The Oakland Post 3.20.2024

HORIZON LEAGUE CHAMPIONS

EDITORIAL BOARD

Autumn Okuszka Editor-in-Chief aokuszka@oakland.edu

Payton Bucki Content Editor paytonbucki@oakland.edu

Megan Judy Managing Editor meganjudy@oakland.edu

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Courtney Blackett Photo Editor courtneyblacket@oakland.edu

Brock Heilig Sports Editor brockheilig@oakland.edu

Chloe Kukuk Campus Editor chloekukuk@oakland.edu

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ADVISING

Garry Gilbert Editorial Adviser gjgilber@oakland.edu 248.370.2105

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CORRECTIONS CORNER: The 3/13 Photo of the Week stated the OU men’s basketball team became regular season champions on March 2, 2023, when they became champions on March 2, 2024. The Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) was wrongly referred to as the Athletics Student Government in “Greek Council and Athletics Student Government lose their OUSC voting position.” The SAAC also were not interviewed for the article primarily about them. In “Take Root: An experimental look into dance,” Take Root was founded by both Ali Woerner and Thayer Jonutz.

The Oakland Post corrects all known errors of fact. If you know of an error, please email editor@oaklandpostonline.com.

SELECTION SUNDAY WATCH PARTY The Golden Grizzlies’ placement and opponent in the NCAA Tournament were revealed at the Selection Sunday Watch Party in the OU Credit Union O’rena on March 17, 2024.

PHOTO BY KATIE REID

Selection Sunday Watch Party reveals Golden Grizzlies place in NCAA Tournament

AUTUMN OKUSZKA

Editor-In-Chief

On March 17, Oakland University Athletics hosted a Selection Sunday Watch Party in the OU Credit Union O’rena after the men’s basketball team won the Horizon League Championship on Tuesday, March 12, and earned a spot in the 2024 NCAA Tournament.

Doors opened at 5 p.m. and patrons were offered free food and drinks and could take photos with the Horizon League Championship trophy, net and ticket-punched sign. Patrons were also able to obtain free championship posters and have players sign them.

Kevin Beers, the public address announcer for the Golden Grizzlies, also hosted a Q&A session with some of the team’s players before the Selection Sunday airing. He addressed topics such as the players’ favorite teammate to play alongside and the players’ favorite hobbies outside of basketball.

At 6 p.m., the entirety of the O’rena watched the south-end broadcast board in anticipation as the NCAA brackets were revealed live on CBS. In early predictions, the Golden Grizzlies were expected to be a 14-seed, which is why it didn’t come as a surprise when it was revealed that they are a 14seed and will play against No. 3 seed Kentucky in the first round of the 2024 NCAA Tournament.

After the Golden Grizzlies seed and opponent were revealed, head coach Greg Kampe spoke to the audience about the team’s road ahead.

“In our time in Division I we have 13 wins against Power Conferences, and we’re going to do everything we can to get our 14th,” Kampe said. “We don’t want this to be over.”

Kampe also talked about the head coach of OU’s soon-to-be opponent Kentucky, John Calipari.

“Coach Calipari is a very close friend of mine,” Kampe said. “I doubt we’ll be talking much this week.”

After the watch party concluded, Calipari discussed Kampe and how his friendship with OU’s head coach would be put to the test on Thursday in

a press conference.

“Greg Kampe and I are really good friends, we go way back,” Calipari said. “He’s not a good coach, he’s a great coach... It’s funny, I watched their [OU’s] championship game because it was Greg Kampe. And I watched the second half, and they won, and I was cheering. And I told him, he and I have already gone back and forth, and I go, ‘Look, I’m happy I watched half that game.’ And I said, ‘But I’m not gonna cheer the way I cheered that day.’”

As the game will take place in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania only a few hours away from OU, Kampe expects the community to show up and support the men’s basketball team the way they have all season.

“There’s no reason we all shouldn’t be there,” Kampe said. “I expect to see everybody.”

If the OU community can’t make the trek to Pittsburgh, watch parties of OU’s bout in the NCAA Tournament will occur on or around campus. For more information regarding travel arrangements and how OU will celebrate the men’s basketball team, visit the Oakland University News website.

The Golden Grizzlies’ game versus the Kentucky Wildcats, taking place on Thursday, March 21 at 7:10 p.m., will also air on CBS.

