ROCHESTER, Mich. – The Oakland women's basketball team travels to East Lansing, Mich. for a non-conference game at No. 25 Michigan State on Tuesday, Dec. 22 at 12 pm. The game will be broadcast live from the Breslin Center on BTN+ for paid subscriptions only.
 
Notes:
Last time out: Kahlaijah Dean scored a team-high 17 points while Alona Blackwell and Chloe Guingrich each added eight points as Oakland suffered their first Horizon League setback of the season to Wright State, 74-49, on Sunday (12/20).
 
Party Like its 1989: Oakland's 75-69 win at Wright State (12/19) snapped a 16-game skid vs WSU and was the first win over the Raiders since Feb. 11, 1989. The win also moved the Golden Grizzlies to 3-0 in Horizon League play for the first time in program history and marked the first time since the 2009-10 season the team opened league play with three consecutive wins. Kahlaijah Dean scored 19 of her 20 points in the second half while Alona Blackwell poured in 19 first-half points along with 12 points and eight rebounds from Chloe Guingrich as the trio combined for 51 points.
 
A Look at the Spartans: Michigan State remained undefeated on the season at 6-0 after a pair of weekend wins over Central Michigan and Northern Illinois. MSU leads the all-time series against Oakland, 16-4, winning the last 12 consecutive meetings. The Spartans are led by junior guard and Pre-Season All-Big Ten Team selection Nia Clouden who is tops on the team in scoring (19.2 ppg) and assists (5.8 apg). Sophomore guard Julia Ayrault leads the team in rebounds (6.8 rpg).

2019-20 Season Rewind at MSU: Kayla Luchenbach shot 5-for-9 from the field and went 7-for-9 at the free throw line to post her first career double-double with a career-high 17 points while matching a career-best 10 rebounds as Oakland battled No. 15 Michigan State for three quarters before falling 76-56 at the Breslin Center. Jalisha Terry added 16 points with six rebounds and two assists.
 
Quad Threat: Kahlaijah Dean leads the team in scoring (16.7 ppg – 3rd HL) and steals (2.0 – T10th HL) and ranks second in rebounds (5.2 – 17th HL) and assists (2.5 – 12th HL).
 
Do It All Dean: Dean averaged 18.5 points and 5.5 rebounds (11 total), with three assists and two steals to lead Oakland to a weekend spit at Wight State. She scored 19 of her 20 points in the second half with six rebounds and two assists to lead the Golden Grizzlies to the historic 75-69 win. Against UIC, she averaged 18.0 points, with 16 rebounds (8.0), 10 assists (5.0) and seven steals to lead Oakland to a weekend sweep to open Horizon League play. She poured in a game-high 28 points, just missing her career-high of 30, while going 9-for-12 from the free-throw line with eight rebounds, five assists and four steals in the 76-70 win in game one. She added eight points, eight rebounds, five assists and three steals in the 81-55 series finale win.
 
Dynamic Duo: Dean and Blackwell are the only two players averaging in double figures at 16.7 ppg and 12.0 ppg respectively. Dean is shooting 38.2% from the field while Blackwell is shooting at a 40.0% clip.
 
Gettin' Buckets: Oakland ranks second in the Horizon League in scoring (69.5 ppg) and third in field goal percentage (39.4).
 
From Long Range: Blackwell leads the team and ranks fifth in the league in 3-point field goals per game (2.3). As a team, Oakland ranks fifth in 3-point field goal percentage (28.8%).
 
Breedy Posts Career High in UIC Sweep: Brianna Breedy posted a career-high 16 points hitting a perfect 3-for-3 from behind the arc while going 5-for-6 from the free-throw line to lead Oakland to a series sweep over UIC in Horizon League play on Sunday afternoon. Chloe Guingrich and Alona Blackwell each reached double figures with 12 and 11 points respectively.
 
"C" is for Clutch: Jalisha Terry added all of her 13 points in the fourth quarter capped off with a clutch 3-pointer with 45 seconds remaining to move Oakland ahead for good in the 76-70 Horizon League opening win over UIC (12/12.)
 
Sug in the Books: Freshman Lamariyee "Sug" Williams recorded her first collegiate points scoring six while adding three rebounds, two assists and a steal against UIC (12/13).
 
Blackwell Blasts Off vs Rockets: 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). She also matched a career-best with four rebounds.
 
COVID-19 Cancelation:
Due to COVID-19 concerns within the Chicago State program, the home game against the Cougars, slated for Friday, Dec. 3 was canceled. The Golden Grizzlies were absent from game action for two weeks upon entering Horizon League play against UIC (Dec. 12-13) since playing at Toledo (Nov. 29).
 
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.
 
R-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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