By james art 
ROCHESTER, MI – The Golden Grizzlies men’s basketball team opens its 2024-25 season at home on Monday (Nov. 4) against Defiance, followed by a road game against Boise State on Wednesday (Nov. 6).
Currently has a total of 699 wins, head coach Greg Kampe will look to become just the 10th active DI head coach to reach the 700 career victory mark and just the 39th head coach in DI history to do so.
The Golden Grizzlies (0-0, 0-0 HL) split their pair of exhibition games during their preseason slate, facing Michigan at Little Caesars Arena and Rochester Christian right down the road.
In the teams first appearance at Little Caesars Arena, the Golden Grizzlies faced a strong Michigan Wolverines team and fell 92-48. Graduate transfer Jason Woodrich led Oakland with 18 points, including two 3-pointers, while Dee Q Cole and Alan Mukeba made significant contributions with nine rebounds and 11 points, respectively. Michigan was a commanding presence throughout, shooting at a .600 clip in the first half and pulling ahead, 48-26, by halftime. A 52-33 rebounding and 15 3-pointers by the Wolverines were critical factors in keeping Oakland at bay despite strong efforts from Woodrich and Cole.
Shifting the momentum, Oakland bounced back in its second straight performance with an 87-74 victory over Rochester Christian at Garth Pleasant Arena. Alan Mukeba shined with 24 points and a double-double, leading the team with 10 rebounds. Dee Q Cole added 19 points, helping Oakland stay ahead after an early lead sparked by Woodrich’s 3-pointer. Oakland’s shooting was a sharp .532, with key contributions from Jaylen Jones and Mukeba’s defensive plays and offensive tackles cementing the lead. Although Rochester Christian’s Brett White scored 31 points, Oakland’s sustained defensive pressure and balanced offense carried the victory, setting an optimistic tone before the start of the regular season.
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 4
OPPONENT: Defiance College
LOCATION: OU Credit Union O’rena – Rochester, MI.
TIME: 7:00 PM ET
LIVE STATISTICS
LIVE STREAM: ESPN+
LIVE AUDIO
TICKETS
The Yellow Jackets opened their season this past weekend at the Purple and Gold Tournament with a pair of NAIA games against Great Lakes Christian and Miami-Middletown. Defiance is coached by Josh Gibson, who enters his fourth season at the helm of the Yellow Jackets with a 19-52 overall record, with the team going 11-11 in his first season, followed by a 7-18 record and a 1-23 record last season . The Golden Grizzlies are one of four Division I schools the Yellow Jackets will face, and the first as they face Toledo, Purdue Fort Wayne and Miami (OH) later this season.
The Golden Grizzlies are undefeated against Defiance, 9-0, in a game dating back to 1986, their closest contest when Oakland won 59-53. The Golden Grizzlies last played the Yellow Jackets at the start of the 2022-23 season, when Oakland won easily 92-27, giving up less than 15 points in each half. In the win, four individual Golden Grizzlies recorded double figures in scoring, with the team shooting an impressive .579 clip from the field, with a .696 mark in the opening half.
Information from OU Credit Union O’rena is scheduled for 7:00 PM ET.
WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 6
OPPONENT: Boise State
LOCATION: ExtraMile Arena – Boise, Idaho
TIME: 9:00 PM ET
LIVE STATISTICS
LIVE STREAM: MWN
LIVE AUDIO
The Golden Grizzlies are looking for their first win against the Broncos as they are 0-2 against Boise State. Both games took place in Boise, Idaho, with Oakland falling 77-57 in their last meeting during the 2022-23 meeting. The Golden Grizzlies previously played the Broncos close in 2012 when they dropped an 88-80 contest at Taco Bell Arena.
The Broncos finished the 2023-24 season 22-11, with a 13-5 record in the Mountain West. Despite their quarterfinal loss in the Mountain West Championship Tournament, the team earned an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament and played in one of the first four games as a 10 seed. The Broncos fell to Colorado Buffalo 60-53 to end the season.
The Broncos return their top player in forward Tyson Degenhart, as the current senior averaged 33.0 minutes per game and played and started in all but one game. Degenhart shot .503 from the floor with 30 shots from beyond the arc, finishing the season with 16.7 points per game. Degenhart nearly led the team off the glass with 6.2 per game, while returning senior O’Mar Stanley set the pace with 6.6 per game in 33 games played.
Led by Leon Rice, who is entering his 15th season as head coach of the Broncos, Rice has led the team to five NCAA appearances, three NIT appearances and one CBI appearance. Last season, the Broncos averaged 75.1 points per game while their opponents scored 67.3 points per game. The team shot a .449 clip from the floor, with a .340 mark from distance, while Boise State chipped in 37.3 rebounds per game.
Tip-off from ExtraMile Arena is scheduled for 9:00 PM ET.
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