BBQueer kicks off Pride Month at Oakland University

ADRIAN JIMENEZ MORALES Campus Reporter

Retro anime, ‘90s classics, and one of the most colorful decorations of the semester adorned the BBQueer event on March 11, kicking off this year’s Pride Month.

The Gender and Sexuality Center (GSC) and the OU LGBTQ Employee Resource Group hosted the annual casual get-together in North Foundation Hall. Aside from community building, the event served to get the word out about the various Pride Month events on campus.

“The GSC is very small, so a lot of people can’t stop by and know what’s going on,” Elenore Friedseerg-Luft, GSC member, said. “However, people can come to these events once a semester or so and get to know us.”

Attendees celebrated the BBQueer event as it allowed the GSC to grow in numbers and encourage incoming students to participate in the OU community.

“The incoming freshmen don’t want to leave their dorms at all,” GSC member Lynx Mallett said. “The GSC used to have a bunch more people than they do now. Now, it’s like 20 people in the room at the same time. Last year there were a hundred of them probably.”

This year’s theme was the ‘90s decade, not only as an aesthetic choice reflecting how the LGBTQ+ was portrayed and lived years ago but also to remember the progress made by the community.

“We have a lot of people who were teens in the ‘90s and talk about the ‘90s and that’s really important for young people,” Friedseerg-Luft said. “We have to remember that queer people have always existed even if there is a straight hegemony.”

“We’re proud of the progress and the history that we have made on this campus,” Joey Colby, Graduate Assistant for the GSC, said. “Every time I see a student succeed or do well on an exam or that maybe doesn’t do so well but gets up and keeps going, and keeps at it — that makes me proud.”

The events also celebrated the collaborations and the supportive community on campus made up of student organizations and university departments alike.

“We work with the Graham Health Center, we work with the Counseling Center,” Colby said. “We have relationships with the Academic Success Center, Writing Center and all sorts of different offices like the Office of Student Involvement.”

Colby explained that the collaborations were geared towards ensuring students have open and safe access to campus resources and spaces.

“I’m glad that the center provides students with the resources that they need,” Colby said. “Students in this community face a lot of difficulties, and being able to have the academic resources, and the work resources through our center is designed to help students succeed.”

Colby added that their involvement on campus is similarly celebrated and supported not only by fellow student organizations but also by the administration.

“Dr. Ora Hirsch Pescovitz and Vice President and

Chief Diversity Officer Glenn McIntosh do a really wonderful job of supporting our community,” Colby said.

Friedseerg-Luft illustrated how between drag shows and book club events, the GSC aims to diversify this year’s pride month celebrations and also be more present on campus.

“[The events] allow the LGBTQ+ community to come together and to be exposed to the larger community at OU,” Friedseerg-luft said. “It would be great to have potential students come as well because then they could see the community we have here.”

PHOTO BY KATIE REID

PHOTO COURTESY OF AYMAN ISHIMWE

World Religions Showcase fosters dialogue among traditions

ADRIAN JIMENEZ MORALES Campus Reporter

The afterlife, community building and the interpretation of the divine were among the topics explored by the World Religions Showcase panel of five different religious representatives on March 13.

The Religious Studies program hosted the annual Q&A event at the Oakland Center. The compact atmosphere of Room 128 was filled by attendees and the immensity of the questions left in the air after almost two hours of discussion.

“Every semester, we offer the world religious showcase because there’s demand for it,” Henri Gooren, Director of Religious Studies, said. “It’s a way to study religion not from a devotional perspective, but more from an academic perspective — looking at their histories, scriptures and impact on society.”

Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism, Christianity and Islam were the five religions explored at the event. Each guest speaker and representative introduced the religion and its main points in five minutes. Afterward, attendees could ask questions for the panelists.

“It is good for our students to understand the diversity not only among religions but also our community,” Michael Pytlik, Director of Judaic Studies, said. “We have so many different religious faiths in the Detroit area, so it’s important to know.”

The first question asked by the audience regarded the afterlife, how it looked and how it is affected by the choices we make while alive. All questions were

answered by each of the five panel members.

Setting the trend for the event, WonRim Rosh Sillars, a representative of the Buddhist religion, answered the first question with another question.

“Do I want to spend my whole life worrying about preparing for something I know nothing about?” Sillars said. “Or do I want to be the best person that I can be right now for this?”

After the differences between resurrection, rebirth and reincarnation were clarified, the second question delved into how to connect with the divine and how to interpret it.

