ROCHESTER, Mich. - The Golden Grizzlies return to action this week with a pair of Horizon League openers against Wright State and Cleveland State as the season gets into full swing.
In their last outing, Oakland secured its first road victory of the season, defeating St. Thomas (Minn.) 68-52.
Cali Denson tied her career high with 21 points, getting the majority of them at the free-throw line, where she went 15-for-16. She set the tone as the entire team attacked relentlessly, resulting in season highs in free throws made (26) and attempted (34).
Sereniti Roberts-Adams also had a career night in the win, notching her first double-double with 10 points (5-for-7 FG) and a career-high 12 rebounds in her first start of the season. Through seven games, Roberts-Adams is shooting a team-best .667 from the field in 17 minutes per game. Her size and efficiency continue to be a valuable addition to the rotation as the season progresses.
Roberts-Adams is just one part of a Golden Grizzlies squad defined by its hustle and physicality. Oakland leads the Horizon League in rebounding with 39.7 boards per game. Five players are averaging 4-plus rebounds per game: Roberts-Adams (5.7), MAkenzie Luehring (5.3),
Layla Gold (5.1),
Filippa Goula (4.3), and
Lianna Baxter (4.0).
WEDNESDAY, DEC. 3 @ WRIGHT STATE | 7 p.m. | ESPN+
Oakland and Wright State open conference play with a midweek showdown in Dayton.
After splitting their matchups last season, Oakland has won two of the last three meetings. The teams last met in February, when Wright State pulled out a 60-53 win at home. Both squads shot an identical 21-for-52 from the field, but the Raiders made 15 of their 16 free throws compared with Oakland's 9-for-16.
Wright State enters the matchup on a cold stretch, having dropped its last three games, including a 59-49 loss to Air Force on Nov. 29. The Raiders sit at 4-5 overall after opening the season 3-1.
Despite the recent skid, Wright State remains the top offense in the Horizon League, averaging 74.8 points per game. The Raiders do most of their damage from beyond the arc, leading the league in 3-point percentage (.333), made threes (79) and made threes per game (8.8).
They are led by senior guard Breezie Williams, who ranks seventh in the conference with 13.1 points per game. Redshirt sophomore Rylee Sagester is also a major threat, pacing the league in 3-point percentage (.446) and made threes per game (2.8).
Two elite shooters will go head-to-head, as Denson and Sagester square off. Denson ranks fourth in the league in made threes per game (2.1) and is shooting .375 from deep on 5.7 attempts per game.
SATURDAY, DEC. 6 vs. CLEVELAND STATE | 12 p.m. | ESPN+
Oakland returns home for the weekend to host the 7-1 Cleveland State Vikings in its first home conference matchup of the season.
Cleveland State enters the week on a three-game win streak, most recently earning a 62-59 overtime victory over Radford on Nov. 29.
The Golden Grizzlies are looking for their second straight home win over the Vikings, following a 71-68 victory last season. Oakland shot .500 from the field (27-for-54) in the matchup and received a major lift from its bench, which outscored Cleveland State's reserves 18-5 in the upset effort.
The Vikings boast the No. 2 offense (74.6 ppg) and the No. 1 defense (54.4 oppg) in the Horizon League. Guard Colbi Maples leads the charge with a conference-best 16.5 points per game in her return after missing most of last season due to injury. On the defensive end, guard Jada Leonard anchors the unit, averaging a league-high 4.3 steals per game.
One area Oakland may hold the advantage is from 3-point range. Cleveland State ranks near the bottom of the conference in made threes per game (5.6), while Oakland sits in the top half of the league.
As the Golden Grizzlies begin conference play, the team's identity of toughness, rebounding, and relentless effort continues to shine. With momentum from their recent road win and key contributors hitting their stride, Oakland looks to open Horizon League competition on a high note in a pivotal early-season week.
