Game Preview: Oakland at Wright State

Game 4: Oakland (1-2) at Wright State (2-1)

Tuesday, November 23, 2010 | 7:00pm

Watch: Horizon League Network (free) | Radio: WDFM-AM (1130)

Oakland travels to Wright State for its second game in the preliminary action of the Chicago Invitational after losing to Purdue in a hard fought game on Sunday. The Golden Grizzlies will surely be looking to play like they did against Ohio last week coming off a loss against a high-major. Wright State has been a solid program in the last few years, seemingly always second in the Horizon League behind Butler. That track record was enough for the school's former coach to get plucked away by Clemson this summer, leaving new coach Billy Donlon to do what he can to keep his Raiders in the top tier of the Horizon. Wright State has seven newcomers on its squad this season who pair well with a few experienced senior leaders and have thus far beaten a non-DI school and lowly Southern. Oakland will be the Raiders' first solid mid-major test.

The Two Leagues

A few years after the Horizon League changed its name from the Midwestern Collegiate Conference, the Summit League spurned its Mid-Continental Conference moniker too. It was a fitting transition, as the Summit League has more or less always been a step behind the Horizon League. In the 1990s, when the then MCC was in need of new members, it raided the Mid-Con of its many public universities, creating a league that would go on to be quite successful as far as mid-major conferences went. One of the Mid-Con's darlings, Valparaiso, even found a home within the geographically-sound confines of the Horizon League. It is perhaps because of all of that movement and geography that many Oakland fans point to the Horizon League as the sort of ideal conference for membership sometime in the future. With the future of conferences up-in-the-air thanks to realignment, who knows when something like that could come along, but the fact remains that in order to even be in the conversation, the Golden Grizzlies must continue to prove they can battle with Horizon League foes. Given Wright State's recent history of being a top-three school in that conference, this match is as good as any to showcase their might.

Key Personnel Match-Up

Larry Wright/Reggie Hamilton vs. Troy Tabler/Vaughn Duggins

The difference for Oakland against Ohio was the stellar play of Reggie Hamilton and Larry Wright as well as Ledrick Eackles off the bench. All of those guys were absolutely hounded by Purdue on Sunday which led to a lot of turnovers and bad passes, but that intensity will be toned down quite a bit against the Wright State backcourt. While Oakland clearly has the advantage in the post with Keith Benson and Will Hudson, it will be neat to see how the Oakland guards respond after a tough night in West Lafayette. Coach Kampe has stressed that games against the Purdues of the world will make his team better, and this is a great chance to show how. Tabler and Duggins are both seniors and have the ability to knock down three-pointers or take the ball to the basket. However, Hamilton and Wright have the talent, quickness, and athleticism edge. The Tabler/Duggins duo strikes me as one with a lot toughness and heart, so they won't lie down for Oakland's guards, but if Hamilton and Wright take care of the perimeter like they did against Ohio, the outcome will be favorable for Oakland. (As an aside, WSU's true starting point guard has missed the first three games due to injury. N'Gai Evans is a senior and is listed as a game-time decision against Oakland).

Wright State Player To Watch: Johann Mpondo

Johann Mpondo is one of two non-freshmen newcomers to the Wright State frontcourt this season. Mpondo was granted an immediate transfer since he played for New Orleans which is reclassifying (like Centenary). The 6'8" junior hasn't really stunned in the numbers department, but he's a starter and the only post guy on the Raider roster with much bulk. Needless to say, Mpondo will have to battle for every rebound and positioning in the post against guys like Keith Benson and Will Hudson. Mpondo might not end up with double-digit points or rebounds, but his team's success will likely hinge on his ability to play effectively down low.

Oakland Player To Watch: Keith Benson

Benson has put up big numbers thus far against West Virginia and Purdue largely thanks to solid second half play, but now it's time for the big man to remind Oakland fans of the sheer dominance he is capable of against far inferior frontlines. After battling with All-American candidate JaJuan Johnson at Purdue, Benson should (with all due respect) be able to dismantle Mpondo, Cooper Land, and Cole Darling. We weren't able to see such a dominating performance against Ohio due to foul trouble, so here's to hoping Benson can avoid fouls, fight through the double teams, and showcase his low post game throughout this match.

History

The two schools played each other twice as a part of a home-and-home series in 2000 and 2001. Oakland won the game in Rochester by ten points, while Wright State ran away with a 20-point victory in Dayton a year later. In the last five seasons, Oakland has a 3-2 record against Horizon League foes. Wright State is 2-0 against The Summit League in the same time frame. Another interesting fact is that Wright State last made the NCAA Tournament in 2007 as a 14-seed. Their opponent? The three-seeded Pittsburgh. It looks like both Oakland and Wright State have had first-round upset hopes squashed by powerful Pitt squads.

Bullet Points

There was not an opponent fan blog to be found for this game's preview, so instead we'll present some neat tidbits of information found while investigating Wright State:

• It's a homecoming game of sorts for Oakland freshman Ryan Bass, who is from Dayton, Ohio. Bass was reported to have had a groin injury prior to the Marygrove exhibition game, but he's had plenty of time to rest due to limited minutes in the first two games and a DNP against Purdue. As a freshman behind more experienced guards, it's rather clear why he didn't get any time against Purdue, especially considering the game was close throughout. However, Bass will be playing in his hometown against more level competition so all signs would indicate he would get some playing time. We hope he makes the most of it and shows off some of his athleticism and playmaking ability.
• Wright State freshman Matt Vest went from potential walk-on to scholarship player to box score stuffer in a matter of a few months. The 6'5" guard went 9 of 10 from the field against Southern and has clearly made the most of his increased opportunities. Vest played high school ball at Chaminade Julienne, which is the same place where Oakland freshman guard Ryan Bass spent most of his high school days in Dayton. Bass ended up at Dunbar for his senior season, but it's clear these two guys will be familiar with each other.
• Another freshman to keep an eye on is forward Cole Darling. The Michigan native was recruited by Oakland, and in fact his final choice came down to just Oakland and Wright State. Ultimately, Darling chose Wright State, a decision which appears to be paying dividends for both him and his program far sooner than would have been the case at Oakland. Cole has thus far taken advantage of the playing time he's been given due to lack of depth in the WSU frontcourt, averaging just about 6 rebounds per game and shooting an admirable 50% from the field. He had 8 rebounds against Indiana, though we would venture to say Oakland's frontcourt will be a bit more imposing than that of the Hoosiers. Still, it's good to see a Michigan product contributing so early on in his college career.

The Extra Pass

With seven new players, it's great to see that the Raiders have a few strong senior leaders in guys like Vaughn Duggins, Troy Tabler, N'Gai Evans, and Cooper Land. For what it's worth, it appears these guys are a fairly likeable group with a good sense of humor. For proof, just check out this video which features a bit of singing, rapping, and Duggins doing his best Phil Collins impression (major props to a basketball player for being a Collins fan).

As always, if you're interested in getting in on the conversation with other Oakland fans before, during, and after the game, we highly suggest checking out the Golden Grizzly Hoops forum: Game Thread. Paul Kampe of The Oakland Press will also be holding a live chart during the game at his Grizz Den outlet. Check it out!