“The gurus and the scriptures can find a direction, but it is up to the person to go forward in that spiritual path,” Geetha Nagaraj, representative of the Hindu religion, said. “One has to practice and reason, accept and move forward to realize the divine.”

As panel members responded to the questions,

Tau Beta Pi returns to Pi(e) a Professor Day

CHLOE KUKUK Campus Editor

In celebration of National Pi Day, the Tau Beta Pi hosted its Pi(e) Your Professor Day on March 14 in the Engineering Center atrium.

Between noon and 2 p.m., students could pay $5 to smash two plates full of shaving cream into their professors’ faces.

This is the first time the event has been hosted since before the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We finally had an e-board that was really committed to getting it back, and a huge thank you to them, because it wouldn’t have been possible without them,” Tau Beta Pi President Justin Lasecki said.

“This is the biggest event that we host. We host different volunteer service events throughout the semester, but this has always been the biggest one,” he added.

The proceeds from the event were donated to the Oxford/Orion FISH Food Pantry.

“We’ve worked with them before, and they’re a really good organization,” Lasecki said.

Seven brave professors from the School of Engineering and Computer Science ( SECS ) offered themselves to get pied — the largest number of volunteers in the event’s history. Dean Louay Chamra, Associate Professor Christopher J. Kobus, Professor Laila Guessous, Professor Xia Wang, Special Instructor William Edwards, Assistant Professor Sarah Beetham, Assistant Professor

Alycen Wiacek and Lecturer Mike Peterson volunteered their time.

Chamra said he participated in the event to show support for the student groups in SECS.

“I appreciate the students and student organizations. They do a lot of volunteer work, but at the same time, we have to show our appreciation,” he said. “That’s a great way to show teamwork.”

Guessous was the main target of the afternoon and walked away with an apple pie as the prize.

“It’s fun for students to have the opportunity to just smash things on their professors. It’s for charity,” Guessous said.

Her title as “most pied professor” continues a legacy.

“I did this several years ago, and I was the most

they agreed for the most part even if they concluded with different names for the divine. They referenced each other’s words and texts from other religious traditions to build upon their worldviews.

“I think we are all encountering a whole and we are trying to talk about that whole,” Andrew Guffey, Christian representative, said. “We are trying to address and be addressed by this whole and we just see it slightly differently.”

The panelists frequently returned questions to the audience, encouraging them to find their own answers and illustrate the process to reach the philosophical conclusions they explore regularly.

“Do you want something to work for you? If you want religion, you want something to work for you,” Joseph Klein, representative of the Judaic religion, said. “It doesn’t mean that the others are right or wrong. It just means that this works for me.”

A subtle conclusion started to formulate as the event reached its end, one that highlighted the value of community building as part of what has made these five religions so prevalent.

“Peter Berger had the idea of a plausibility structure,” Saeed Khan, Islam tradition representative, said. “Things that help provide functionality for societies and one of the main ones that he described was religion itself.”

“Every religion’s goal is to transform oneself,” Nagaraj said as the event ended. “So, the more that you practice the spiritual path of doing good things, the ultimate goal is to get to the level of consciousness where you meet the spiritual.”

pied professor that year, so I had the title that I needed to regain,” Guessous said. “I told my students that they should feel free to pie me, and a lot of them showed up to do that with gusto.”

Guessous added that the event is a good way to showcase that engineers can loosen up.

“People often think of engineers as, ‘Oh, they don’t know how to have fun,’” she said. “Well, first, it’s Pi Day — the number pi. It’s our day, so let’s do something fun.”

Student Katie Nagy said she attended because it involves good fun for a good cause.

“These events are always nice to have because it goes toward charity,” Nagy said. “And if you get a pie, you get to pie a professor…that’s like the best part about it.”

Nagy chose to pie Wang.

“I actually got her to do this [event]. She was like, ‘How does this work?’ I’m like, ‘Well, they pay for a pie, and you get pied,’” she said. “She goes, ‘Oh okay, it won’t get in my face?’ I’m like yeah, no, she doesn’t even realize that it literally covers your entire face. So I pied her just for fun.”

In the end, $245 was donated to Oxford/Orion FISH Food Pantry.

For more information about Tau Beta Pi, visit the organization’s Grizzorgs page

PHOTO COURTESY OF LEARN RELIGIONS

PHOTO BY CARLEE MORGAN

Passing the ball through time: Oakland’s history of men’s basketball

NOAH FRANCIS Features Reporter

The Oakland University men’s basketball team has secured a berth in the men’s Division I NCAA tournament of 2024, making it the Golden Grizzlies’ fourth appearance at the tournament. Amidst the excitement of what lies ahead, let us take a step back and appreciate the history behind the team.

