ROCHESTER, Mich. – Head coach Greg Kampe and the Oakland men's basketball team return to the Blacktop for their first regular-season home game of the 2026-27 season, welcoming Northern Iowa to the OU Credit Union O'rena. Tipoff is set for Saturday, Nov. 14 at 5 p.m. on ESPN+, with the "Voice of the Golden Grizzlies" Neal Ruhl (PxP) and Darryl Jacobs (Color) on the call.
Oakland fell to Boise State 111-79 Wednesday night at ExtraMile Arena, as the Broncos used a strong second-half performance to pull away. The Golden Grizzlies scored 42 points in the opening half and dished out 19 assists, but 23 turnovers proved costly as Boise State capitalized with a 36-9 advantage in points off turnovers. The Broncos outscored Oakland 59-37 after halftime to secure the victory.
Nassim Mashhour led Oakland with a career-high 28 points, knocking down five three-pointers and going a perfect 9-for-9 from the free-throw line while adding four assists. Chris Fields Jr. added 17 points on 7-of-8 shooting and nine rebounds, while Camden Thompson finished with 10 points and nine rebounds. RJ Taylor contributed nine points and five assists. The Golden Grizzlies return home to host Northern Iowa on Saturday, Nov. 14, at 5 p.m. inside the OU Credit Union O'rena.
The Golden Grizzlies have established themselves as strong off the glass in non-conference play, as the Black and Gold out-rebounded No. 16 Michigan 44-42, including an impressive 21 offensive rebounds, won the rebounding battle against No. 16 Alabama, 37-31 with 21 O-boards, and Boise State with 33 boards to 29 boards. Senior Chris Fields Jr. has been a major force on the offensive glass, recording 21 individual offensive rebounds through the first five games of the season, tying for the NCAA Division I lead.
Doors open at 4 p.m. ET as Oakland is celebrating its new official gear provider, adidas, with Three Stripes Night. Fans are encouraged to wear your Black and Gold and show off your best adidas gear as the Golden Grizzlies take the Blacktop for their home opener. Fans can take part in several giveaways throughout the evening, including exclusive Three Stripes Night posters, adidas fan packs and Coach Kampe-signed basketballs. The first 100 students in attendance will also receive an exclusive Grizz Gang giveaway shirt while supplies last.
SCOUTING THE PANTHERS
Northern Iowa enters Saturday's matchup at 2-1 as the defending Missouri Valley Conference Tournament champion. The Panthers made history last season as the lowest seed to win the tournament, capturing four games in four days. UNI opened the 2026-27 campaign with wins over Cornell College and Green Bay, with a loss at Furman in between. Under first-year head coach Kyle Green, the Panthers are averaging 92.7 points per game.
UNI features a balanced scoring attack led by Greyson Uelmen, who averages 19.7 points per game and is coming off a 28-point performance against Green Bay. Carson Vis follows at 17.3 points per game, shooting 47.1% from three-point range, while Isaiah Johnson-Arigu adds 15.3 points per contest and leads the team with five blocks. Tate McCubbin rounds out the projected starting lineup, averaging 10.3 points and 5.0 rebounds per game. The Panthers have also received strong contributions from their bench, averaging 37 bench points through three games. Current Oakland point guard, RJ Taylor, played for the Panthers from 2023-26.
The Golden Grizzlies and Panthers have only met once, the start of the home-and-home series, last season in Cedar Falls. UNI holds the 1-0 all-time record after a 75-63 loss for Oakland on Dec. 13, 2025.
How to Follow Oakland Men's Basketball: For complete information on Oakland Men's Basketball follow the team on X at @OaklandMBB and head coach Greg Kampe at @KampeOU. The team is also on Instagram and Facebook.