Game Preview: Oakland at Purdue

Game 3: Oakland (1-1) at Purdue (2-0)

Sunday, November 21, 2010 | 7:00pm

TV: BigTenNetwork.com | Radio: WDFM-AM (1130)

This is the first of five games the Oakland Golden Grizzlies will play against Big Ten teams in 2010-11. Prior to the practice season beginning, it also looked like the most difficult of the five. However, a season-ending injury to forward Robbie Hummel just a day after Midnight Madness knocked off one of the heads of Purdue's three-headed monster of seniors. However, the Boilermakers surely aren't playing like they're down a star, as their blowout wins over Howard and Alcorn State indicate. Oakland should be a tougher test for Purdue and the first team which will have a guy who can go at All-American candidate JaJuan Johnson in the paint. Oakland should be plenty rested having played its last game on Monday, a solid win at Ohio University. The Grizzlies will look to come out strong against its toughest competition yet, hoping to prove their black and gold superiority.

The Star Goes Down, Again

Many words have been written about Robbie Hummel and the impact his injuries have had on the dreams of Purdue fans everywhere. In fact, for perhaps the best rendition of this story, check out Luke Winn's piece for Sports Illustrated. But to bring Grizzlies fans up to speed, essentially last season was supposed to be "the season" for Purdue. The team had a three-pronged attack: JaJuan Johnson in the paint, E-Twaun Moore on the perimeter, and Robbie Hummel as the do-all forward (not to mention Chris Kramer's defensive tenacity at point guard). And the NCAA Tournament was going to be in Indianapolis, just a short jaunt from West Lafayette. However, Hummel tore his ACL just as the regular season was ending, and dreams of the Final Four were put to rest with a Sweet Sixteen exit. Heading into this season, Johnson and Moore put off the NBA in order for one last chance at a title with Hummel, who would come back fully healed. Yet one day into the practice season, Hummel retore the same ACL. Purdue still has a wealth of talent, but many think Hummel is the difference between an NCAA Tournament run and a deep NCAA Tournament run. The story is a sad one, especially for the Boilermaker faithful, and even though opposing fans would never wish injury upon a great player, the fact remains that Purdue is a bit more manageable opponent without Hummel. Key word: "a bit."

College Painters

Oakland students should do their best to catch this game not only for the basketball action, but also to see and hear Purdue's student section in action. The Paint Crew, as it is affectionately known, is one of the country's best student sections. Its membership is huge, and its members are loud. Perhaps most importantly, they are also incredibly unified in their chants, movements, and attire. So when they call for a black-out, you can expect every single person in the Paint Crew to be sporting a black t-shirt. The student section's leaders also have a scouting report for every home game which features a mix of legitimate information and any dirt gathered on the opponent. We still like Utah State's version better, but it just shows how seriously Purdue students take their role at basketball games. Oakland's Grizz Gang has been solid of late, but it could surely learn a thing or two by seeing the Paint Crew in all its glory.

Key Personnel Match-Up

Keith Benson vs. JaJuan Johnson

This one is a no brainer. Benson vs. Johnson checked in as one of our most anticipated individual match-ups of the season when the schedule first came out, and that anticipation has hardly waned. The implications of this game could extend all the way to next June's NBA Draft, where Benson and Johnson have been projected as second-rounders. Their history in college is quite similar too, as this anecdote from Blue Ribbon suggests:

In short, Johnson has the skills to be a power forward at the next level and and he's working on gaining the necessary strength. Johnson has done yeoman's work during his time at Purdue. "He weighed around 180 pounds when he committed to us," Painter said. "He's a little over 220 now. He gained over 10 pounds this summer." Moreover, he's more than a one-way player. Johnson has made the Big Ten's all-defensive team the last two seasons.

That analysis sure does sound a lot like Benson's path to becoming an NBA prospect. In the here and now, this match-up represents Oakland's best way of stunting Purdue's quest for a blow-out win. The Boilermakers will not face a big man quite like Benson in any of their other games against mid-majors, so this match-up levels the playing field a bit. If Benson can have a monster game while containing Johnson, the odds of Oakland keeping the game close increase tenfold.

Purdue Player To Watch: E'Twaun Moore

When I think of Purdue, I think about engineers, Gene Keady's combover, and Glenn Robinson. The last person in that list was a star for the Boilermakers in the early 1990s and a mainstay of the Milwaukee Bucks during his tenure in the NBA. But E'Twaun Moore, who might not be the first guy people think of when thinking of Purdue basketball, is on pace to score over 2,000 points for his career, a list that doesn't include Robinson. In fact, if his team wins at least 21 games this year, he'll go down as Purdue's winningest player, according to Blue Ribbon. He's about as solid as they come and gets his points from all over the floor. At 6'4" it's likely that Larry Wright and Ledrick Eackles will guard Moore during this game, a task that will surely prove difficult. If Purdue manages to run all over Oakland, Moore will be the chief reason why.

Oakland Player To Watch: Will Hudson

Without Hummel, the Purdue frontcourt loses one of its most experienced and proven forwards. Having Johnson around certainly helps, but it is hoped that Benson will more or less contain him throughout this game. Therefore, we should look out for Will Hudson in this game. The senior forward's experience, size, and toughness will make him a challenging match-up for several of Purdue's younger big men who will fill the power forward role. While some of these sophomores and freshmen might have more upside playing in the Big Ten, there is no doubt that right now, Hudson will be a test for them. We hope he comes out on top.

History

Oakland and Purdue have only played one time, an 89-71 Boilermaker win in West Lafayette in 2001.

Opponent Q&A

We checked in with Travis from the SBNation.com Purdue blog Hammer and Rails for a deeper look at this year's Boilermakers.

We've read a lot about Patrick Bade, his off-season body transformation, and the opportunities he'll get this year. He hasn't had a whole lot of time on the court yet this season because Coach Matt Painter has really utilized his whole roster, but how do you feel so far about his game this year? Where can you see direct and subtle differences? How do you see him progressing against better competition? Travis: He is more aggressive about getting to the basket and getting to the line so far. Last year he looked like he was playing on rollerblades at times. This year he looks to be in more control of his body. He is rebounding better and defending better, which is the #1 thing we ask him to do. I would like to see him stretch the defense a little more because allegedly he has a nice jumper, but we have yet to see it. So far D.J. Byrd and John Hart have been playing really well. They may only play a few minutes but make their presence known. What do you expect from them against Oakland? Travis: D.J. Byrd is the type of player that can be forgotten about until he has a big game. He's going to do a little bit of everything and is versatile enough to possibly play both forward spots. John Hart has been the better shooter from long range so far, hitting 8 of 11 attempts off the bench. These are just two of the guys that will likely rotate as our third offensive option from game to game. As long as one of them is hitting, the loss of Hummel has less of an impact. It's been a bit hard to get a firm grasp on who will be a regular contributor this season because Coach Painter has had a very deep bench thus far. If this game is closer than those against Howard and Alcorn State, who do you see Painter sticking with outside of starting guys like JaJuan Johnson, E'Twuan Moore, Ryne Smith, and Lewis Jackson? Travis: I think you'll see Sandi Marcius as a big rebounder and low post presence in crunch time. He has been impressive so far and he allows JJ (JaJuan Johnson) to move outside and stretch defenses. Ultimately he and Travis Carroll are the players that will free JJ from his post obligations. Teams must then decide if they want to commit a center on JJ and get crushed by our size advantage down low, or let JJ have better looks from 15 feet out. I also like John Hart and Terone Johnson to develop some crunch time minutes. Purdue is currently holding its opponents to 26.7% field goal shooting. Looking at that you'd think this is a team defining itself on the defensive end, yet they're putting up gobs of points, too. What is it about this current Purdue squad that causes them to be so tough on the defensive end? In your mind, what is this team's defining characteristic early on? Travis: Defense has alsways been our trademark. Gene Keady taught it and Matt Painter had to learn it as a player, so naturally it has carried over to his coaching style. I love it because it makes victory more likely. You don't have to work as hard to win on offense if you're holding teams below 60 points.