Long before Oakland’s men’s basketball team was referred to as the Golden Grizzlies, the OU men’s basketball team began competing in 1967 when the team was nicknamed the Pioneers. While starting in 1967 with coach Dick Robinson, the team did not truly make a name for themselves until 1968, under the direction of coach Gene Boldon.

Boldon was Oakland University’s basketball coach from 1968 to 1976 and brought with him changes that put the team on the map. Before Boldon, basketball games were free admission for fans, coming as a shock to the soon-to-be coach.

“It was a walk-in program prior to 1968 and I said, ‘Hold up, we can’t go this way!’” Boldon said in an interview with Samantha Franz. “People paid to see us play in high school, so surely these people are going to pay to see us play at the collegiate level.”

Another change Boldon made was finding larger schools to compete against, such as Alabama State, Ball State, Northern Illinois, Eastern Michigan and many more.

“Looking at the schedule when I first started, there were some schools on there that I had never heard of, like Mackinac College,” Boldon said. “I tried to upgrade the program as much as I could by adding some bigger names to our schedule.”

After laying down the groundwork for raising the popularity of the men’s basketball team, 1974 rolled around and the team joined the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference [GLIAC]. From 1976 to 1984, the team went through two more coaches – Jim Mitchell and Lee Fredrick. In 1984, Oakland University hired Greg Kampe as the team’s head coach.

Under the direction of Kampe, Oakland won two regular season GLIAC championships during their last two seasons in the league. With the transition from the Pioneers to the Golden Grizzlies in 1997, the team also started their transition from NCAA Division II to Division I.

It was not too long after the team became a Division I program for the Golden Grizzlies to reach their first chance to compete in the NCAA Division I tournament. In 2005, Oakland was put up against Alabama A&M for their first match-up, giving the school the recognition it deserved.

“If we could win the game, five million people the next day are going to have to write the word Oakland into their bracket,” Kampe said in an interview with Jeremy Peters. “You can’t buy publicity like that.”

Oakland would compete in the Division I

tournament two more times in 2010 and 2011, but has since participated in other tournaments such as the first and only Vegas 16 tournament in 2016, where Oakland made it to the finals with a record of 2-1, and the National Invitation Tournament in 2017, attaining an overall record of 1-1.

For information on OU’s current men’s basketball team, please visit their website.

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE OAKLAND POST ARCHIVES

Written in the Stars: Meadow Brook Ball 2024

PAYTON BUCKI Content Editor

On March 15, the Meadow Brook Ball Committee hosted its annual Meadow Brook Ball. This year’s ball was themed “Written Under the Stars” — organizers promised the event would be a starry night to remember. The committee held true to its promise.

The ball was a unique, captivating experience that dozens of Oakland University community members were able to enjoy. The event offered a mix of social and independent activities – including photo booths, a dance, raffle baskets and wire art – that made an enjoyable experience possible for all attendees.

Besides interactive activities, attendees were able to learn more about the history of OU, through selfguided tours of the mansion. Meadow Brook Hall docents provided supplemental information about the Dodge family and their life in the mansion.

Adam Scarchilli, an OU graduate student, shared his favorite moments from the night.

“My favorite part of the ball is seeing everyone’s amazing outfits,” Scarchilli said. “I also have enjoyed making new friends throughout the night. Also, there are a lot of fun activities to do, like tarot card readings.”

Maggie Quinn, a member of the Meadow Brook Ball Committee, assisted in the event organizing process.

“This is my second year on the committee. There was a lot of planning that went into this year’s event. We had to start planning almost a year in advance,” Quinn said. “Throughout the course of the fall semester, we think of activities to do and begin ordering decorations. When the event gets closer, we decorate the mansion as a team.”

Quinn was able to enjoy the fruits of her labor throughout the night. She found the charcuterie refreshment station especially enjoyable, along with the music and dancing. But, Quinn finds spreading joy to other students to be her favorite part of the event.

“I love seeing my friends here, everyone having fun

makes the preparation all worth it,” Quinn said.

Guadalupe Avalos, president of the Meadow Brook Ball Committee, finds her work as an event organizer very rewarding.

“I’ve been part of the committee for three years. This year, I wanted to go for a theme that everyone would love, which is why we decided on ‘Written in the Stars,’” Avalos said.

