To this point of the season, Oakland has only played five games on their home floor. As we sit here on January 21st, that is not a lot.
In Oakland’s next five games, four of those will be on the blacktop. That, is alot.
This week includes a home game and a road game, before three straight games in Rochester. Wednesday begins the week, as Purdue Fort Wayne comes to town.
Picked by many as the preseason favorite in the conference, Purdue Fort Wayne has fared well so far. Sitting at 7-2 in the conference, they have positioned themselves nicely to be in the hunt for a league championship late in the year. They are currently in second place, one game back of Cleveland State in first.
The Mastodons are led by a high-powered offense that ranks in the top 60 in the country per Kenpom. That attack is led by Jalen Jackson. Jackson was all league in the Horizon last year and has returned as a force. He averages almost 20 points per game. Rasheed Bello, also a returning all-league member, averages 15 points per game. Bello also leads the team in assists.
Two other perimeter plays, Quinton Morton-Robertson and Corey Hadnot, add to the high powered perimeter attack.
Starting big man Eric Mulder has been sidelined for weeks due to injury, perhaps giving Oakland a big advantage inside. Purdue Fort Wayne is not a great defensive team as well, so Oakland could have a good chance to be able to keep up on the scoreboard.
Last year, Oakland ended the Mastodons season in the Horizon League Quarterfinals, after each team won on the others home floor in the regular season.
Oakland will look to repeat what they did to Purdue Fort Wayne last year to their next opponent on Saturday. Robert Morris came to Oakland earlier this month and beat the Golden Grizzlies thanks to double digit second half comeback.
Kam Woods, the leading scorer for Robert Morris, killed Oakland in the first matchup. He scored 29 points and made three of four from deep.
Allen Mukeba and Buru Naivalurua got their usual numbers in that first matchup, but the two combined were a tad less efficient than Golden Grizzly fans have become accustomed too. The two Horizon League field goal percentage leaders will hope to have their way against a talented Robert Morris frontcourt in Amarion Dickerson and Alvaro Fulgueiras.
Wednesday night’s game against Purdue Fort Wayne will tip off at 7pm Eastern Time, while the tilt with Robert Morris on Saturday is slated to start at 2pm Eastern Time. Both games will be broadcast on ESPN+.