We thank Travis for taking the time to answer our questions (we also answered some of his over at the Hammer and Rails blog). There are a lot of Purdue players to keep an eye on, especially considering the scenario Travis lays out where Johnson can stretch the defense and cause match-up problems down-low. Hudson and Ilija will have to come to play to help out if Benson ends up trailing Johnson.

The Extra Pass

With Hummel gone for the year, the Boilermakers have thus far looked to a number of different players to replace his production. One of those players is 6'8" sophomore Patrick Bade. Bade is the typical kind of player who flies under the radar before getting his shot to shine; in essence, the kind of player good programs always have waiting in the wings. Travis gave us a good idea of what Bade has been doing this season, but to reach that point he also had to do his part in the off-season, as the Journal Gazette's Stacy Clardie found out:

When Lewis Jackson, Rob Hummel and JaJuan Johnson were asked who has been most impressive over the summer and early in Purdue's workouts, they all gave the same answer. Patrick Bade. Not hard to see why. Bade's body has been transformed. As a freshman last season, the 6-foot-8 Bade weighed 243 pounds. In the offseason, he focused on changing his diet and running and he'd dropped to 225 pounds at the start of the second week of individual workouts. Instead of looking a bit cumbersome as a big man, now Bade has an athletic-looking body and is moving well.

So far this season, Bade has started both games for the Boilermakers. He's averaging 4.5 points and 4.5 rebounds in 14.5 minutes per game. He's just another player the Grizzlies will have to watch out for tonight, especially since his minutes will probably grow if OU can keep things closer than Howard and Alcorn State did.

To get in on the Oakland-Purdue conversation, you can head over to the Golden Grizzly Hoops forum to post with other fans before, during, and after the game: Game Thread. Paul Kampe of The Oakland Press will also be running a live blog starting at 6:45pm on Sunday night at his Grizz Den outlet. There was a nice contingent of folks chatting for the Ohio game, so we highly recommend checking it out.

Summit League Power Rankings: Biggest Opening Week Wins

The first week of the young college basketball season is now behind us. We're just starting to learn more about players, teams, and conferences as games end and new ones begin. In The Summit League, there were some early ups and downs, but it was mostly a solid week for the conference. This is our first stab at a weekly column that will shed some light on the ten basketball programs in the league from the prior week. The way it will be formatted is in a sort of power rankings style; however, because it's impossible for us to evaluate every team during every game, this won't be your general "best" to "worst" team scale. This week, we rank the teams based on biggest wins during the week that was.

#1. South Dakota State (Highlighted Win: at Iowa)

It was just two years ago when South Dakota State lost all but one of its 16 road games. The lone win that year: at Iowa State. This year the Jackrabbits are 2-0 in road games. The big win: at Iowa. Against the Cyclones in 2008-09, it was then sophomore Clint Sargent leading the way, and while the now senior definitely contributed to his team's win against the Hawkeyes, it was another sophomore who came up big for the Jacks this time around. Nate Wolters had a decent freshman year last season, but his performance against Iowa put him on the map. He ended the game with 25 points which accumulated all over the floor, including 6-7 from the stripe and a perfect 3-3 from beyond the arc. He also dropped 9 dimes, including a sick dish toward the end of the game which simply put to shame the Hawkeye defense.

Iowa isn't predicted to do very well this season, but we shouldn't let that diminish the value of this win for SDSU. They beat a Big Ten team and did it live on the conference's network. Anytime a Summit League team beats a Big Ten team, it's a big deal. And thus far, it's the biggest win for the league this season. Coach Nagy and his Jacks won't play another road game until December 18, but it's clear that they have gotten over their road woes of the past.

Cool Links: The Mid Majority weighs in on SDSU's Red Line Upset.

#2. Oakland (Highlighted Win: at Ohio)

The defending Summit League champions went into the house of the defending MAC champs and put a thumping on them. Keith Benson was largely a non-factor due to foul trouble, yet the Golden Grizzlies guards and reserves stepped up to secure the solid road win. The Bobcats are a young team this year, but they returned a lot of the players from their run to the second round of the NCAA Tournament last season, so this is a good win for Oakland and the conference. Oakland has another tough road game stretch that features games at Purdue and Wright State, so the team will have to cherish this win and hopefully build on it against some more challenging competition in the coming days.

Cool Links: Eric Angevine of Storming The Floor/ESPN took in the West Virgina-Oakland game live, and he has pictures! Kyle Whelliston of The Mid Majority was at Oakland's game against Ohio and also has pictures and thoughts from the night.

#3. North Dakota State (Highlighted Win: UC-Santa Barbara, neutral court)

North Dakota State went to the BTI Invitational in Oregon over the weekend and left with a 2-1 record, which included wins over defending Big West champions UC-Santa Barbara and a future WAC team in Denver. The Bison also took Oregon, the host of the event, to overtime on Friday night. It was a successful weekend for the Bison by all measures. The UCSB win was perhaps their best of the bunch because it came a night after the difficult OT loss to the Ducks against a junior-laden team that was in the NCAA Tournament just last season. Saul Phillips' squad received contributions from many players, including Eric Carlson who has picked up where he left off last season averaging about 14 points and 7 boards through three games. Another player to keep an eye on as the non-conference season rolls on is freshman Marshall Bjorklund who had a big-time double-double against Oregon in his Bison debut. I suspect we'll find out more about this young team in the coming weeks, especially once their incredible 51.3% three-point shooting comes back down to earth a little bit.

Cool Links: Addicted To Quack was happy Oregon won, but gave North Dakota State its proper props.

#4. IPFW (Highlighted Win: at Southern Illinois Edwardsville)

IPFW took Xavier to overtime the other night but sadly came up short. That was probably a much closer game than most would have thought, yet the Dons are showing some poise this year no doubt due to the senior backcourt tandem of Zach Plackemeier and Ben Botts. The team did come together to pick up a 15-point win at SIUE, which is one of those games that a good team will win. That's perhaps what has been most exciting about this first week of Summit League play, the fact that the top seven teams or so all won games they should be winning. Roughly 39% of the team's made field goals have been three-pointers thus far, which means if these guys are knocking down the trey, then they can clearly stay in games against some of the big boys (watch out Cincinnati). However, to break into the top four of the league, they'll need bigger performances from Trey McCorkle who has just 5 rebounds through two games. McCorkle is a guy a lot of folks expected to become a big factor for IPFW this season. With a 6'10" frame, the big fella needs to do some more work on the boards.

