ROCHESTER, Mich. – The Oakland women's basketball team opens Horizon League play with a pair of games against UIC on Saturday, Dec. 12 and Sunday, Dec. 13 at 3 pm. Both games will be broadcast live from the Blacktop at the O'rena on ESPN+ with Jason Ross Jr. on the call.


Head Coach Jeff Tungate caught up with Jason Ross Jr. to preview the Horizon League opener vs UIC

Notes:
Last time out: Alona Blackwell poured in a career-high 22 points on 8-of-15 shooting as the Golden Grizzlies fell, 71-59, at Toledo (11/29). Kahlaijah Dean also scored in double figures for the second consecutive game adding 15 points while going 7-for-10 from the free-throw line. Blackwell also matched a career-best with four rebounds. Sydney Gouard led Oakland on the glass grabbing seven rebounds while Breanne Beatty chipped in six points with five rebounds.


Blackwell sat down with Neal Ruhl to talk about her scoring mentality, why she came to Oakland, and "of course"...her shoe game!

Extended Break: It has been two weeks since the Golden Grizzlies have seen game action playing at Toledo back on Nov. 29. Due to COVID-19 concerns within the Chicago State program, the home game against the Cougars, slated for Friday, Dec. 3 was canceled.
 
Scouting UIC: Oakland leads the all-time series against UIC, 11-6, as the teams split both meetings last season. The Flames are led by Nike® Horizon League Freshman of the Week Jaida McCloud who has scored in double figures in all three games and leads the league in scoring (19.7 ppg) and the team in rebounds (8.3 per game) and field goal percentage (.490). Freshman guard Kristian Young is tops on the squad in assists (4.0).
 
2019-20 Season Rewind vs the Flames:
Game 1 (1/4/20): Chloe Guingrich posted her second double-double of the season scoring a team-high 14 points with 11 rebounds and three steals while Breanne Beatty added a career-high 12 points as Oakland's second half rally came up short in overtime with a 70-64 setback .
 
Game 2 (2/7/20): Breanne Beatty recorded her first career double-double scoring 10 points while grabbing a career-high 11 rebounds followed by Kahlaijah Dean who reached double figures for the ninth consecutive game with 11 points as Oakland won its second straight Horizon League game with a 63-46 decision.
 
Dynamic Duo: Though two games, Alona Blackwell is averaging 15.0 ppg shooting 11-for-23 (47.8%) from the field and 4-for-12 (33.3%) with four assists, four rebounds, three steals and a block. Kahlaijah Dean has scored in double figures in both games averaging 13.5 ppg with three steals defensively.

2020-21 Horizon League Preseason Poll: Oakland was picked ninth in the 2020-21 Horizon League Preseason Poll by the league office and voted on by the league's 12 head coaches.
 
Dean named Preseason All-Horizon League Second Team: Horizon League Sixth Player of the Year Kahlaijah Dean was named to the Preseason All-Horizon League Second Team. Last season, Dean led the team in scoring (12.0 - 9th HL) and tied for the lead in assists (3.0 – 6th HL) coming off the bench while ranking second on the team and fourth in the league in free throw percentage (80.4). She scored in double figures 17 times including 11 consecutive games from UIC (1/4) through Milwaukee (2/14) and recorded
her second career double-double scoring a game-high and season second-best 22 points with 10 rebounds just missing her career mark by one board at Wright State (1/25).
 
Lucky Number 13: Oakland returns a total of 13 student-athletes from last year's squad. After sitting out last season due to NCAA transfer rules, Temple transfer Breanna Perry will make her long awaited season debut. The Golden Grizzlies have one freshman in Lamariyee Williams who will look to make an immediate impact.
 
Tungate Returns: Head Coach Jeff Tungate led Oakland to a 2-2 mark to open the 2019-20 season before taking a medical leave of absence to care for a recurring back issue in which he missed seven games during the 2018-19 season due to the same condition.
 
"It is great to be back and healthy again. Our staff did an outstanding job in my absence last year, but it feels good to be back on the court," said Tungate. "There is no greater feeling than being a part of a team and being around that team on a daily basis.  This is a special group and I really missed them last year. I look forward to what's ahead for this team, and I'm thankful to have all my health issues behind me."
 
Returning Firepower: Sophomore Alona Blackwell who was a Horizon League All-Freshman Team selection, garnered Nike® Horizon League Freshman of the Week honors three times in a four-week span last season. Since being inserted into the starting lineup against Detroit Mercy (2/1) last season, she scored in double figures 12 times including in 9-of-10 games averaging 12.6 ppg while shooting 43.2 percent from the field and 38.2 percent from 3-point range). Blackwell finished fourth on the team in scoring (8.2 ppg) and led the team in 3-point field goals per game (1.7) which ranked eighth in the league.
 
Senior guard Jalisha Terry tied for the team lead in assists (3.0 – 6th HL), ranked second in scoring (10.5 – 15th HL) and steals (1.0 – 23rd HL). Against Green Bay (1/9) and Milwaukee (1/11), Terry averaged 22.0 points, 3.5 assists and 3.5 rebounds per game while shooting 11-for-27 (40.7%) and 18-for-22 (81.8%) from the free throw line. Against the Phoenix, Terry poured in a career-high 25 points going 3-for-6 from 3-point range and 5-for-12 from the field with three assists while connecting on 12-of-13 (92.3%) from the free throw line to help seal the win. She then added a game-high 19 points going 6-for-15 from the field and 6-for-9 from the free throw line with five rebounds and four assists against Milwaukee.
 
Senior guard Chloe Guingrich led the team in field goal percentage (54.8), rebounds (6.4 -10th HL) and steals (38) and per while ranking second on team in blocks (14) scoring in double figures nine times with three double-doubles last season. This season, Coach Tungate is looking for her to play a more versatile role in the offense making the transition to a stretch forward playing both down low and along the perimeter.
 
Senior center Autumn Kissman ranked third on the team in field goal percentage (44.2) while reaching double figures in eight games with two double-doubles. She stepped up in a big way when inserted into the starting lineup by posting her first two career double-doubles. Against, Green Bay (1/9) she poured in a career-best 19 points with 11 rebounds and followed with her second straight double-double scoring 13 points with a career-high 14 rebounds against Milwaukee (1/11). With her 16 points against CSU, she scored in double figures in four consecutive games.

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