ROCHESTER, Mich. – In his first start of the season,
Osei Price kicked off Oakland University Men's Basketball's 5-0 run for the restart of Horizon League play Thursday night at the Athletics Center O'rena as the squad defeated Robert Morris University 79-61.
After this small run, the Colonials (2-10, 0-3 HL) began to claw back in, not allowing the Golden Grizzlies (8-4, 3-0 HL) to pull away early on as Trey Townsend flew by the RMU defense for an easy layup. At the first media timeout, Blake Lampman had rejoined the three-pointer leader board for OU at the 12:58 mark in the first half.
The Colonials didn't allow Oakland to get any further than two to three points away at any point despite the efforts of Jamal Cain, Jalen Moore, and Townsend. Price then flung an assist to a far-side corner three to Moore that ignited a Cain jumper that gave OU a five-point lead at 4:05 remaining in the half.
With the team shooting 51.7% from the field early on, the Golden Grizzlies led by seven as both teams exchanged possessions down the stretch with both Cain and Townsend the only scorers in double digits.
At the end of the first, Cain and Townsend each held 12 points to their credit while Townsend also recorded two rebounds and four steals for a season high out of the freshman from Oxford. As a team, OU deflated to a 48.5% (16-33) from the field while out rebounding the pesky Colonials 16 to 14. Moore threaded five assists through the game's first 20 minutes as well.
Shortly into the second half, just as he did in the first, Price knocked down a three-pointer for the freshman to establish a high in an Oakland uniform to put the Golden Grizzlies up by six at 46-40 before reaching double figures for the first time in his collegiate career at the 12:30 mark.
Cain's dunk at 9:12 gave life to Athletics Center O'rena as the Golden Grizzlies continued to inflate the largest lead OU had all game with the field goal shooting reaching back up to 51.0% (25-49) after dropping before the half.
As Cain continued to nab rebounds off the glass with 14, 11 of which were on defensive side, Blake Lampman buried his third triple of the night at 2:40 to put Robert Morris in a hole in which the visiting Colonials would never recover for the team's third Horizon League win.
As a team, the Golden Grizzlies held RMU to 28% shooting from the floor in the second half as OU's shooters finished 48.4% (30-62) from the floor, 68.6% (11-16) from the free throw line. The home team forced 10 steals to score 15 points off turnovers while Oakland won the rebound battle 40-35 over Robert Morris. 20 assists is the most the team has collectively had all year with Moore's 10 to his credit.
Cain reaches his sixth double double of the year while recording his second straight game with 20 or more points as the grad student hits 22 with 14 rebounds. Moore also secured his fifth double double with 15 points, 10 rebounds, and three steals.
In his first career start, Price finished 36 minutes of work with 11 points, six rebounds, and five assists all of which count as a career high in an OU jersey. Lampman reached a career high in rebounds with five, the first time he's nabbed as many since December of 2020.
The Golden Grizzlies will stay at home for its next Horizon League contest against Youngstown State University on Saturday, January 1 for a 3:00 p.m. tip.
