ROCHESTER, Mich. – The Oakland women's basketball hosts new Horizon League member Robert Morris for a pair games on Friday, Feb. 5 at 3 p.m. and Saturday, Feb. 6 at 1 p.m. Both games are presented by the Oakland University Credit Union and will be broadcast live from the Blacktop at the O'rena on ESPN+ with Jason Ross Jr. on the call.
Notes:
LAST TIME OUT - BLACKWELL DROPS IN CAREER-HIGH: Oakland saw its four-game win streak come to an end after dropping a pair of games at Cleveland State. In game one,
Alona Blackwell poured in a career-high 24 points while matching a career-mark with five assists along with five rebounds as in the 75-70 setback. In series finale, Blackwell scored a team-high 13 points going 3-for-6 from 3-point range followed by
Kahlaijah Dean with 12 points in the 68-53 loss.
A LOOK AT ROBERT MORRIS: Friday's game will be the first ever meeting between Oakland and Robert Morris. The Colonials are 3-9 on the season and in conference play currently riding a three-game win streak after beating Wright State and sweeping YSU. Freshman forward Sol Castro leads the team in scoring (9.5) and rebounds (5.8) while junior guard Esther Castedo leads the team in assists (1.7).
DROPPIN' DIMES: Oakland leads the Horizon League in assists per game (15.18) and 17th nationally in total assists (258) while Dean (4.4),
Brianna Breedy (2.7) and
Breanne Beatty (2.5) are first, second and third on team and rank third, 12th and 13th in the league respectively.
GETTIN' BUCKETS: Oakland ranks third in the league in scoring (66.4 ppg) and seventh in field goal percentage (39.1). Oakland shot a season best 52.5% at Detroit Mercy (1/15) and season second-best 51.7% from the field against Purdue Fort Wayne without hitting a 3-pointer (1/23).
DIAL IT UP FROM LONG RANGE: Blackwell leads the team and ranks fifth in the league in 3-point field goals per game (2.1) and leads the league and is 11th nationally in 3-pointers attempted (120). As a team, Oakland is second in the league and ranks 40th nationally in 3-pointers attempted (352) and is ninth in 3-point field goal percentage (28.4%). Ironically, Oakland didn't hit a 3-pointer (0-for-4) against PFW (1/22). Dean is fourth in the league in 3-point attempts (87).
PASS/PROTECT THE ROCK: Oakland leads the league in assist/turnover ratio (.98) and second in turnover margin (2.53). Dean (1.2) ranks seventh in the league.
BP BLOCK PARTY: In just eight games, Temple transfer
Breanna Perry leads the team in blocks (13) having already recording three blocks in a game twice at YSU (1/9) and at Detroit Mercy (1/15) while adding a career-best four blocks at Cleveland State (1/30).
CENTURY CLUB: With the sweep vs Fort Wayne, head coach
Jeff Tungate has 98 career wins two shy of 100.
PERRY GETTING INVOLVED OFFENSIVELY: Breanna Perry also scored a career-best 12 points off the bench on 6-for-7 shooting from the field at Cleveland State (1/29).
FRESHMAN FIRST: Lamariyee "Sug" Williams posted a new career-high with nine points on 4-for-9 from the field at Cleveland State (1/30).
SIX-PACK THREAT: Dean leads the team in scoring (15.5 ppg – 4th HL), rebounds (5.5 – 13th HL), assists (4.4 – 3rd HL) and steals (1.9 – 7th HL). She also ranks second on the team in blocks (9) after posting a career-high three vs Purdue Fort Wayne (1/22) and ninth in the league in field goal percentage (38.3%).
SHARING IS CARING: The Golden Grizzlies dished out a season-high 23 assists on 32 made baskets in the game one win over the Titans (1/15) and matched that output with 23 assists on 30 made hoops against Purdue Fort Wayne (1/23).
DYNAMIC DUO: Dean and Blackwell are the only two players averaging in double figures at 15.5 ppg and 11.6 ppg respectively. Dean is shooting 38.3% (9th-HL) from the field while Blackwell is shooting at a 35.5% clip. Dean has reached double figures 14 times followed by Blackwell at 10.
CHARITY STRIPE PRODUCTION: Dean is second in the conference and is 31st in the country in free throw attempts (78) while ranking seventh in the league in free throw percentage (74.4).
I'LL TAKE THAT: Oakland ranks second in turnovers forced (18.06) and fifth in steals per game (8.18).
CRASH THE BOARDS: The Golden Grizzlies rank third in offensive rebounds (12.6) and are eighth in defensive rebounds (22.7) and fifth in total rebounds per game (35.4).
GUARD THE ARC: The Golden Grizzlies also rank sixth in the league in 3-point field goal percentage defense (29.7).
