League regular season championship within reach, Lampman had tightened up on defense and completely disrupted Detroit Mercy’s offense. Then, a key play later, he found Jack Gohlke for the triple that erupted the OU Credit Union O’rena. The tension continued to grow as the Titans’ Tobin Schwannecke quickly knocked down a 3-pointer of his own from the corner to trim the lead to two, 72-70.
With only 17 seconds remaining, Trey Townsend again had bodied his way to the basket, scoring through contact and converting on the and-one opportunity from the stripe that gave Oakland the five-point advantage.
Oakland was locked in on defense on Detroit Mercy’s last possession, resulting in their efforts coming up short. The Golden Grizzlies had sealed the deal and defeated their rivals in their second meeting, delighting the home crowd as they were named Horizon League Champions of the regular season. It was evident that in crunch time, Oakland’s plays were executed to a tee, which, in the end, could not be stopped.
For Oakland’s seniors — Trey Townsend, Blake Lampman, Jack Gohlke and Rocket Watts — this win held special significance. Before their dedicated tribute videos graced the screens, head coach Greg Kampe was able to express the immense impact they have had on the men’s basketball program to end the night.
What’s Next?
The Golden Grizzlies aren’t done yet. With an impressive victory in the first postseason play at the OU Credit Union O’rena against Purdue Fort Wayne, winning 75-65, they are primed to extend their success further and are determined to make a deep run and have the chance to compete in the NCAA Tournament. The First Four will begin on Tuesday, March 19.