#5. UMKC (Highlighted Win: at Central Arkansas)

UMKC has one of the most cupcake-filled non-conference schedules I have ever seen, so it's no wonder that they're already 2-0 on the season. Even though the opponents might not stack up with some of those their conference brethren are facing, the Roos have taken care of business thus far. Central Arkansas won't change the world this year, but it's great to see that UMKC was able to go into their arena and pick up a road win against the Corliss Williamson-coached Bears. Coach Matt Brown has a fairly short bench right now (where is KORVER?) which is fine for now with his two senior forwards averaging a boatload of points. But as the games continue, we'll see what happens with this team on nights when Jay Cousinard and Spencer Johnson are going up against stronger opponents.

#6. Western Illinois (Highlighted Win: at Savannah State)

Western Illinois kept the pace slow in pulling the win over Savannah State of the MEAC. Once again, this isn't a earth-shattering win for the conference, but it is good to see these Summit League teams beating squads from conferences that are accustomed to being seeded 16th come Selection Sunday. Matt Lander seems to be filling the scoring void left by David Nurse, which is probably something Coach Jim Molinari welcomes to lessen the load on Ceola Clark. Aside from those two guys, though, WIU is getting very little from the rest of its roster. If they can make teams go at their (incredibly slow) pace, then this shouldn't pose many problems; in fact, Western Illinois held Missouri to just 66 points despite the Tigers' advantage in athleticism and interior size. Credit the Leathernecks though for keeping the game close. With about ten seconds left, they were only down three to Missouri but Ceola Clark stepped out of bounds while trying to tip-toe the sideline to get the ball downcourt. The Tigers avoided the upset, but Western Illinois showed some fight.

#7. Southern Utah (Highlighted Win: at Cal State Bakersfield)

Well after losing its home opener to an NAIA team, Southern Utah went on the road and took care of Cal State Bakersfield, an independent. We're glad to see the Thunderbirds get on the board early in this season and hope they can fix whatever is ailing them against inferior competition (they also lost an exhibition home game to a different NAIA school).

- IUPUI (no DI wins)

The Jagurs will have a chance to get their first Division I win this weekend with three games to be played in nearby Oxford, Ohio. IUPUI was plastered by a Gonzaga team that was upset at home by the same San Diego State team which the Jags will play in one of those three games this weekend. However, Alex Young and Co. will also go up against Green Bay and Miami (OH), two games they should compete well in. We hope the fellas shoot as great as they did in their non-DI win the other night (49% FG, 29% 3PT) and not how they did against the Zags (35% FG, 17% 3PT)

Cool Links: Michael Hadley of Student On Sports is sad and then happy about his Jags.

- Oral Roberts (no wins)

The Golden Eagles have yet to get on the board this season, though they have played considerably tougher competition than some of their conference counterparts. They probably miss the presence of Michael Craion inside and need some more consistency on the defensive end. Oral Roberts was featured on ESPN as a part of the network's 24-hour hoops marathon, so they were the subject of more scrutiny than normal. ESPN's Doug Gottlieb offered his take:

Tulsa crushed Oral Roberts in the second half of the Mayor’s Cup. Jordan Clarkson bounced back from a six-turnover game in TU’s loss to Appalachian State and played terrific, especially in the second half. ORU shot the ball way too quickly and struggled to defend outside and Steven Idlet inside. The Golden Hurricane outscored the Golden Eagles 54-32 in the second half. It looked like ORU was gassed, while Tulsa -- coached by marathoner Doug Wojcik -- looked fresh as a daisy.

Cool Links: Storming The Floor investigates Kyron Stokes' Belizean roots.

- Centenary (no wins)

Centenary kept things reasonable against Tennessee-Martin after getting absolutely killed in its season opener at Memphis. There won't be much hope in Shreveport this season, especially after the Gents lost their home opener to DII Arkansas-Monticello on Wednesday. For what it's worth, the Gents do have some pretty cool road jerseys!

Red Line Upset Watch:

During our league preview series, we had a post laying out all of the games where Summit League teams would play against teams from above the Red Line. Here we keep track of how they have fared thus far:

Summit League: 1/5 (20%)

National: 18/167 (10.8%) [per The Mid-Majority]

The Gameplan's Weekly Recap: WVU/Ohio

As outlined in our season preview for the blog, this is our first week-that-was recap post (which does not have a unique name...yet). These things will probably change quite a bit throughout the season, with different takes on different aspects of the games that happened the week before as well as any other neat features that come to mind. But for now, we're happy to bring readers this supersized post that is greatly enhanced by the availability of archived videos of the games and a lot of excitement surrounding the opening of the season.

The Big Picture

Oakland ends its first week of basketball sitting at 1-1. I know fans are eager for the team to pick off a big six opponent one of these days, so the loss to West Virginia stings a bit. The Mountaineers shot lights out in the first half, and Oakland couldn't do much to reduce the deficit despite a better-played second half. In the big picture, the game will likely be an RPI-booster for the Golden Grizzlies which will be important if the team is contending for an NCAA tournament bid. Coach Kampe also noted in his post-game interview that such a game gave his team an idea of some areas for improvement. And boy did they improve. Against Ohio, Oakland played stellar defense and the trio of Larry Wright, Reggie Hamilton, and Ledrick Eackles really stepped up their collective game after a rather dismal performance against WVU. Ohio should have a nice RPI throughout the season which helps Oakland, but don't undervalue this win in the short-term or in the long-term. It gives the guys a nice boost heading into Sunday's game against Purdue and continues Oakland's recent success against MAC teams. It's always good to take care of teams from conferences in the same geographic footprint. The Golden Grizzlies certainly haven't come up short in that regard.

A Look At Shooting

One of the benefits of having games on ESPN3.com is that the game footage is archived for a few days after the game, meaning a task such as developing a shot chart becomes much more manageable. Amazingly, Ohio University also has old games on demand for free, so through two games of the season we have complete shot chart data. So let's take a look at the Oakland shot chart against West Virginia. Please keep in mind I'm not a trained statistician so the placements are probably not exact, though it should give a general indication of where shots were taken. Red is a miss, blue is a make, and the number indicates the player who took the shot.

The first thing that jumped out to me after charting all of the shots was the relative lack of mid-range shots in the area just outside the post and inside the free-throw line. Benson took quite a few, perhaps more than normal, but it's a shot he can certainly make and one that helps to showcase his skill-set for the next level. But aside from him, no one really stepped up in that area of the court, which, all things considered, probably isn't too revelatory. Oakland's offense has been geared toward getting Benson shots in the paint since he has arguably been the team's biggest weapon. When he gets double-teamed, then there is an opportunity for him to kick it out to the perimeter (more on this below). One thing I'm very encouraged about when looking at this chart is the spot just outside of the right block. Here, we can see that all four guards, but notably Ryan Bass and Ledrick Eackles, were able to penetrate the lane and take some typically high-percentage shots. They didn't fall against West Virginia, but we should be encouraged by their presence. These shots should become more prevalent as we head into conference play, where they're more likely to fall as well.

Looking at the Ohio game, the red-to-blue ratio from beyond the arc is fairly consistent with that from the West Virginia game. Bader struggled, but we have to remember he's a redshirt freshman and this was just his second game thus far. The mid-range game is once again lacking, but that's something I'll take given all of the blue we see right around the basket. Both Larry Wright and Ledrick Eackles were aggressive early on in the game, and Reggie Hamilton had a couple of nice moves to get into the lane. Mostly, though, we see that Hamilton took a bunch of three-pointers at the top of the arc, a spot he'll hopefully connect from all season long.

