OAKLAND GOLDEN GRIZZLIES
LAST TWO WEEKS: W @ VALPO, 78-66; W @ UIC, 58-57; L vs UDM, 93-88
OVERALL RECORD: 14-4, 4-1 Horizon
So there was a little bit of a dud for OU this past weekend. Every team is susceptible to them, it happens. It stings a little more when it happens to a team within your own state, let alone one that isn’t performing well on the season. But in the grand scheme of things, it doesn’t hurt OU as a whole and the two big wins they picked up prior to that loss.
The defensive lapse by Kampe’s pack of Grizzlies is merely an outlier, at least for now. The 93 points allowed is by far the most they have given up in a single game this season. Overall, the defense has been acceptable, allowing 70 points or fewer in 13 of their 18 games played. They still rank in the top third nationally in overall defense.
Junior forward and Lansing product Jalen Hayes averaged 20 points per over the team’s most recent three games, highlighted by a 28-point, 16-rebound game performance in the loss at home against Detroit. Not surprisingly, guys like Martez Walker (16 PPG in last three games) and Sherron Dorsey-Walker (12.3 PPG in last three games) helped contribute in the scoring column. It’s not surprising because this trio is the result of 56 percent of OU’s scoring this season.
Given how they have played overall in 2016/17, expect the Grizzlies to bounce back but they have a pretty tough stretch of games coming up, including some tricky road games and a date with a potentially still-unbeaten Green Bay team.
- Mon, Jan 16 – vs Cleveland St. (5-13, 1-5 Horizon) / 7 p.m. ET on ESPN3
- Fri, Jan 20 – @ No. Kentucky / 7 p.m. ET on ESPN3
- Sun, Jan 22 – @ Wright State / 2 p.m. ET on ESPN3
- Friday, Jan 27 – vs UW-Green Bay / 9 p.m. ET on ESPN3