Avalos found collaboration with other students to be her favorite part of the planning process. The committee partnered with WXOU to provide the DJ services for the night. By allowing college-aged individuals to DJ, Avalos believes that the music was better received by attendees than in previous years.

“I just want to give a big shout-out to my committee members who did a great job putting this together,” Avalos said. “I encourage students to get involved in the committee because it is a great way to make new friends and be a part of a long-held Oakland University tradition.”

To learn more about the Meadow Brook Ball Committee, visit their Instagram page, @mbbc_ou, or GrizzOrgs page. Individuals who are interested in joining the Meadow Brook Ball Committee can email meadowbrookballcommittee@gmail.com for more information.

OU fans root for the Golden Grizzlies at the Horizon League Championship

GRACIE MURRAY Features Reporter

When fighting a battle, one must rely on the community to have their back.

Giovanni Moceri, the Sports Media Director at WXOU, is also a Golden Grizzlies basketball super fan.

This March, Moceri traveled to Indiana to watch the Golden Grizzlies play against Cleveland State in the semifinals of the Horizon League men’s basketball tournament.

“I was incredibly nervous at the start of the semifinal game since OU started very slow, but I think deep down, I knew that the team was good enough to win if they kept it close enough. The same goes for the championship game,” Moceri said.

Moceri felt that the crowd’s enthusiasm was an integral part of the team’s success.

“Just like the players on the court, I could not give up on the cheering and had to constantly keep pushing the energy to motivate the team to do the same,” Moceri said, “I didn’t want anything Milwaukee did in the game to take our crown out of it, especially with the game so close.”

As a sports broadcaster, Moceri said that the Oakland University men’s basketball team is very important to

him. Moceri joined WXOU because he wanted to show others his passion for the team.

“Part of my success is directly related to their success because if more people are talking about Oakland basketball, the more likely they are to find me,” Moceri said. “Part of why I have been working so hard to promote Oakland sports and why I am so passionate about it is because I want others to feel the same way. I want the campus to be bussing when it’s gameday, I want people to experience Oakland sports and to love and be fans of their school.”

When the OU men’s basketball team booked its ticket to the Horizon League championship, the Golden

Grizzly community went on a road trip to Indiana. Moceri promoted the travel bus to Indiana. He wanted all students to have the opportunity to cheer on the basketball team.

“I felt so happy not only for the players and the team, but I was happy that the country was going to learn all about our Golden Grizzlies,” Moceri said. “People will learn the legend of ‘Mr. Oakland’ Trey Townsend, about Greg Kampe’s history and dedication to the university, about Jack Gohlke and Blake Lampman’s volume 3PT shooting and how that’s traditional Oakland basketball.”

With Oakland taking home the championship, Moceri was happy to see all the recognition the Golden Grizzlies were getting.

“OU is relevant again, which is something I have been working towards with what I do at WXOU and Oakland Athletics. I was just scrolling through Twitter the whole ride home, seeing love being poured out to Oakland,” Moceri said.

From Oakland University’s biggest fan to the Oakland basketball team, Moceri encourages the team to head into their next game with confidence.

“It’s time to kick the door down, show everyone who Oakland is, and tell the whole country, “We’re the Golden frickin’ Grizzlies!”” Moceri said.

PHOTO COURTESY OF ANDREW DEACON

PHOTO BY COURTNEY BLACKETT

Regular season recap: OU Men’s Basketball highlights

PAYTON BUCKI Content Editor

The Oakland University Men’s Basketball team completed their regular season earlier this March, winning the Horizon League Championship title. The team had hiccups throughout the season, but despite these moments of defeat, the Golden Grizzlies persevered to earn their champion status.

This season, fans saw several key moments in which the Golden Grizzlies appeared confident and empowered. To celebrate the Horizon League champions, The Oakland Post created a highlight reel, albeit in written form, for the OU Men’s Basketball 2023-2024 regular season.

OU vs. Detroit Mercy - First Win of the Season

The Golden Grizzlies started their season facing off against their so-called Horizon League rival, the University of Detroit Mercy. After subpar performances in pre-season exhibition games and tournaments, the Nov. 29 game was a much-needed opportunity for the team to secure a confidenceboosting win.

The Golden Grizzlies journeyed to Calihan Hall, Detroit Mercy’s home turf, for the matchup. If the team was nervous about kicking off the regular season, they did not show it.

