ROCHESTER, Mich. – After falling to 0-1 in conference play against Youngstown State, Oakland hosts Robert Morris with a chance to move to .500 in the Horizon standings.

The four-game home stand to kick off the season comes to an end against Robert Morris Saturday, Nov. 20. The Colonials are fresh off a victory versus Detroit Mercy in Detroit. They beat the Titans 55-46 in a defensive battle. They were led by Esther Castedo's 23 points and three steals. 

Oakland opened up Horizon League play with a loss to Youngstown State Thursday, Nov. 18. The Penguins got off to a quick lead, and had a commanding hold on the game through three quarters. Going into the fourth, YSU led by 20 points. 

The Golden Grizzlies pushed the pace on defense, forcing many turnovers by trapping the ball handler. The fourth quarter turnovers allowed Oakland to go on a 19-4 run midway through the final period, but Youngstown was able to pull away in the end, escaping with an 11-point win. 

Senior Kahlaijah Dean leads Oakland in scoring with 18.7 points per game. The preseason All-League first team selection is second on the team in assists per game (2.7) and steals per game (2.7). Redshirt Senior Breanna Perry is the team's leading rebounder, pulling down 5.3 rebounds per game in her second season at Oakland. Perry is also the leading shot-blocker on the team, sending back one shot per game. 

Following the game against Robert Morris, the women's basketball team travels to Ann Arbor to face the Michigan Wolverines on Monday, Nov. 22 at 7 p.m. The Wolverines are currently the No. 13 team in the nation. 

After facing Michigan, Oakland returns home for a showdown with Michigan State Friday, Nov. 26 at 3 p.m.

NOTES

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SEASON REWIND
Nov. 18: Youngstown State 79 // Oakland 68
In the first conference game of the season, Oakland struggled to create consistent offense, losing to Youngstown State 79-68. A late comeback attempt almost came to fruition, but the YSU lead was insurmountable. The loss was the second of the season for Oakland, their record is now 1-2. Their Horizon League record drops to 0-1 on the young season. The visiting Penguins rode a hot shooting night all the way to a big victory, scoring the most points as a team this season. After failing to reach 60 points in their previous game, they had 61 by the end of the third quarter, and shot 27-48 from the floor (56%) – 12/23 from deep (52%).

Nov. 13: Oakland 77 // Niagara 64
Midway through the second quarter, the Golden Grizzlies lead shrunk from 14 to nine, in danger of letting their opponent back in the game. A 10-0 run over five minutes gave Oakland the momentum they needed to hold on for their first win of the season, 77-64. Oakland finished with 20 team assists and had four players in double figures to defeat Niagara. Freshman Olivia Sims and Breanne Beatty led the team with 12 points each.  Kahlaijah Dean led the team with five steals, LaMariyee Williams led the team with four assists and Breanna Perry led the way defensively with two blocks. 

Nov. 9: Toledo 84 // Oakland 72
The visiting Toledo Rockets rode a big third quarter to a victory, spoiling Oakland's home opener with a 84-72 final score. Kahlaijah Dean recorded 27 points, six assists and four rebounds, leading Oakland in points and assists. The first-team All-Horizon league athlete lived behind the arc, hitting 5-14 3-pointers. The only other Golden Grizzly to score in double figures was Kayla Luchenbach, who scored 13 on 50% shooting. Luchenbach grabbed five rebounds as well, fourth on the team. Breanna Perry led Oakland in steals, taking the ball away twice. Breanne Beatty led the team in rebounds, pulling down seven boards. 

SUG-AR COOKIES
Lamariyee Williams set a career high in steals when she picked off five passes against Youngstown State. After facing Youngstown, Williams ranked first in steals for Oakland and fourth in the Horizon League with three steals per game. 

CAREER HIGHS VS. NIAGARA
Multiple Golden Grizzlies set career highs against the Niagara Purple Eagles on Saturday, Nov. 13. Lamariyee Williams set career highs in minutes, threes made, steals and assists in her second career start. Olivia Sims also set career highs in her second game in black and gold, scoring 12 points with two threes and three assists. Helen Staley recorded her first points at Oakland on a second-chance layup, and Aaliyah McQueen scored four points in the 2nd quarter for her first buckets as a Golden Grizzly. 

