The Wolstein Center has been a very hostile place for the Oakland men’s basketball team over the last few years. It’s been three years since the Golden Grizzlies defeated Cleveland State (CSU) on their home floor.
Thursday marked OU’s third consecutive loss in the matchup, falling 92-75 in disappointing fashion. The 92 points that Oakland surrendered was the most they’ve let up all year, snapping a terrific streak of great defensive performances.
Cleveland State’s Tevin Smith was unfazed by Oakland’s zone defense. The 6-foot-4 senior guard lit up the Golden Grizzlies all night, finishing with 37 points on 14-22 shooting (3-7 from three). His mix of athleticism and defensive prowess, with two steals and two blocks on the night, proved to be a nightmare for OU.
A disturbing trend continued for Oakland’s defense, as well. After allowing Wright State to can 16-31 threes against them in a 66-64 OU victory, CSU shot 11-23 against the Grizzlies. Some threes are expected against a zone defense, but for a zone that prides itself on running teams off the three-point line, it is a concerning pattern that must be solved.
Defensive rebounding was also a major detriment on Thursday night. The Vikings pulled down 15 offensive boards, leading to easy second-chance baskets that forced the Golden Grizzlies to guard even longer. OU only lost the rebounding battle by one, 37-36, but it is virtually impossible to defeat a team when you let up 11 threes and 15 offensive rebounds.
On the more positive side, it appears Oakland’s Malcolm Christie has fully emerged from a shooting slump and introduced himself to Golden Grizzly fans. Christie, a senior from New Brunswick, Canada, had shot 11/39 (28%) on three-pointers before this week’s games against Michigan State and CSU. After having surgery on a tear duct in his right eye, Christie was forced to wear protective goggles with an extreme tint. The goggles added something special to his shot: he went 4-9 against Michigan State and 5-12 against CSU.
Shooting guard DQ Cole also continued his scoring streak, putting up 22 against the Vikings. Forward Allen Mukeba produced a double-double in the loss, as well. For Oakland to find success in Hawaii, OU’s offense efficiency must improve. They currently rank 328th out of 355 teams in field goal percentage, dragged down by the 336th-best three-pointer percentage in the country.
Coming off a relatively strong showing against the Michigan State Spartans at Little Caesars Arena last Tuesday, head coach Greg Kampe was hoping to build on the team’s energy. However, after a brutal defeat to the Vikings on the road, the team will look to regroup as they head to Hawaii for the Hawaiian Airlines Diamond Head Classic.