FAIRFIELD
GAMEDAY INFORMATION
Fairfield (2-7, 0-0 MAAC) | Saturday, Dec. 21 – 2 PM | Athletics Center O’rena | Rochester, Michigan
COVERAGE BROADCAST
TV20 | TALENT: Neal Ruhl (PxP) and Dan Waterstradt (analyst) | RADIO: WDFN-AM (1130), iHeart Radio app | TALENT: Neal Ruhl (PxP) and Dan Waterstradt (analyst)
ROCHESTER, Michigan – The Oakland University men’s basketball team returns to the O’rena for the first time in six games on Saturday, December 21. The Golden Grizzlies are set to host Fairfield at 2 pm on TV20 for the programs’ second meeting all-time.
Last season’s bout in Fairfield, Connecticut, went in favor of Oakland, 87-86. Xavier Hill-Mais had a big outing, finishing with a game-high 21 points to go with six boards. Brad Brechting notched six points and three rebounds in 11 minutes of action in last year’s edition. The two seniors are the lone Golden Grizzlies to see action against the Stags a year ago.
The senior bigs had a strong showing at Syracuse last time out on Wednesday night, combining for 36 points and six boards – led by Brechting’s 20 points. The Orange’s head coach Jim Boeheim had high praise for the duo following the effort, “Their big guys are very good….really good and really strong…even when we trapped them, they shrugged us off and went in. They are a good team. They are physical, tough guys.”
Saturday’s game is Ugly Sweater Night at the O’rena. Special edition holiday packs are available for just $29 through the OU Ticket Office featuring two tickets to either the men’s or women’s games on Saturday and two Golden Grizzly Ugly Sweater T-shirts.
Fairfield enters the matchup 2-7 on the season and 1-5 over its last six. The lone win for the Stags over that stretch came in Orlando against Texas A&M, 67-62. Five of Fairfield’s nine games this season have been decided by five points or less. The Stags and Golden Grizzlies share a common opponent to date in No. 6 Maryland. Fairfield fell in College Park, 74-55, on Nov. 19.
Inside the Series
Overall: Oakland leads 1-0
At Home: 0-0
At Fairfield: 1-0
At Neutral: 0-0
Current Streak: Oakland, 1-0
Last Meeting: W, 87-86 at George Bisacca Court at Alumni Hall(12/6/18)
Notes
- The Golden Grizzlies return to the O’rena for the first time since November 18 when Oakland knocked off Hartford, 60-50. OU went 1-5 over the six-game stretch, falling to a trio of MAC schools, No. 16/15 Michigan State and Syracuse.
- Saturday is just the second meeting between Oakland and Fairfield. The two sides met for the first time a year ago in Fairfield, Connecticut. The Golden Grizzlies edged out the Stags, 87-86. Xavier Hill-Mais had a big game last time out against Fairfield, going 9-of-12 from the floor for 21 points and six boards.
- Oakland sits first in the Horizon League in defense, only allowing a league-best 65.1 points per game. The Golden Grizzlies held #16/15 MSU seven points below its season average, allowing just one Spartan to hit double-figures.
- The Golden Grizzlies have been a force on the glass, outrebounding their opponents in eight of 12 outings this season. Oakland holds a margin of +4.1 and is just coming off outrebounding Syracuse, 34-29. The Golden Grizzlies rank second in the league in rebounding, trailing Youngstown State who is holding a margin of +4.8.
- Oakland is no stranger to big environments. On three occasions this season the Golden Grizzlies have played in front of 12-plus thousand. (at Maryland 12,989 | vs. Michigan State 18,145 | at Syracuse 16,394).
- The Golden Grizzlies are the third-highest ranked team in the most updated NET rankings. The NET relies on game results, strength of schedule, game location, scoring margin, net offensive and defensive efficiency, and the quality of wins and losses. Wright State (116) and Northern Kentucky (120) are the lone league foes in front of Oakland (185).
- Opponents have hit just 40.4 percent of their field goals against Oakland, making the Golden Grizzlies’ defense tops in the Horizon League.
- In the last two outings (vs. No. 16/15 Michigan State, at Syracuse), Oakland has forced its opponent to live on the perimeter, as the Spartans and Orange have combined for 77 three-point attempts against the Golden Grizzlies. Oakland is second in the Horizon league in three-point defense, giving up just 31.3-percent of attempts.
