Since the beginning of the season, head coach Greg Kampe has emphasized the importance of taking each game one at a time and not getting caught looking ahead. Each game has been “just another hurdle,” and success will come if “we just keep stacking hurdles.”
On Tuesday night, the biggest hurdle of them all looms.
In the Horizon League Championship, hosted at the Indiana Farmers Coliseum in Indianapolis, Oakland men’s basketball will take on Milwaukee on Tuesday night at 7 p.m. A league tournament championship is obviously at stake, but so is securing a berth into March Madness. This would be Oakland’s first berth in the Big Dance since 2011.
So how can the Grizzlies clear this final hurdle? What kind of team is Milwaukee? When the final buzzer sounds, who will be left standing? Let’s revisit the first two times these teams played to gain some insight.
Game 1: Jan. 4, Oakland def. Milwaukee, 100-95, at Oakland
The first matchup was an incredibly high-scoring affair. Both teams shot over 47 percent from the field, and the largest lead of the game was Oakland by just 10 with 4:22 remaining in the game. It was one of the highest-scoring performances the Grizzlies would allow all year.
As the game began, Oakland had three turnovers right out of the gate, leading to an early 9-4 deficit. From there on, the Grizzlies would lean on conference player of the year Trey Townsend, who scored 17 of his 28 points in the first half.
The fouls began to stack up quickly as the two teams combined to shoot 74 free throws. For Oakland, it’s the constant hammering in the post from Townsend and Chris Conway that kept the Panthers in foul trouble. For the Panthers, it’s their guards that get to the rim exceptionally well and force fouls. Kentrell Pullian shot 6-7 from the line, and Elijah Jamison shot 5-6. Faizon Fields was a big issue for Oakland’s bigs as well. The junior forward snagged 12 rebounds and had 17 points in the game.
Another big factor in the Panthers’ high scoring that game was their 14 offensive rebounds. Oakland must keep Fields and Langston Wilson off the glass and limit their second-chance opportunities. If Townsend and Conway get into foul trouble, backup big Buru Naivalurua will be called upon to clean up the boards.
Oakland finished the game on top against Milwaukee with 10 late points from guard Rocket Watts, whose status for the championship is up in the air with a sprained ankle. The fifth-year senior’s stability will surely be missed if he can’t suit up.
Game 2: Jan. 27, Oakland def. Milwaukee, 91-87, in double overtime at Milwaukee
This one was a real barnburner. Coming off a tough loss to Green Bay just two nights earlier, Oakland had to gather itself for another road game in Milwaukee.
For most of the first half, Milwaukee was in control. After a brief 10-2 lead from Oakland, the Panthers began turning the Grizzlies over. A pair of 3-pointers from B.J. Freeman and Kentrell Pullian would give Milwaukee a 21-12 lead.
Milwaukee would keep a pretty consistent eight-point lead for most of the first half, eventually pealing with a 37-26 lead. After the final media timeout of the half, Oakland woke up. Shooting guards Blake Lampman and Jack Gohlke each made a 3-pointer, along with two free throws each for Townsend and Naivalurua. An Isaiah Jones dunk gave Oakland a 38-37 lead going into the half.
The second half began with two big 3-pointers for Gohlke, a Wisconsin native who was starting to put together an exceptional night in front of his friends and family. Townsend would assert himself in the second half as well, scoring 11 of his 21 points in the second half. It was an off night for him from the field, only going 4-13, but he made 13 of his 14 free throw attempts.
The Panthers were able to stay in the game thanks to aggressive rebounding from Fields. The forward would snag 10 offensive rebounds and 16 in total. Along with some hot 3-point shooting from Pullian (5-5 on the day), Milwaukee held a 68-65 lead with under a minute left in the half. With the game on the line, Gohlke missed a 3-pointer, but then immediately nailed one after a Naivalurua offensive rebound to send it to overtime.
The two teams traded baskets back and forth before, yet again, Gohlke made a game-tying 3-pointer. In the second overtime, it was again Gohlke who showed up big, hitting three free throws and draining yet another three. Oakland would prevail, 91-87, led by Gohlke’s 27 points. He shot 8-18 from the 3-point line in the win.
Keys to Victory in the Championship
For Oakland to bring home the title, the Grizzlies will need to accomplish three things:
1. Oakland must contain B.J. Freeman. The second-team all-conference guard had pretty solid games against Oakland, going for 15 points in the first game and seven points on inefficient shooting in the second game, along with nine assists and six rebounds. Freeman is as dynamic as they come, averaging 21.2 points per game to go with 6.8 rebounds and 4.3 assists. He must be slowed down.
2. Stay out of foul trouble. In their first meeting, Conway fouled out in 21 minutes, Naivalurua in 14, and Townsend had four fouls in 38 minutes. In the second meeting, Conway had four fouls in 16 minutes. Milwaukee’s guards are relentless, and Faizon Fields will crash the glass every time as they look to clean up on their mistakes. The Oakland bigs must be disciplined in walling up and securing rebounds.
3. Limit Fields on the offensive glass. Across the two games, Fields had 16 offensive rebounds and 28 total. In the first matchup, Oakland was outrebounded. This was corrected in the second game. The Grizzlies cannot allow Milwaukee to feast on second-chance baskets.
I believe Oakland will come out on top with a 10-point win, 79-69. Milwaukee has a much faster turnaround for the game than Oakland does. The fatigue of having to play four games in a week will catch up to the Panthers.
