Oakland basketball looks to shock most March Madness brackets in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
The Golden Grizzlies are in the dance for the first time since 2011 and will face off against Kentucky in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. Oakland (23-11) won both the regular season and conference tournament titles in the Horizon League this season and made the tournament for the fourth time under head coach Greg Kampe, who is the longest-tenured active college basketball coach in his 40th season . ,
For their efforts, Oakland received a 14-seed in the NCAA Tournament, facing 3-seed Kentucky. Kentucky (23-9) has one of the best offenses in the country, averaging 89.4 points per game, including NBA-level talent like Reed Shepard and Rob Dillingham, making it a true David vs. Goliath matchup.
But, it’s March; The little guy always has a chance.
NCAA First Round Oakland vs Kentucky Live Score Updates
Final: Oakland defeated Kentucky 80–76
Oakland is the hero of March 2024. The 14-seed Golden Grizzlies defeated 3-seed Kentucky in the first round, behind a career game from Jack Goehlke, who finished with 32 points, including 10 3s. Trey Townsend, who finished the game with a 17-point, 12-rebound double-double, made the final free throw with four seconds remaining to put Oakland ahead by four.
Follow the madness: NCAA Tournament brackets, scores, schedules, teams and more.
9:31 pm:Oakland leads 79-76 with 3.9 seconds remaining. Trey Townsend split a pair of free throws, then Kentucky’s Justin Edwards missed a three, but the ball went out of Oakland’s bounds. Kentucky got a quick bucket from the inbounds, forcing Oakland to call a timeout to set up its final play.
DQ Cole 3 with 28 seconds remaining put Oakland ahead 78-74
9:27 PM: DQ Cole misses a corner 3 against a late finish, giving Oakland a 78–74 lead with just 30 seconds left. Cole made the biggest shot of his life after missing two free throws on the final possession. Cole has 12 points. Rob Dillingham briefly made it a one-point game by hitting a 3 on the final possession.
Oakland leads 75-71 with 1:17 minutes remaining
9:25 pm: Trey Townsend made a tough turnaround bucket at the baseline to put Oakland ahead 73–68, but Antonio Reeves answered with a 3 to make it a two-point game with 1:45 remaining. After picking up a stop, DQ Cole hit two free throws to make the score 75–71.
9:21 pm: Jack Goehlke’s first non-3-point point came at a big time for Oakland, giving them a 71–65 lead with 3:33 remaining. Reed Shepard fouled Goehlke on a 3, and the senior made two of three from the charity stripe to put Oakland up six late.
9:13 pm: Oakland leads 67-65 with just under four minutes left, thanks to Jack Goehlke’s 10th 3 to briefly go ahead by 5, but Antonio Reeves answers with a deep shot of his own. Goehlke had 30 points on 10 made 3s, and became the fifth player to reach double-digit 3s in an NCAA Tournament game.
Oakland leads Kentucky 61-56 with 7:33 remaining
9:07 pm: It’s a meal for Oakland, which leads by five at the third media timeout of the second half. Kentucky responded to Watts’ free throws with two layups from Trey Mitchell, which were broken up by Chris Conway’s jumper at the other end. Oakland is shooting 39.2% (22 of 56) from the field, but 46.2% from 3 (12 of 26).
9:03 pm: A pair of buckets by Trey Townsend and Rocket Watts and a pair of free throws by Watts cut Oakland’s lead to 59–52 with 8:55 remaining. Townsend is up to a double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds, while Watts has eight points off the bench.
8:56 pm: With 11:55 remaining in the second media timeout of the second half, Oakland led Kentucky 53–49 after Kentucky went to the free throw line after the break. Goehlke hit another 3, bringing him within two of the NCAA Tournament record for a game.
8:48 pm: Oakland led Kentucky 49-45 at the first media timeout with 13:43 left in the second half. Oakland was led by a pair of 3s from Trey Townsend and Jack Goehlke, leading the way for 24 points on eight 3s.
8:44 pm:Kentucky mounts a comeback to tie the game at 43 with 16:20 remaining. Trey Townsend had three early points in the half, while Kentucky converted two and one at the rim.
Oakland leads Kentucky 38-35 at halftime
8:17 pm:Are you starting to believe yet? Oakland held a three-point lead over 3-seed Kentucky at halftime. Jack Goehlke was the hero of the first half, scoring 21 points on seven made 3s, and 27 of Oakland’s 38 points came from deep. Kentucky has had offensive success getting to the free throw line, led by Antonio Reeves’ 14 points, but defensively it had no early answers on the perimeter. Goehlke is five second halves 3 seconds away from tying the NCAA tournament record, which was set by Loyola Marymount’s Jack Fryer in 1990 at 11.
8:11 pm:Gohlke did it again. This time at the end of the shot clock, he made a 3 as Oakland took a 36–35 lead with 90 seconds left in the first half. Goehlke held up 21 points on 7-of-13 shooting from deep.
Oakland led Kentucky 31–28 at the end of the first half.
8:04 pm:3 The favor is on Oakland, who leads by three points with 3:32 left in the first half. Jack Goehlke hit another moonshot, this time from a step back, and Blake Lampman buried one from deep to offset Antonio Reeves’ pair of 3s and stay up by three points.
7:59 pm:The first review of the game is underway. Kentucky threw the ball back to the referees after Trey Townsend’s free throw, thinking it was the first of two free throws, but it was just one attempt. Townsend was trying to convert an and-one after making a hook shot through contact to put Oakland ahead 25–22 with 5:35 remaining in the first half.
Jack Goehlke’s three-pointer gave Oakland the lead in the first half.
