On Saturday, Oct. 26, the Golden Grizzlies women’s basketball team won their first exhibition match against the Rochester Christian Warriors, with a final score of 91-66.
The commanding win over the Warriors is the first time we have seen the women’s team in action this season. With that in mind, here are three takeaways from the game.
1. The team is at its best when pushing the pace on offense
Most of Oakland’s scoring came from quick offensive possessions, and the Golden Grizzlies quickness took the Warriors off-guard on multiple occasions. Oakland’s up-tempo offense opened up gaps the team could exploit before the Warriors could settle in on defense, making it hard for Rochester Christian to react.
Notably, this offense was at its best in the paint; 52 of Oakland’s 91 points came down low. Additionally, the Golden Grizzly offense also led to multiple trips to the charity stripe.
With the Warriors thrown off balance, Oakland was able to absorb contact on multiple offensive possessions, especially in the paint. This led to 25 free throw attempts throughout the game.
Although the Golden Grizzlies only converted 64% of their attempts from the line, if the team can convert their attempts more efficiently, this high-powered offense can be a real threat to Horizon League opponents.
When the Golden Grizzlies controlled the pace, they controlled the game, and the final score reflects that.
2. Maddy Skorupski is the clear top-scoring option for the Golden Grizzlies
After finishing the last season only improving on her play, Skorupski is set to lead this Oakland team this season.
Against the Warriors, Skorupski took the most shots for Oakland and led the team in scoring with 26 points. Skorupski took 15 shots and was more than efficient from the field, converting 10 of those shots for a 66.7% field goal percentage.
In addition to her scoring, Skorupski stuffed the stat sheet, nearly finishing the game with a triple-double. Skorupski brought in seven rebounds and dished out a team-high nine assists.
Another thing of note is how many times Skorupski attacked the paint in this game. Most of her points came from layups, whereas 36% of Skorupski’s shot attempts came from beyond the arc last season.
With a combination of scoring prowess, court vision, and tenacity on the boards, Skorupski is invaluable to this Oakland team. If Skorupski can keep up this play against Horizon League opponents, it’s not out of the question that the Golden Grizzlies will have an all-league player on their squad to end the season.
3. Oakland’s defense is a great compliment to their offense
On defense, the Golden Grizzlies played solidly as a unit. Oakland held the Warriors to a 33.3% field goal percentage. However, the Warriors were effective from deep, converting from deep 43.5% of the time.
Not only were the Golden Grizzlies able to limit Rochester Christian’s chances, but they also forced a large number of turnovers. In total, Oakland had 15 steals, six blocks, and forced 19 turnovers from the Warriors.
These turnovers turned into multiple transition opportunities for Oakland. Combine those transition opportunities with an energetic offense, and you have a recipe for success, with 15 fast break points throughout the game.
Next for the Golden Grizzlies is a trip to the Breslin Center to take on the Michigan State Spartans on Tuesday, Nov. 5. The match against the Spartans tips off at 6:30 p.m. and marks Oakland’s final exhibition game.