Benson To Bader

Travis Bader sure did make his mark in his very first Division I game on Friday. A lot of other fans also seemed to be very enthusiastic about his play in the West Virginia game, especially considering he did it as a starter. Bader had a few field goals in the early part of the first half that kept the game even, especially with Benson getting double-teamed in the post.

Once again thanks to modern technology, it's easier for fans to see how some of these things happen. In frame 1, you can see Bader (circled in red) setting a screen for Benson who then establishes himself against the defender in frame 2. Meanwhile, Larry Wright gets ready to pass the ball to Benson while Bader (still in red) continues to do work off-the-ball. In frame 3, Benson is double-teamed by the man who was on Hudson, so the guy who was on Bader transfers over to Hudson, leaving Bader wide open on the perimeter. In frame 4, we see Benson dish the ball to Bader who then proceeded to drain the three-pointer. This same play happened just mere minutes later, though Bader didn't connect. Still, one of the reasons why the redshirt freshman should continue to get looks on the perimeter is because of Benson's presence in the post. Those looks didn't come as often against Ohio, but Bader still got the start and looks to have the green light from Kampe to shoot, shoot, shoot.

How 'Bout Those Jerseys?

We got our first look at Oakland's new away jerseys on Friday night, except these jerseys weren't your typical new renditions. Nope, these saw the program introducing a new color into the Oakland University pallette: gray, or is it silver?

Whatever the case, I'm very torn on this new jersey for a few reasons. The main reason is that I feel there is nothing better than the all-black road uniforms, particularly the model worn last season. But perhaps just as prominent is the fact that without much gold, these silver and black jerseys with "OAKLAND" spewed across the front are vaguely familiar of another team, you know, the one in Oakland, California. The last thing Oakland needs is another reason for outsiders to mistakenly place the university. Perhaps the new jerseys will grow on me, but for now I remain conflicted, and I was glad to see the all-black uniforms back against Ohio on Monday night.

"Free Ilija" Watch

When the Gameplan previewed the players for the season, we included a quickly put-together image of a t-shirt reading, "Free Ilija." It's meaning was two-pronged: 1) Coach Kampe has said he has to get Ilija more playing time for him to improve; in essence, he needs to free him, and 2) There have been a whole slew of "Free ___" campaigns, but none more prominent than that of "Free Darko," so "Free Ilija" is a sort of nod to the whole "foreign big man stuck at the end of the bench" movement. With that said, we'll be tracking Ilija's progress this season in each week's recap post because you know, he is the future of our frontcourt and all.

Ilija's game against West Virginia was rather forgettable, not unlike most of his career thus far. Yet against Ohio, Ilija came out and played hard while Benson sat due to foul trouble. Ilija had a career night, scoring 8 points on 2-2 field goal shooting and 4-4 free throw shooting. The best part of his line from the game was his 9 rebounds. In 20 minutes, Ilija also only had 2 fouls and zero turnovers. While he'll face better frontcourts as the season goes on, one can't but help to be stoked by his outing against Ohio. Hopefully his performance will earn him some more time in future matches.

Tracking Possessions

A friend of the Gameplan's, Ryan P, tracked Oakland's possessions against WVU in an attempt to learn more about Keith Benson's role in the offense. Ryan has made several stops in the blogosphere but most notably spent the 2008-09 season as The Summit League correspondent for Rush The Court, so we're happy to feature a bit of his thoughts here.

In the first half, Benson was on the floor for 28 Oakland possessions, touching the ball on just 10 of those. Early on the offense scored easily even without Benson touching the ball. When he did he was immediately double-teamed but he found the open man on the perimeter with quick, pinpoint passes. He attempted only four shots before he exited the game at the 8:47 point (19 possessions) which included a forced three pointer at the top of the key that missed badly. Early on, he never really seemed comfortable in flow of game. He reentered at the 5:00 point and scored on three of the last nine possessions in the half, two of which were rebound putbacks. The six other possessions Benson did not touch ball, and in fact all six concluded with turnovers by the guards (largely just a first half problem).

In the second half, Benson was on the floor for 37 possessions, 19 of which he had no touches but at least 5 of them were because of fastbreaks and another was because Oakland had a 2 on 1 as a result of his nice outlet pass. There were not as many turnovers from the guards, thus the offense seemed to run through Benson more, oftentimes with him receiving the ball free throw line extended. Post up touches were lacking in comparison. He also led a fastbreak like a seasoned guard, showing off a nice handle and nimbleness not common for someone his height.

Overall, one of Benson's strengths is moving into open space as teammates attempt a shot. He gets boards outside of his area, attributed to his habit of usually not being flat footed on the offensive boards (he's always moving towards basket). Despite solid box score numbers, the variety in Benson's scoring was lacking as eight of his nine baskets were point blank. He simply didn't have the hook or jumper working against the Mountaineers, but the positive sign was it did not deter his aggressiveness. Hesitancy is not part of Kito's game. He has his mind made up and is quick to attack or shoot the jumper, which should pay dividends for the team and his future NBA potential when those shots fall. I hope this continues.

Non-Keith Benson Stud Of The Week: Larry Wright

A weekly shoutout to the best Golden Grizzly not named Keith Benson.

Larry Wright did work in the game against Ohio, scoring 15 points which included 7-11 shooting from the stripe. He's still adjusting to the point guard position which most likely explains why he has 5 assists to 7 turnovers through two games, but it's bound to get better. Larry's biggest improvement from Game 1 to Game 2 was in rebounding the ball, accumulating 9 boards against Ohio in a game where Keith Benson was largely on the bench due to foul trouble. If the OU guards can rebound like that all season, the Golden Grizzlies should win the rebounding margin war night in and night out.

Top Three Plays Of The Week

1. Larry Wright's #omgdunx against Ohio (above) (animated gif)

2. Keith Benson's block on WVU's JohnFlowers (animated gif)

3. Will Hudson's steal and fastbreak lay-up against WVU (animated gif)

What's Next?

Oakland faces Purdue, its first of five Big Ten opponents, on Sunday. Our game preview will go up on Saturday. Following that, the Golden Grizzlies will head to Ryan Bass' hometown of Dayton, Ohio, on the 23rd to take on the Wright State Raiders.

Game Preview: Oakland at Ohio

Game 2: Oakland (0-1) at Ohio (1-0)

Monday, November 15, 2010 | 7:00pm

TV: Ohio Game Central (free) | Radio: WDFM-AM (1130)

This game pits two defending conference champions against one another. Oakland will be looking to rebound after its loss to West Virginia on Friday night. Ohio faced Delaware at home on Saturday night and ran away in the second half to secure the win. The Bobcats will be a tough match for the Golden Grizzlies as they return several key players from last year's squad, most notably all-everything guard D.J. Cooper. However, Coach Kampe will surely look to get Keith Benson involved early and often since Ohio lacks a big man of Kito's caliber. To go into Athens and pull out a win against a strong MAC team would do wonders for Oakland, especially with a week off to think about the approaching match with Purdue. Simply put, this would be a big and meaningful win for this squad early in the season.

