ROCHESTER, Mich. – Head coach Greg Kampe and the Oakland Men's Basketball team is onto game three of a big four-game roadstretch to open the 2026-27 season as the golden Grizzlies head to Tuscaloosa to face Nate Oats and the No. 20 Alabama Crimson Tide. Action kicks off at 7:30 p.m. ET on SEC Network+ with Roger Hoover (PxP) and Richard Hendrix (Color) on the call.
Oakland Men's Basketball wrapped up its West Coast road trip with a pair of non-conference matchups against Stanford and UC Santa Barbara on Nov. 6-7. The Golden Grizzlies opened the weekend at Stanford, falling 81-63 despite keeping the game within reach for much of the contest. Oakland trailed just 38-33 at halftime and pulled within two early in the second half, but the Cardinal used a series of three-pointers to create separation down the stretch. Senior Chris Fields Jr. led Oakland with 23 points on 9-of-12 shooting, adding six rebounds and two steals, while William Kassi contributed 11 points and six rebounds. The Golden Grizzlies finished with 34 points in the paint and 20 off the bench.
The Golden Grizzlies closed the weekend Saturday at UC Santa Barbara, dropping a 90-67 decision at The Thunderdome. Oakland showed improved offensive production in the second half, scoring 40 points while finishing with 16 assists, 10 three-pointers and 32 bench points. Nassim Mashhour paced the Golden Grizzlies with 19 points, four 3-pointers and three assists, while Fields Jr. recorded his second double-double of the season with 13 points and 11 rebounds. Brady Swartz added seven points, including a three-pointer and a fast-break dunk, as Oakland continued its four-game road trip with a quick turnaround ahead of Monday's matchup at No. 20 Alabama.
SCOUTING THE CRIMSON TIDE
Alabama enters Monday's matchup with a 2-0 record and a No. 20 in the preseason AP Poll after opening the season with wins over Sam Houston (96-74) and Arkansas State (101-86). Under eighth-year head coach Nate Oats, the Crimson Tide feature an up-tempo offense averaging 98.5 points and 50.0 rebounds per game. Alabama also averages 21.0 turnovers forced and 8.5 steals per contest, using defensive pressure to create the transition opportunities. The Crimson Tide have added 41 fast-break points against Arkansas State.
Sophomore Amari Allen leads Alabama with 14.0 points, 8.5 rebounds and 7.5 assists per game after recording a triple-double against Arkansas State. Senior forward Drew Fielder leads the team in scoring at 15.5 points per game, while Qayden Samuels (13.0ppg) and Tarris Bouie (12.5ppg) provide additional scoring. Alabama is coming off a 25-win season that featured its fourth consecutive Sweet 16 appearance, presenting an early-season challenge for the Golden Grizzlies.
The Crimson Tide lead the head-to-head series with the Golden Grizzlies, 3-0. The last meeting between the two was a 86-59 loss inside Coleman Coliseum on Nov. 19, 2021.
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.