MEAN, LEAN, FIGHTING K. DEAN
Kahlaijah Dean was tied for first in the Horizon League in scoring after her 27-point outburst in the season opener against Toledo. Last season, Dean was fifth in the conference with 17.2 points per game. Her six dimes also put her tied for first in the Horizon in assists after the first game.

SIMS SPLASH
With a late three coming off a sidestep move, freshman Olivia Sims recorded her first career points, 3-pointer and field goal of her Oakland career.

DEAN EARNS PRESEASON HORIZON LEAGUE FIRST TEAM HONORS

After earning Horizon League First Team honors for the 2020-21 season, Kahlaijah Dean was voted a preseason All-Horizon first team athlete in October. Last season marked the third consecutive year Dean has garnered All-League honors after being named Sixth Player of the Year and All-League Third Team last season and named to the All-Freshman Team during the 2018-19 season. Dean is the first student-athlete to earn first team honors since Hannah Little in 2017.

OAKLAND RUNS ON DEAN

Kahlaijah Dean led the Golden Grizzlies in points, assists, rebounds and steals. She scored in double figures in 21 of 24 games, including eight 20-point performances. Her highest scoring performance came against Milwaukee on Feb. 13, where she dropped a career-high 34 points.

FANTASTIC FOUR SEED

The Golden Grizzlies finished as the no. 4 seed in the Horizon League last season, their best conference finish since 2017 (T-3). Their 12-8 record marked the best Horizon League record since 2017 as well. The 12 wins tied Jeff Tungate's career-best as head coach.

RUNNING AND GUNNING

Oakland scored 69.5 points per game in 2020-21, second best in the Horizon League. Led by Kahlaijah Dean's 17.2 points per game, the Golden Grizzlies scored as a team. In 2020-21, six Golden Grizzlies scored five or more points per game.

BOMBS BY BLACKWELL

In her second season, Alona Blackwell finished sixth in the league in 3-pointers made per game. Her 1.8 threes per game led the team and led to big scoring outbursts. Her five 3-pointers against Wright State on Dec. 19, 2020 was a career-high, and helped the Golden Grizzlies defeat the Raiders on the road, 75-69.

DIME TIME

Oakland ranked second in the Horizon in total assists (360), assists per game (15) and assist to turnover ratio (1.01). The ball movement was spearheaded by Kahlaijah Dean (106 total assists), Brianna Breedy (61) and Breanne Beatty (56). All three return this season.

PRESEASON PREDICTION

Oakland was picked fifth in the Horizon League preseason poll, after finishing as the No. 4 overall seed last season. Kahlaijah Dean was the only Golden Grizzly to be named to a preseason team, making the first team.

PADAWANS AND JEDIS

Six freshmen are on the 2021-22 roster this season, the most Jeff Tungate has had on the roster since 2014-15. In addition to six freshmen, Oakland has four seniors and a graduate student on the roster, putting their roster at 11 seniors/freshmen.

FRESHMAN FOCUS

Oakland's six freshmen athletes each come from unique places. Below is a quick summary of each freshman:

• Kendall Folley: 5'7" guard from Lebanon, Ohio.                                      
  • Third all-time leading scorer in Lebanon High School history
• Miriam Ibezim: 6'2" forward from Rochester, NY.       
  • Averaged 19.8 points and 19.5 rebounds per game in her career                   
• Kennedie Montue: 5'11" guard from Pittsburgh, PA.
  • 2020-21 Valley News Dispatch Girls Basketball Player of the Year
• Prunelle Mungo: 6'2" forward from Lebanon, Ohio   
  • Three-year letterwinner, lettered in volleyball as well
• Olivia Sims: 5'9" guard from Toledo, Ohio.
  • First-Team All-District selection and Third-Team All-State selection as a junior
• Helen Staley: 6'0" forward from Rosemount, Minn. 
  • Rosemount all-time leading rebounder, scored more than 1000 pts

FROM THE ILLINI TO THE GOLDEN GRIZZLIES
Aaliyah McQueen joins the Golden Grizzlies after playing at Illinois her freshman season. At Illinois, she played in all 19 games, averaging 9.6 minutes per game. Her career high came against Michigan State, when she scored eight points on a perfect 3-point shooting night, 2-2 from three. 

The Flint, Mich. native was the No. 22 wing in the state coming out of high school, and was named Associated Press Division I Girls Basketball All-Michigan first team as a senior.