ROCHESTER – After two straight close losses against the likes of Ohio and Michigan, the Oakland University men’s basketball team was looking for a rebound against neighboring Rochester College Warriors (9-6).

The Golden Grizzlies (7-4) narrowly broke their slump with one of their weaker performances of the season with a victory over the Warriors, 77–62.

While OU was still able to secure its seventh victory of the season, this win was too close for comfort for Grizzlies head coach Greg Kampe.

“All wins are good. I would like to credit Rochester College with an outstanding basketball game, I think for them to come in here and do the things they did, you have to pat (first year Warriors head coach) Klint Pleasant on the back,” Kampe said. “I thought they played harder and smarter than we did, but fortunately for us the score went our way.”

Although the Grizzlies sported a 13-0 record all time coming in against the Warriors, Oakland struggled early.

Oakland failed to score a field goal for the first five minutes of the game, allowing Rochester to open with an 11 – 3 run. The Warriors were hot from behind the arc early, hitting five three pointers in the first eight minutes of the game.

Guard Laval Lucas-Perry layup garnered the only lead change in the game, coming at the 11 minute mark. Lucas-Perry’s nine points, were aided by eight from Corey Petros and 11 from Drew Valentine to lead the Grizzlies in the first half.

Coach Kampe drew his first technical of the season for arguing with the referee following a hard foul on Drew Valentine late in the first half. The sophomore guard was tackled on a breakaway layup by Stephen Henning of the Warriors.

The technical in essence negated Valentine’s two free throws after the initial foul, and kept the game close going into halftime. However, the Grizzlies managed to cling to a tight lead at the break, taking a 41 – 37 score into the locker room.

That lead at halftime proved crucial as Oakland improved to 7-0 when leading at the half. Although the Grizzlies had an uncharacteristic nine turnovers in the first, holding that lead into the break proved to carry momentum into the second half.

After trading baskets early in the second, star senior Reggie Hamilton made an impressive steal and layup to bring both the crowd and momentum onto Oakland’s side. However, the usual high-scoring Hamilton took a back seat to Valentine and Lucas-Perry to lead the Grizzlies’ charge.

Valentine reached his second double-double of the season only eight minutes into the second half and finished with 15 total rebounds to lead all players and scoring a season-high 20 points, and only 4 short of his career high against South Dakota State last season.

“Every night, I’m going to give 100 percent,” Valentine said. “Things weren’t going our way and I felt like our team needed me to get some offensive rebounds and just play harder in the second half.”

Guard Lucas-Perry led Oakland’s scorers with 23 on the night, including 13 in the second half. The redshirt senior transfer from the University of Michigan stepped up big coming off the bench. Lucas-Perry bested his season and career-highs in points in rebounds notching eight boards.

“Like Drew (Valentine), I’m going as hard as I can for as many minutes as I’m out there,” Lucas-Perry said. “Reggie (Hamilton) went down with three fouls in the first half, and me and (Valentine) stepped up.”

Lucas-Perry will be counted on more for the Grizzlies moving forward as it was announced today that guard Blake Cushingberry will miss the remainder of the season due to being academically ineligible.

Valentine and Lucas-Perry keyed the Oakland attack to finish out the night. The Grizzlies went on an 18 – 5 run, highlighted by a 9-0 spurt. Valentine capped the night with a huge dunk for the final basket to put an exclamation point on an otherwise lackluster night offensively.

Coupled with Cushingberry’s absence is the injury to fellow guard Ryan Bass. Coach Kampe stated in the post-game press conference that the team hopes to have Bass back in about two weeks.

Oakland shot 7.7% from three point range in the second half, going only 21.7% overall. Usual sharpshooter Travis Bader went 0-9 from behind the arc. Also absent was the dominant play of Corey Petros, who up until this game had led the team in rebounds in every contest.

Tonight, Petros only registered a career low four rebounds, drawing the ire of Coach Kampe.

“He (Petros) wasn’t very good at all tonight. This may have been the first night that he played as a freshman in my eyes,” Kampe said. “They swarmed him underneath and he didn’t handle it very well.”

Overall Kampe believed the whole game to be a struggle, but was very pleased to get out with the victory. Kampe called out the Oakland student body, and wished to see more people in the seats.

“Frankly, I’m gravely disappointed in the attendance …” Kampe said. “This is an exciting basketball team. We had 17,000 at the Palace to see us play Michigan, 3700 (at the O’Rena) to see us play Tennessee. Why aren’t we here?”

Kampe hopes to see more fans at the next home game on Dec. 23 against Western Michigan.

Meanwhile, Oakland sets its focus on two upcoming road games, Dec. 17 at Valparaiso and Dec. 20 at Arizona.