Oakland University’s men’s basketball team opened the home season against Utah Valley with a 89-83 victory on Friday night.

Guard Reggie Hamilton led the Grizzlies with 34 points and five steals, topping his previous career-high of 31 points.

After three-point shots went cold in the first half, only shooting 1-14, the Golden Grizzlies came right back and opened the second half going 3 for 3 from the arc.

The strong opening to the second half continued, and adjustments allowed OU to shoot almost 60 percent versus 36 percent shooting in the first half.

“There’s no secret potion to it,” Hamilton said. “With this type of team, we’re going to have nights where we come out and we’re on fire.”

Head coach Greg Kampe said he was still pleased with the win, regardless of how the game started. He said he had a feeling that the short break after the four game road trip would affect the play.

“It went the way I expected,” Kampe said. “I didn’t think there would be a lot of zip and fluidity to what we were doing out there and there wasn’t in the first half.”

Center Corey Petros led the game with 13 rebounds, marking this the fourth game with double-digit rebounds, but fouled out with 2:18 left in the second half.

“(Petros) didn’t score well tonight but he’s doing some special things as a freshman,” Kampe said. “As long as he (rebounds) and plays physical, we are going to have a chance to win a lot of games.”

Petros wasn’t the only Oakland player to get into foul trouble. Drew Valentine, Travis Bader and Blake Cushingberry all finished with four fouls, adding to the combined total of 29 personal fouls, but all stayed on the floor even with looming foul trouble.

“We’re finding ways to win,” Kampe said. “We found out that we can get into foul trouble and be OK.”

OU and Utah Valley shot a combined 72 free throws. Oakland went 25-34 from the free-throw line.

“It got rough,” Kampe said. “It’s hard to get a flow going when so many stoppages in play were taking place.”

Freshman Dante Williams made his first home start with Cushingberry coming off the bench and struggled, finishing with two points.

“He played like a freshman,” Kampe said. “We need him if we’re going to do the things we think we’re capable of this year.”

For the third time this season, Oakland out-rebounded their opponent 41-38, addressing some of the pre-season concerns about how they would maintain possession in the paint.

“To out-rebound (of Utah Valley) was really good,” Kampe said. “I’m really pleased with that.”

Guard Isiah Williams, of defending Great West Conference champion Wolverines, had a game-high 35 points, shooting 45 percent from the three-point line.

The Golden Grizzlies host the University of Tennessee on Monday, Nov. 28 at 9 p.m in the O’Rena. The game will be nationally televised on ESPNU.

“We got (to) show what basketball is in the O’Rena,” Kampe said. “Our students have to be great as they ever have been.”

The OU athletic department reports that there are 650 tickets still available.

Keith Benson, former OU center and current member of the Atlanta Hawks, will have his number retired during halftime of the OU-Tennessee game. Benson was the first OU basketball player to be drafted into the NBA.

“It’s a golden opportunity,” Kampe said. “The whole country is going to see what Oakland basketball is all about for two hours on monday night.”