7:52 pm.: Oakland led Kentucky 23–17 after a media timeout with 7:23 left in the first half. The Golden Grizzlies went on a 12-4 run over the last four minutes, powered primarily by deep bombs from Jack Goehlke. Goehlke had 15 of Oakland’s 23 points, all five coming on 3s. The Hillsdale transfer is stretching at will and finding his stroke, giving Kentucky an early upset scare.
7:46 pm: Jack Goehlke is becoming the most feared man in Kentucky right now. The senior buried another pair of 3s on back-to-back possessions, giving Oakland a 19-13 lead just before the 10-minute mark in the first half.
7:40 pm: Kentucky leads Oakland 13-11 at 11:38 of the second media timeout of the first half. The Wildcats retook the lead on the duo of Antonio Reeves and Zvonimir Ivicic. Oakland is 4 of 19 (21.1%) from the field. Kentucky was 6 of 12 from the field with 10 points in the paint.
7:37 pm: Oakland is getting plenty of chances and has maintained a slight advantage despite struggling in conversion. Jack Goehlke’s first of 3 goals with 14 minutes left in the first half put OU ahead 8–7. Oakland is 3 of 17 from the floor, with seven offensive rebounds resulting in a lot of second chances. Kentucky answered with a bucket but Goehlke hit another 3 to put Oakland ahead 11–9.
7:28 pm: DQ Cole gives Oakland a brief 3–2 lead on a corner 3. It was the Golden Grizzlies’ first basket after starting 0-7 from the floor. Kentucky immediately answered with a layup to take a 4–3 lead. Wildcats lead by 1 at under-16 media timeout.
7:27 pm: Kentucky’s Trey Mitchell scored the game’s first basket on a midrange turnaround jumper. Oakland’s starting five is DQ Cole, Trey Townsend, Chris Conway, Blake Lampman and Isaiah Jones. Kentucky’s starters are Mitchell, Ugonna Onyenso, Justin Edwards, DJ Wagner and Antonio Reeves.
What channel is Oakland vs Kentucky on today? How to watch live stream
Oakland vs. Kentucky to air on CBS, Streaming options include the NCAA March Madness Live app and fuboTV, which offers a free trial to select users. Andrew Catalan (play-by-play), Steve Lappas (analyst) and Evan Washburn (sideline reporter) will be calling on CBS.
Oakland vs. Kentucky start time, TV information, location
- Start time: 7:10 PM ET
- heyTV Information: CBS, NCAA March Madness Live App, fubo (free trial)
- Place: PPG Paints Arena; pittsburgh, pennsylvania
oakland vs kentucky preview
Oakland: Led by college basketball’s most experienced coach in Kampe, Oakland won 17 of 20 games to finish the season and reach the NCAA Tournament. On the court, the team is led by Horizon League Player of the Year Trey Townsend, who is averaging 16.9 points per game, as well as Blake Lampman and Jack Goehlke.
Kentucky: Kentucky has the second-best offense in the country, scoring 89.4 points per game, as coach John Calipari once again reloads his roster with future NBA players. Shepard and Dillingham are two young stars, but the team is led by senior guard Antonio Reeves (20 points per game) and could go 10-deep on the bench in terms of contributors.
Oakland vs. Kentucky Odds, Betting Lines, Spread
Odds according to BetMGM
- Spread: Kentucky (-12.5)
- over under: 161.5
- money line: Oakland +675 | kentucky-1100
Oakland vs Kentucky Prediction, Game Picks
Kentucky 87, Oakland 70
It’s easy to root for Oakland with a team loaded with veteran talent and an icon of the game in the coach’s seat in Compay, but Kentucky is just too good. The Wildcats’ offense presents a lot of significant issues for Oakland on the defensive end, and they don’t have the same type of talent to keep up.
Oakland vs. Kentucky injury update
Oakland: Oakland is healthy.
Kentucky: Kentucky is healthy.
oakland vs kentucky stats
oakland
- PPG: 76.4
- PPG allows: 72.9
- F G%:45%
- 3pt%: 35.1%
- KenPom Ranking: 137
kentucky
- PPG: 89.4
- PPG allows: 79.7
- F G% 49.7%
- 3pt%:41.2%
- KenPom Ranking: 21
Oakland vs. Kentucky Championship Odds
Odds according to BetMGM:
Oakland: +100,000
Kentucky: +2500
oakland basketball schedule 2023-24
Here are Oakland’s last five results. Click here for Oakland’s complete schedule this season.
| date | rival |
| Saturday, February 25 | Right State 96oakland 75 |
| Saturday, March 2 | oakland 75detroit mercy 70 |
| Thursday, March 7 | oakland 75Purdue–Fort Wayne 65 (Horizon League Tournament) |
| Monday, March 11 | oakland 74Cleveland State 71 (Horizon League Tournament) |
| Tuesday, March 12 | oakland 82Milwaukee 76 (Horizon League Tournament) |
| Thursday, March 21 | vs. Kentucky (NCAA Tournament) |
kentucky basketball schedule 2023-24
Here are Kentucky’s last five results. Click here for Kentucky’s complete schedule this season.
| date | rival |
| Thursday, February 27 | kentucky 91mississippi state 89 |
| Saturday, March 2 | kentucky 111arkansas 102 |
| Wednesday, March 6 | kentucky 93vanderbilt 77 |
| Saturday, March 9 | kentucky 85tennessee 81 |
| Friday, March 15 | Texas A&M 97Kentucky 87 (SEC Tournament) |
| Thursday, March 21 | vs. Oakland (NCAA Tournament) |
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