GET THAT OUTTA HERE: Individually, Perry leads the team in blocks (13) followed by Dean (9),
Autumn Kissman (6),
Chloe Guingrich (5),
Kayla Luchenbach (3) and
Alona Blackwell (3).
DEAN NEARLY AVERAGES TRIPLE DOUBLE: Kahlaijah Dean nearly averaged a triple-double at 17.5 points, 9.5 rebounds and 9.0 assists per game and 2.5 blocks defensively helping Oakland to a weekend sweep over Purdue Fort Wayne for the team's third and fourth consecutive league win. In game one, Dean posted her first double-double of the season scoring a game-high 14 points with a career-high 12 rebounds, six assists and career-best three blocks in Oakland's 58-49 win. In the series finale, Dean recorded her second consecutive double-double with a game-high 21 points shooting 6-for-12 from the field and a perfect 9-for-9 from the free throw line while dishing a career-high 12 assists with seven rebounds and two blocks in the Golden Grizzlies' 73-61 victory.
DO IT ALL DEAN: Against Detroit Mercy, Dean averaged 17.5 points, 7.0 assists, 5.0 rebounds and 3.0 steals helping Oakland to a Metro Series sweep. In game one, she had 18 points, six assists and three steals followed by 17 points, three steals while matching a career-best eight assists in game two. She averaged 16.0 points, 5.0 rebounds and 5.0 assists against No. 25 MSU and Green Bay. She had 15 points at MSU and matched a season-high with 28 points connecting on 5-of-12 from 3-point range in Oakland's overtime setback to Green Bay. Dean averaged 18.5 points and 5.5 rebounds to lead Oakland to a split 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) 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.
20-POINT CLUB: The Golden Grizzlies have had two players score over 20 points this season. Dean (4) posted 28 points vs UIC (12/12) and Green Bay (1/1), 21 vs Purdue Fort Wayne (1/23) and 20 at Wright State (12/19). Blackwell (2) 24 at Cleveland State (1/29) and 22 at Toledo (11/29).
"B" SQUAD CHECK IN:
BEATTY HEATS UP: Breanne Beatty matched a career-high in rebounds (11) and assists (5) helping Oakland sweep arch-rival Detroit Mercy (1/15). She also posted a career-high 15 points going 5-for-8 from the field hitting a career-best three 3-pointers in the first half at Youngstown State (1/9). She also added 11 points against Purdue Fort Wayne (1/23).
SEASON DEBUT: Missing the first 10 games due to injury, Perry made her season debut at YSU on limited minutes at the end of each quarter. She scored five points in both games hitting a 3-pointer each time with two free throws and three blocks in game two defensively.
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 (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.
SYD THE KID: Sydney Gouard reached double figures for the first time this season with 10 points on 5-of-6 shooting from the field helping Oakland to a 58-49 win over Purdue Fort Wayne (1/23).
4-POINT PLAY: For the second consecutive season, Dean has excited the elusive 4-point play. With 57 seconds left against Green Bay (1/1), she hit a 3-pointer, was fouled and completed the rare 4-point play to pull the Golden Grizzlies within two points, 65-63. Last season, she converted one against Detroit Mercy in the third quarter (2/1/20).
EIGHT AND COUNTING = METRO SERIES SWEEP: Oakland continued its dominance over arch-rival Detroit Mercy with a series road sweep (1/15 & 1/16). The Golden Grizzlies now lead the overall series 18-15 including winning the last eighth consecutive meetings with a 12-4 mark in Metro Series match ups.
BIG THREE TAKEOVER: In game one at Detroit Mercy,
Kahlaijah Dean,
Autumn Kissman and
Alona Blackwell combined for 51 points to lead Oakland to its seventh consecutive Metro Series win over Detroit Mercy in convincing fashion, 80-61, at Calihan Hall. Dean scored a team-high 18 points with six assists and three steals followed by Kissman who scored 17 points shooting a blistering 8-for-10 from the field. Blackwell was the third player in double figures with 16 points and six rebounds.
KISSMAN DELIVERS PURE PRODUCTIVITY VS DETROIT MERCY: Autumn Kissman averaged 17.5 ppg shooting a blistering 16-for-20 (80.0%) from the field over a two-game clip leading Oakland to a Metro Series weekend sweep over arch-rival Detroit Mercy marking the Golden Grizzlies' seventh and eighth consecutive win over the Titans. In game one, Kissman scored 17 points going 8-for-10 from the field with four rebounds in the 80-61 win. The next day, she scored a game-high 18 points just missing her career-high of 19 by one point while shooting 8-for-10 from the field for the second straight game which included hitting a career-best 2-for-3 from 3-point range in the 71-61 series finale victory.
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