ROCHESTER, Mich. — A big first half led the Oakland men's basketball program to a 91-81 victory over Division II Lake Superior State on Friday night inside the Athletics Center O'rena. The contest marked the final exhibition game of the preseason for the Golden Grizzlies, as they will open the regular season on Tuesday, Nov. 9, at West Virginia.
Graduate transfer
Jamal Cain led the way for OU, posting 20 points on 6-of-12 shooting to go along with a team-high 11 rebounds, three assists, and three steals. Second-year freshman
Trey Townsend matched a team-high in points with 20, shooting an efficient 9-of-12 from the field, while another second-year freshman in
Micah Parrish had 17 points, eight rebounds, and a team-best four steals. Junior point guard
Jalen Moore and newcomer
Osei Price scored 11 points apiece to round out Golden Grizzlies in double-figures.
Oakland shot 47 percent from the field (32-for-68) and found its way to the free-throw line 29 times, making 21 attempts. Meanwhile, the Lakers reached the charity stripe a mere four times. Defensively, the Golden Grizzlies controlled the paint, outrebounding Lake Superior State, 45-29.
LSSU jumped out to an early 10-5 advantage with 15:49 minutes remaining in the first half. OU took its first lead of the half, 13-12, at the 12:52 mark in the period, as Townsend converted on a hook shot following a steal by Cain. The two teams went back-and-forth in the ensuing minutes, as the score was even at 26-all with eight minutes left.
The Golden Grizzlies got things going in the final stretch, ending the period on a 32-6 run to take a commanding 58-32 edge into halftime. Cain had 18 points and seven boards by halftime, while Parrish and Townsend had also reached double-figures with points totals of 15 and 12. To add, Cain and Parrish each had three steals in the first 20 minutes of play.
A layup by Townsend widened Oakland's lead to 64-32, with 18:11 minutes remaining in the second half. The 32-point advantage was the largest of the matchup for the Golden Grizzlies. However, LSSU inched back, managing to reduce its deficit to 88-78 at the 2:08 mark in the period. Despite the late charge, OU held on for the 91-81 win.
Twelve different Golden Grizzlies received playing time in the second half, as all five of Oakland's started played nine or fewer minutes. Price was at his best in the period with eight points on 2-of-3 shooting and a 4-for-4 clip at the charity stripe. Townsend also contributed in the half with eight points and two rebounds.
With tonight's victory marking the conclusion of exhibition action, the Golden Grizzlies will play their season opener on Tuesday, Nov. 5, at West Virginia.