The Tale Of Two 14 Seeds

Heading into last year's NCAA Tournament, Oakland fans had reason to hope that a win in the Round of 64 was not out of the question. The game was in Milwaukee, a close enough drive that the school would have great fan support. Pittsburgh hardly had the starpower of the year prior and looked like a team that could be upset. And most important, Oakland was clicking and had the three-headed monster of Johnathon Jones, Derick Nelson, and Keith Benson leading the way. Just south of Michigan, expectations at Ohio University might have been a bit tamer. The Bobcats went 7-9 in MAC play and had only played one game against a BCS school, a 49-74 pounding by the Pitt Panthers. Moreover, they were set to face Georgetown, a team with an experienced backcourt and a future NBA lottery pick in big man Greg Monroe. Plus, the game was in Providence, Rhode Island, of all locales. The story quickly shifts from here. Oakland couldn't get past Pittsburgh, and Ohio made national waves with a rare 14-over-3-seed upset of the Hoyas. Clearly, Oakland fans would have loved to see the Golden Grizzlies do what the Bobcats were able to do in the Tournament.

The Little Guard Who Could

Armon Bassett received most of the individual recognition for Ohio last season, and rightfully so. He scored 91 points over the three days of the MAC Tournament and led the way with 32 against Georgetown. His burst of production was enough for him to leave for the NBA Draft one year early (though he was not selected). With Bassett long gone, the MAC faithful will get to know 5'11" sophomore point guard D.J. Cooper a little bit better. He was his conference's freshman of the year in 2009-10 and is poised to contend for overall honors in 2010-11. His statistics as a freshman were unreal: 13.5 points, 5.4 rebounds, 5.9 assists, and 2.5 steals per game. If he improves his shooting percentages a bit, there's no reason to believe he won't end the year as one of the most prolific all-around players in a mid-major league this season. In his game against Delaware, Cooper already showed why with a 25 point, 7 assist, 5 rebound, and 3 steal effort. Cooper will probably end the season with at least one triple-double, and one just hopes it doesn't come against Oakland U tomorrow night.

Key Personnel Match-Up

D.J. Cooper vs. Reggie Hamilton

Since we're still getting used to OU's backcourt, it's not a certainty that these two will guard each other throughout the game, but it sure would be fun. Hamilton is a just a bit bigger than Cooper, but they are similar in that they can score from many different places and distribute the ball effectively. Moreover, both of these guys are from Chicago so one has to think there is a little bit of Chi-town pride on the line in this game. Hamilton had a rather forgettable first night as a Golden Grizz, so we're hoping he can come out against the Bobcats and show us all what he can do both offensively and defensively. Cooper will be aiming to do what he can to make sure that doesn't happen, but Oakland will need good guard play to contend with Ohio.

Ohio Player To Watch: Tommy Freeman

This dude might not look like a basketball player, but he can straight up shoot. The Indiana native (no wonder he can shoot) had an up-and-down junior campaign, but whenever he scored a lot of points it was because he drained trey after trey. In his team's second round NCAA game against Tennessee, Freeman hit six three-pointers. He doesn't do much else that shows up on the stat line, but his 48% shooting from downtown is enough to make you think twice about leaving him open. He isn't unguardable at 6'5" and 190 pounds but should be considered a player to look out for.

Oakland Player To Watch: Keith Benson

As will be the case a lot of times this season, Benson is Oakland's X-factor against the Bobcats. It's too early to tell if any of Ohio's young bigs will test Benson, though sophomore Reggie Keely had a strong outing against Delaware with 19 points and 11 rebounds. The Bobcats also have a 6'8" senior in DeVaughn Washington who has been a solid big man in the past, but he has yet to play this year due to suspension. Just because these guys aren't as tall as a guy like Benson doesn't mean they're not able to bruise around in the post. Benson has the skill advantage here, though, which should trouble the Ohio frontline, or at least until they bring the double-team.

History

The two schools have played each other twice as a part of a home-and-home in 2000 and 2001. Ohio was victorious in both games. In the last five years, Oakland has a 7-3 record against teams from the MAC. During the same timespan, Ohio has gone 9-5 against Summit League teams. The Bobcats will also play IUPUI from the Summit League in 2010-11.

Opponent Q&A

We got in touch with BobcatAttack.com webmaster Ted to get some answers to a few of our burning questions about Ohio.

D.J. Cooper really burst onto the scene last year as a freshman. His numbers were gaudy and many predict he'll improve on them on his way to MAC Player of the Year. But as a fan who spent an entire season watching Cooper, what areas of his game are fans looking for him to improve this year? Or what would you all like to see him do more of in his second year? Ted: Playing at 165 pounds last year, Cooper needed to get stronger. He says he's added 10-15 pounds of muscle but hopes he hasn't lost too much quickness. This season, with Armon Bassett gone, Cooper may have to pick up more of the scoring load while trying to walk the fine line of running an efficient offense. Can you give us a little big of information about your big men? DeVaugn Washington seems to be the only really well-known commodity in the paint? Who else is anticipated to step up this season Ted: Washington started to show some consistency at the end of last season. At his best, he plays at an All-MAC level. The Bobcats are thin inside so he'll need help from Reggie Keely and Ivo Baltic. Keely developed a nice post game last year as a freshman. Baltic has the athleticism but is still looking to put it all together. Who is an under-the-radar player who could do some damage against this Oakland squad? Ted: Reggie Keely is quietly developing into a double-double type player. Took some time for him to make the always tough transition for a big man to college basketball. But down the stretch last year he played with a great deal of confidence. Ohio and Oakland were both 14 seeds in the NCAA Tournament last season, yet Ohio was able to get over the hump and win with the upset over Georgetown. What is driving this team this season after having accomplished a lot last year? What are fans hoping for? Ted: This year's team is trying to prove they just didn't "get hot" at the right time last year and that they were carried by Armon Bassett. The Bobcats entered the MAC Tourney as a 9-seed last year. This season, the team and fans are looking for a MAC regular season title.

The Extra Pass
This match-up looks like a great early-season test for Oakland. The Golden Grizzlies will be evenly matched on the perimeter and on the wing. The game will likely come down to post play. Ted gave us a look into the Bobcat frontcourt in our Q&A above, but for a further look, we turn to the following from Mark Adams of ESPN.com, who previewed Ohio just prior to the start of the season.

DeVaughn Wahington, a 6-8 senior, also showed improvement in practice. He has added an elbow J to his offensive repertoire and that ability to face and score will add dimensions to his already considerable athletic ability. Washington is a big-time fullcourt runner. He can out run anybody and when he does he can finish in entertaining fashion. He is one of the best in the MAC at running the floor and also going and getting offensive rebounds. He seems stronger and more self-assured defensively. That is bad news for the rest of the MAC. The fate of this Ohio team will be decided by the rest of the players. Ivo Baltic, a 6-8 sophomore, caught my eye with a variety of successful scoring opportunities in their intrasquad scrimmage. If he learns to guard and is willing to rebound, he becomes an X-factor. And Reggie Keely showed defensive prowess and might be the perfect complement to Baltic at the 4 spot.

In order to win the MAC this season, D.J. Cooper will surely need some help from his developing big men. In the here and now, they'll get their first solid test of the year against Oakland seniors Keith Benson and Will Hudson. While the game will depend as much on guard play as post play, the battles in the paint will be intriguing to watch.

You can share your thoughts with other OU fans before, during, and after the game at Golden Grizzly Hoops Forum (not connected to the Gameplan but a great forum to post at): Game Thread.

