Nov. 9, 2012

Recap | Box Score | Photo Gallery

OAKLAND 62, GEORGE MASON 58
ATHLETICS CENTER O'RENA 975 attendance)
ROCHESTER, Mich.
OAKLAND (1-0)

• Annemarie Hamlet came off the bench to lead all players with 19 points.
• The Golden Grizzlies are now 1-1 against George Mason.
• Oakland is 2-1 all-time against current members of the Colonial Athletic Association
• Olivia Nash scored the first basket of the season hitting an 18-foot jumper
• Annemarie Hamlet hit the first 3-pointer of the season at the 16:03 mark in the first half
• After falling behind 2-0, Oakland used an 11-0 run to take the lead and stayed in front for the remainder of the game
• GMU cut Oakland's lead to 11-8, but it was the closest they would get in the half as OU ballooned its lead to 17 points by halftime
• Annemarie Hamlet led all scorers at half with 13 points, including three 3-pointers
• Olivia Nash had eight rebounds, three offensive, in the first half
• OU held George Mason to a 27.6 percent (8-29) shooting percentage in the first half
• The Patriots did not make a 3-pointer in the first half
• The Golden Grizzlies shot 51.9 percent (14-27) from the field and 45.5 percent (5-11) from behind the arc in the opening half
• OU had 18 bench points compared to just four for George Mason in the first half and finished the game with a 28-11 edge in bench points, thanks largely to 19 from Hamlet
• Annemarie Hamlet had the first basket of the 2nd half for Oakland, hitting a 3-pointer to end a 3:25 drought to start the second half and halting a 5-0 George Mason run.
• The Patriots started on a 16-7 run to begin the second half
• Victoria Lipscomb ended the game with 12 points, her second consecutive game with double-digit points dating back to last season and the seventh time in her career.
• Olivia Nash recorded a double-double on the night, with 10 points and 11 rebounds, the first of her career.
• The Golden Grizzlies knocked down seven 3-pointers and were 7-17 behind the arc after averageing less than three 3s per-game last season and under 11 attempts per game last season
• Amber Easter and Janaa Pickard led GMU with 12 points each, three Mason players reached double-digits
• Bethany Watterworth did not play for OU. The Preseason Player of the Year in The Summit League she is out to start the season with an unspecified injury
• The four freshman on the team scored 37 points to account for 59.7 percent of the team's offense.
• GMU pulled within three points at 61-58 with 8.4 seconds to play on a 3 by Janaa Pickard
• Popkey iced the game with a free throw in the final seconds followed by on offensive rebound
• Oakland has now won back-to-back home openers after dropping consecutive home openers in 2009 and 2010, although the squad has not won its first home game against a Division I school since 2006 against Toledo.
• It is the first season-opening win for the Grizzlies since the 2008-09 season when OU went to the WNIT

Beckie Francis Quote
"It feels really good to win in our home opener, it feels like a really long time since we've [won our first home game against a division I opponent ]. I want to give a lot of credit to the players because they're very coachable. We've had some really intense practices and I want to give a shoutout to our scout team because they really helped prepare us."