Kurt: Oakland finishes fifth in the Horizon League with a 12-8 conference record.
Following their most recent win over the Detroit Mercy Titans, which shifts the Oakland men’s basketball team’s conference record to 9-7, the Golden Grizzlies have four conference games remaining this season:
- at Purdue Fort Wayne
- vs. Cleveland State
- at Milwaukee
- at Green Bay
I think the Golden Grizzlies will go 3-1 through this four-game stretch, with wins coming at home against Cleveland State and on the road over Milwaukee and Green Bay.
Oakland dealt Purdue Fort Wayne a loss that snapped a four-game win streak they had built in January, but Oakland won the game on their home floor, 76-72.
Considering how this season has turned out, it’s undoubtedly a big win. Still, it’s hard seeing the Golden Grizzlies take the season sweep over a team that’s essentially a top-four lock in the Horizon League standings, especially with the next match being on the road for Oakland.
As of late, Cleveland State has been inconsistent for being the first team in the Horizon League standings. Remarkably, the Vikings have lost three of their last four games.
Although the Vikings handed Oakland a loss earlier in the season, the loss comes with an asterisk mark. Cleveland State shot nearly 50% from the field and three against the Golden Grizzlies. I don’t see that happening again, and I see Oakland winning their final home game of the season.
Next is the Milwaukee Panthers, a neck-and-neck team with the Golden Grizzlies in the standings. Considering Oakland picked up a win earlier in the season against them amidst their shooting struggles, a season sweep isn’t out of the question.
That leaves Green Bay, who recently picked up their first conference win of the season on Sunday. It’s a good morale booster for a team that’s had a tough season, but I don’t see the Phoenix beating the Golden Grizzlies in the season’s final game.
Evan: Oakland finishes sixth in the Horizon League with an 11-9 conference record.
Do I disagree with Kurt’s points? No, I don’t at all. Cleveland State is on a bit of a rough patch, and they’ll have to travel to the O’Rena to play. Yes, Green Bay is terrible (and I mean terrible).
But beating Milwaukee (fourth in the conference) after we dominated them at home? I can’t see it happening. Just like Kurt said, it’s hard to beat a good team twice, especially when you have to go play at their place. That Milwaukee and Green Bay road trip is no joke, involving a flight across Lake Michigan and dealing with the arctic freeze of Wisconsin. Not to mention coming off games against Purdue Fort Wayne and Cleveland State? It’s a tall task.
I agree with Kurt on losing at Purdue Fort Wayne. The Mastodons have junior Eric Mulder back in the fold for round two against the Golden Grizzlies, someone whose interior presence they greatly missed the first time around. The 6’8″ big man has dealt with injuries this season but is averaging 9.3 points with 6.9 boards on 76.2% field goal shooting. He is a big difference-maker.
Even beating Cleveland State will be a tall task. Sure, they’ve lost three of their last four, but this Vikings team has dominated the conference up to this point. Every team has rough patches, but you better believe that that team is coming into the O’Rena with a vengeance. The Golden Grizzlies knocked off the Vikings last year in the Horizon League semifinals, and if their first meeting this year was any proof, a 92-75 blowout of the Golden Grizzlies, Cleveland State is still pissed about it.
The fan in me says 4-0, the realist in me says 2-2, and the pessimist in me says 1-3. It’s a brutal way to end your season, Green Bay excluded, and with the inconsistency that OU has played with, I would not be surprised with a 2-2 finish.