Game Preview: Oakland at West Virginia

Game 1: Oakland (0-0) at West Virginia (0-0)

Friday, November 12, 2010 | 9:00pm

TV: ESPN3.com | Radio: WDFM-AM (1130)

Finally! It's college hoops time! Eight months have passed since we last saw the Oakland Golden Grizzlies take to the court for meaningful basketball action. This season will start much like the last one ended for Oakland: against a Big East opponent. The West Virginia Mountaineers were a Final Four team last year but enter 2010-11 without three of their top contributors from that run. While a slew of players are back, most are unproven and will be looking to show they have what it takes to keep WVU atop the Big East. The Golden Grizzlies will aim to start the season strong after winning The Summit League in 2009-10. Three starters return for OU, who along with a few new additions are determined to match the success of last season. The game tips at 9:00pm. To get you ready for the big opener, we've put together a preview of the match-up.

Heart And Soul

While both of these squads return a lot talent from last year, they've suffered key losses in the leadership department. WVU's Da'Sean Butler and Oakland's Derick Nelson cemented themselves as legends at their respective institutions during their senior campaigns in 2009-10. Butler won several big games for the Mountaineers with his last-second heroics, while Nelson single-handedly lifted Oakland to a conference crown with his 36-point explosion during the championship game. Both of these guys were incredibly clutch and had the ability to will their teams to victory in tough circumstances. It's also worth noting how similarly they ended their careers: both in NCAA Tournament games, both lying on the ground writhing in pain from injuries. The scenes from those moments will likely resonate with fans for ages. Mountaineer and Grizzly fans alike head into this match hoping current players will emerge who have the heart and soul demonstrated by Butler and Nelson.

Cut From The Same Clothe

Bob Huggins and Greg Kampe are proven winners. While Huggins has been in the spotlight more due to where he has won, he and Kampe have each found much success as head coaches in college basketball. The two are also some of the game's loudest people prowling the sidelines, as any one who has followed a Huggins game or sat behind Oakland's bench can surely attest. The comparisons don't end there, however, as both coaches have a fondness for casual work attire. Kampe's sweater vest is a bit more classy than Huggins' sweatsuits, but it's clear that they have no trouble nixing the standard look worn by most of their counterparts. We find it to be refreshing and hope the NCAA never imposes formal restrictions on these men, the torchbearers of informal dress.

Key Personnel Match-Up

Joe Mazzula/Truck Bryant v. Larry Wright/Reggie Hamilton

This will be an interesting battle and quite a test for Oakland's guards. Bryant was injured for much of WVU's Final Four run, though he had established himself as one of the team's better guards during the regular season. Mazzula, on the other hand, didn't rack up big minutes until Bryant's injury, where he filled in nicely. Mazzula and Larry Wright have actually competed against each other before, as recently as the 2007-08 season when Wright was with St. John's. In two meetings against the Mountaineers, Larry was his team's leading scorer in both. Hopefully he can use that experience as motivation to show the Big East what they've been missing out on. He'll need Hamilton to be effective in order for him to get some open looks, which will prove difficult against this experienced backcourt that plays tough defense.

WVU Player To Watch: Kevin Jones

It will be interesting to see who will start out guarding Kevin Jones during this game because on paper the Grizzlies do not have anyone who matches up well with the big forward. Jones will be WVU's leading man this season, looking to replace the scoring and rebounding void left by NBA draft pick Devin Ebanks and under-appreciated big Wellington Smith. The hopes are high for this player, and he'll be looking to have a big game early on to quell any doubts. He could very easily go off in this game because Oakland lacks a player with his size or versatility at the position. Fortunately for Oakland fans, he could have a bit of difficulty getting his points in the paint if Keith Benson and Will Hudson are defending particularly well and snatching up defensive rebounds. Still, Jones can "get his" in a variety of ways and should be watched closely.

Oakland Player To Watch: Keith Benson

Benson is a beast. He will be looking to come out strong against top-level competition in this game. It is conceivable that he and Jones could, at times, play opposite each other, in which case Benson would absolutely need to show he can handle Jones in the paint. Jones is a player who many expect to have a breakout season in 2010-11, but Benson is more seasoned and has the stronger post game. Another guy who will likely spend time guarding Benson is Deniz Kilicli. The Turkish big man debuted for the Mountaineers in the middle of last season with much hype but produced very little, especially in the rebounding department. After WVU's exhibition match last Friday, coach Bob Huggins joked that Kilicli's two rebounds were more than he had all last season. Clearly, he's a work in progress on the defensive end, so Benson's chances of succeeding appear to be high.

History

Oakland and West Virginia have never met on the basketball court. Oakland is 0-6 against Big East teams in the last five years. West Virginia is 4-1 over Summit League teams in the last decade, the sole loss coming by the hands of Valparaiso in 2001-2002. Coach Kampe and his Grizzlies faced Bob Huggins' Cincinnati teams three times early in Oakland's Division I era (1998, 2000, and 2003). All three games were played at Cincinnati and were losses for the then newly-minted Golden Grizzlies.

Opponent Q&A

In an attempt to learn more about tonight's opponent, the Gameplan sent a few burning questions over to SBNation.com's West Virginia Mountaineers blog, the Smoking Musket. The responses:

Aside from Kevin Jones, what 2-3 players do you see stepping up this year to provide scoring for the Mountaineers? SM: Joe Mazzulla simply has to [step up]. He's a fifth year senior who's been hindered by shoulder problems the last few years, but he seems as healthy as ever according to published reports. Dalton Pepper, Casey Mitchell and Truck Bryant also need to overcome the inconsistency they all had last year. What kind of expectations do fans have for Deniz Kilicli this season? Is he a projected starter? How much can he improve his rebounding numbers given starter's minutes and a full season of play? SM: Kilicli could possibly be a starter by year's end, but I think he'll start out as the first forward/center off the bench. The sky's the limit with his potential to improve on the defensive end, meaning that's where he was severely lacking last year and Huggins had a very short leash on him when he missed a defensive assignment or was completely out of rebounding position. He's an inside scorer and after spending a year with Huggs and his system, the rebounding numbers are sure to improve. Who is an under-the-radar player on WVU to watch out for in the game against Oakland? SM: Sophomore Danny Jennings. He is a unknown commodity to WVU fans, but we're very anxious to see him play, given his frame and build. Great story that Huggs shared with the local media: Huggins told a story of how Jennings, a forward at 6-foot-8, 265 pounds, was urged by WVU's strength coach Andy Kettler to take up boxing in an effort to improve his footwork around the basket. "After Danny knocked (redshirt junior forward) Cam Thoroughman out with one punch to start the boxing class, no one would get into the ring with him," Huggins said. "So I'm not sure if it helped his footwork or not." Will Mazzula and Bryant play together as a sort of combo-guard backcourt, and if so, do you see one taking on the role of facilitator more than the other? Is Bryant's foot fully healed? What are the strengths of these two guards? Weaknesses? SM: The general expectation is to see both of them on the floor together at times. If Truck can/has overcome the inconsistency he's displayed in the past, I believe he will be more of the facilitator and Mazzulla the slasher/driver. Reports are yes, Truck is healed and ready to go. Strengths: Mazzulla - leadership (he's been there before, especially in the biggest games), defense, toughness and absolute drive to win Bryant - this is kind of a backhanded compliment, but his biggest strength is that he's going to get better - last year there were times when he was amazing, and then he'd turn around and put up a "what was that?" shot or throw it directly to the other team Weaknesses: Mazzulla - shooting range - with the shoulder problems, he was hesitant (and rightly so) to take the outside look last year. If the shoulders are truly healed, the confidence may need rebuilt a bit to take that shot Bryant - the maddening inconsistency

The Extra Pass

Oakland is not the only team to have started the practice season without one of its players due to suspension. West Virginia's senior guard Casey Mitchell was suspended indefinitely just shortly after Midnight Madness. Just as Mitchell's suspension ended, Bob Huggins dished out the same punishment to freshman Noah Cottril who was expected to contribute this season. All of these off the court issues prompted Rush The Court to wonder if it will impact the team on the court:

Reports coming from preseason practices aren't too encouraging. Huggins recently told the Charleston Gazette that freshmen Kevin Noreen and Noah Cottrill "look lost" at practice. And that was after Cottrill sparked rumors when he was introduced but didn’t participate in West Virginia's Midnight Madness. There also was the case of Casey Mitchell, who was suspended for a violation of team rules but is now back with the team. These aren't the kinds of stories that equate to success in the regular season. This year might be one to forget in Morgantown.

