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Women's Basketball Jordan Nelson

Oakland Looks to Jump Up the League Rankings as they Take On Milwaukee

Rochester, Mich - The Golden Grizzlies return to the Blacktop for game two of a four-game home stand to take on Milwaukee as the season reaches its midway point.

Oakland is fresh off a much needed victory against rivals Detroit Mercy. In the 89-55 dismantling of the Titans, the Golden Grizzlies shot their second-highest field goal percentage of the season at .484 FG% (31-of-64). Miriam Ibezim set a career high in points (14) and notched her first double-double of the season, leading a group of five double-digit scorers for Oakland which also included Kennedie Montue (20 points), Linda Van Schaik (12 points), Brooke Quarles-Daniels (11 points) and Alexis Johnson (10 points).

The offense for the Golden Grizzlies has found a niche and is flowing better than it has all season. In three of their last five games, Oakland has shot over .410 from the floor. After hitting that mark only three times in their first ten games, Oakland's recipe of playing fast and moving the ball on the perimeter is starting to bring success.

Much of Oakland's offense is actually started on the defensive end. Against Detroit Mercy the Golden Grizzlies forced the Titans into 21 turnovers, marking the tenth time this season Oakland has forced their opponent to flip the ball 20 times or more. The Golden Grizzlies also picked the pockets of the Titans for 13 steals, marking double-digit steals in 11 of Oakland's 13 games and boosting their conference-leading number of 12.8 steals per game.

In the half court for Oakland, their greatest strength is the number of shot opportunities and second chance looks thanks to one of the best offensive rebounders in the Horizon League in Ibezim. The junior averages nearly four offensive boards per game (second in the HL) and is a huge reason for not only the massive rebounding numbers for the team (37.1 rpg, 14.7 orpg), but also Oakland's high volume of shots attempted at 971 field goal attempts in just 15 games.

With Milwaukee ranking ninth in team defensive rebounds per game (24.5 rpg), that could be an are Oakland could be looking to attack in their game plan and bolster their opportunities on the glass.

The confidence of the team is at a season-high, and the Golden Grizzlies have shown that they have the tenacity to hang with the best of the best in the league.

Coming into their matchup against Milwaukee, Oakland has a 3-4 conference record, while the Panthers are 4-4 in conference play. With a win, Oakland would jump into sixth place in the conference, and with some help from other teams could go as high as fifth in just one night.

The all-time matchups between Milwaukee and Oakland have been tight, with Oakland having a 10-15 record against the Panthers. The teams are even in games at the OU Credit Union O'rena, each with five wins a piece.

The teams last faced off on Feb. 3, 2023 where Oakland won 74-71 on their home court. Quarles-Daniels had 16 points, four steals, and nine rebounds in an impressive outing, but Alexis Johnson sealed the game for the Golden Grizzlies on a last-minute three pointer and a free-throw in the closing seconds as a part of her 12-point night.

SCOUTING THE PANTHERS

Milwaukee rolls into Rochester on a three game win streak, most recently beating Youngstown St. 66-58 on Jan. 13.

The Panthers are 10-9 overall (4-4 HL). One area they excel in is their offensive efficiency, shooting the third best field goal percentage in the conference (.430). 

Milwaukee is home to one of the best scorers in the league in senior guard Kendall Nead. The Iowa native averages 16.4 ppg, the fourth most among all Horizon League players. In their last game against the Golden Grizzlies, Nead exploded for 24 points (11-of-19 FG) and eight rebounds.

 Sophomore guard Kamy Peppler is also a threat to score, especially from beyond the arc. She  averages a league-best 2.4 made three-pointers per game while shooting .371 from deep.

This shows to be a fun matchup between high-powered defense and a prolific offense.

Catch the mid-week game on Thursday, Jan. 18 at 8 p.m. at the OU Credit Union O'rena.


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Players Mentioned

Miriam Ibezim

#33 Miriam Ibezim

F
6' 2"
Sophomore
Kennedie Montue

#25 Kennedie Montue

G
5' 11"
Sophomore
Brooke Quarles-Daniels

#5 Brooke Quarles-Daniels

PG
5' 7"
Freshman
Alexis Johnson

#23 Alexis Johnson

F
5' 10"
Junior

Players Mentioned

Miriam Ibezim

#33 Miriam Ibezim

6' 2"
Sophomore
F
Kennedie Montue

#25 Kennedie Montue

5' 11"
Sophomore
G
Brooke Quarles-Daniels

#5 Brooke Quarles-Daniels

5' 7"
Freshman
PG
Alexis Johnson

#23 Alexis Johnson

5' 10"
Junior
F