While it's still too early to discount the Mountaineers altogether, there is definitely reason to wonder about the team's depth beyond the trio of Jones, Bryant, and Mazzula (Mazzula has been no bastion of character either, as this summer he broke the law for his third time while at WVU). For what it's worth, current Los Angeles Laker Devin Ebanks was also suspended at the start of last season, but he managed to have a successful year on his way to getting a Final Four ring with West Virginia. There are definitely some distractions with this team heading into the new season, but don't be surprised if the team is still as tough as ever against Oakland.

You can discuss the game before, during, and after at the Golden Grizzly Hoops forum (no affiliation to this blog, but a great community of OU fans): Game Thread.

What Was And What Will Be

This week marks the beginning of the college basketball season. Games began on Monday night at 7:00pm, though the Oakland Golden Grizzlies won't officially take to the court until Friday evening in Morgantown, West Virginia. Over the past six months leading up to now, we've been churning out as much content as possible during the off-season for a mid-major basketball program. We debuted with an essay series summing up the state of the Oakland basketball program, which talked about broadcasting, retention and graduation, and the community of students, fans, administrators, alumni, and the media currently being developed at Oakland. From there, "The Golden Grizzlies Fan" series was posted, bringing up issues of fanhood, fan transitions, and fantastic fan experiences. Those posts in the first month or two allowed us to create a content model with a focus on discussing pertinent OU issues from a fan's perspective.

As the summer rolled on, we were able to interview eight of the ten student sections in The Summit League in an attempt to further understand the fan's point of view in the conference. Sprinkled throughout that series were quantitative-based pieces on financial figures in the conference and attendance trends, qualitative analysis of positional flexibility, and an advocate post or two. Finally, we did a totally goofy series of posts looking for deeper meaning in Summit League logos.

We mention these partly for posterity, but also to highlight the content model that has been developed this off-season. We're fairly happy with the content that has been provided thus far, and feedback seems to indicate that many of you are, too. With that said, the season is uncharted territory for the Golden Grizzlies Gameplan. Our endurance will surely be tested as the team begins to play games and stories develop quicker. We've given these aspects a lot of thought over the past few weeks and will use the remaining space here to put into pixels some of the ideas that have been generated after putting on the old thinking cap. Here's what you can expect from the blog this season:

Game Previews

Once again, everything that happens during the season is brand new terrain for us; however, we think game coverage begins with a preview of some sort. Presently, there isn't a go-to source for pre-game coverage of Oakland University basketball games. We hope to alleviate that. Our game previews will aim to find the storylines that might not immediately surface, the interesting facts that won't appear in the school pre-game news releases, and the all-important "anything else that comes to mind." For the first few games, most of the content will be based on knowledge from last season and the off-season, and then as the year goes on that will quickly shift to more current discussions. While the key stories should be interesting on their own, there will be some key personnel match-ups that we see heading into the game as well as interviews with opposing team bloggers when they exist. Finally, think of these previews as very flexible; as the year goes on, we'll find out what works and doesn't work, and we'll adjust accordingly. The first one will debut Thursday afternoon, and it should begin the season forcefully for us.

Weekly Wraps

Currently, there are a number of ways for Oakland fans to get the scoop on what happened at a game. The OUGrizzlies.com website always has a recap, quotes, and now video highlights. Paul Kampe from The Oakland Press will also have a recap of the game with key news and notes along with video interviews and items at his Grizz Den outlet. The student newspaper, The Oakland Post, typically has some kind of story on the games of the previous week. And you can always count on Pat Caputo from The Oakland Press or the Detroit News' Terry Foster to weigh in with a column here and there throughout the season. Our goal has never been to duplicate Oakland coverage, and we feel that this kind of work is best left to the professionals who already do a superb job as it is. Our general feeling, then, is that we won't have posts up immediately following games with thoughts from the game. That would tend to be reactionary anyway, and we already get to do that on the forum. Instead, we're anticipating some kind of weekly wrap-up that goes over any and all happenings from the week that was: whether it's a game, a developing story, or impressions on certain players or teams. During the non-conference season, these will be a bit more sporadic, but during Summit League play they should be expected on a certain day of the week. (The big exception here is if Oakland pulls a major upset, in which case you can expect a post full of exclamation points to appear soon after said upset).

Travel

Stories from the road will be the bread and butter of our in-season coverage. No doubt inspired by The Mid Majority, our hope is to make it to a number of Oakland's road games this year. After each game, we'll have a piece that dives into the experience of being a Golden Grizzlies fan in an opposing team's arena. Our travel schedule is rather ambitious at present, with six games "planned," though time and financial restrictions could impact this plan when all is said and done. But still, these posts should be neat reads (and hopefully encouraging for other fans wanting to help develop more of an OU fan presence on the road).

Summit League Notes

We've spent too much time learning about The Summit League this summer not to keep a close eye on the conference's happenings. Look for weekly posts discussing the teams in the league as we expect to watch a lot of the other Summit teams in addition Oakland this year.

More Of The Same!

While most of the content during the season will be based on games, we hope to continue to provide unique analysis of the issues impacting the OU basketball program and Summit League in general. Ideas for posts on these topics pop up all the time, so hopefully there will be ample room for these pieces to coexist with those that are of the abovementioned ilk.

Twitter

The good old Twitter account will serve as a useful means of communicating brief thoughts this season. This summer it has mostly been used to post links to OU coverage around the web as well as our own posts. Such tweeting will surely ensue during the season, but we imagine that the thoughts will escalate during road games. We promise to always relate any tweets back to Oakland basketball. Plus, our twitter is likely the only place you'll find sweet animated gifs like this one:

In addition to the plans we've mentioned here, stay tuned for other surprises as well. It should be a great season, one that we are excited to help chronicle from the fan's perspective. If you would like to get in on the conversation, please check out this forum, a place where OU fans have been virtually convening for, well, a long time now. If you have any specific questions, ideas, or opportunities for the Gameplan, we're always available via e-mail, Twitter, or simply commenting below.

Thank you for reading up to this point. We realize this post was heavy on blog minutiae and promise this will only happen once or twice in a year (should we make it to multiple years). We are excited about the content we have planned and hope you will follow along this season in our overarching effort to help increase Oakland's online presence and online community of fans. It's hoops time!