Defensively dominant and offensively finetuned, the game was far from a nail-biter. Chris Conway led the charge with 16 points and Tuburu

OU

Naivalurua tied his career-high record, chipping in 11 points. The game ended with the Golden Grizzlies on top, 65-50.

OU vs. Youngstown State – New Year, New Groove

On New Year’s Eve, Dec. 31, the Golden Grizzlies traveled to Youngstown to close out the year. The Golden Grizzlies needed a win, especially because the team was reeling from a three-game losing streak when they rolled into town.

When the game kicked off, the team appeared confident and collected. Not only did Chris Conway go 7-of-11 from the floor, but Trey Townsend also recorded his second-straight double-double with 15 points and 10 rebounds.

All the Golden Grizzlies fought hard throughout the game, but perhaps none fought harder for the win than Blake Lampman. Lampman recorded a career-high 26 points for the night.

The team capped off the year with a bang, besting Youngstown State 88-81.

OU vs. Milwaukee – More Field Goals for Gohlke

The Golden Grizzlies headed to Wisconsin on Jan. 27 to face off against Milwaukee. At this point in the season, no Horizon League team had beaten Milwaukee on their home turf. Despite this daunting fact, the Golden Grizzlies were not deterred from putting up a good fight against the Panthers.

Tuburu Naivalurua proved to be a formidable opponent under the net, nabbing a career-high 17 rebounds throughout the game. Trey Townsend

recorded his fifth double-double of the season, scoring 21 points and grabbing 10 rebounds.

Jack Gohlke proved to be the star of the night, earning a season-high 27 points and recording his 1,000th career point.

Milwaukee fought hard for the win, bringing the game into double overtime. However, in the end, the Panthers were not able to match the tenacity of the Golden Grizzlies. Free throws from Townsend and Lampman put the game to rest and the Golden Grizzlies walked away with a win, 91-87.

OU vs. Detroit Mercy – Coming Full Circle

The Golden Grizzlies finished off their regular season the way they started: playing Detroit Mercy. This time, however, the Titans did not go down without a fight. With a surge of lateseason adrenaline, the Titans kept the game close throughout the night.

Lucky for Oakland, they had Blake Lampman on their side. Lampman not only scored 20 points for the Golden Grizzlies, but he also became the alltime leader in games played in an Oakland jersey in the March 2 game.

Oakland chipped away at the Titans, winning the game 75-70. The Golden Grizzlies not only walked away with a win that night, the team earned the Horizon League title outright.

Writing Center hosts panel discussing academic research publication

NOAH FRANCIS Features Reporter

On March 13, Oakland University’s Writing Center (OUWC) invited Dr. Chris Kobus, the director of Engineering and Energy Education, and Dr. Colin Wu, an associate professor in biochemistry, to speak about their processes and tips surrounding publishing academic work.

Kobus has published his work in several journals such as the International Journal of Heat Transfer and the American Society of Mechanical Engineers. Kobus pays special attention to experimental certainty analysis when reviewing the work of his peers.

“Whenever people come to me and say I need experimental data, the first thing I’m looking for is an experimental certainty analysis,” Kobus said. “Thorough, detailed, you need to convince me that you’re seeing what you think you’re seeing.”

For students struggling with how to start their papers, Kobus explains that students should start with the literature review.

“The beginning of the story is always a literature review,” Kobus said. “So where does my research fit in with what’s out there today? What’s new about this? What’s the intellectual merit? What am I putting into the archival literature that has not been there yet?”

While he suggests students start their work with a literature review, Kobus explains that there is no

definitive structure for completing a research paper.

“Here’s one of the errors that some of my colleagues expect,” Kobus said. “An abstract introduction, the body, the conclusion, but that’s it. It can’t be structured like that. Not a single textbook in the world is structured like that. Chapter One is the basic concept, chapter two builds on the simple concept and chapter three builds on what chapter two did. All the theories are not in one section.”

Wu runs a research lab that studies DNA repair, with a team of six students. Wu suggests that students aspiring to engage in research get in the

PHOTO BY DONGFU HAN

habit of reading peer-reviewed papers.

“I think the best way to improve your writing is just by reading a lot,” Wu said. “For the students who work in my lab, I make them read one peerreviewed paper per week.”

According to Wu, it is important not to treat the research as fact until the data proves it to you.

“We treat everything as BS until they prove to you otherwise, so don’t believe anything, unless the data tells that story,” Wu said. “If the data does not convince you, ask yourself what pieces of data are missing that would convince you otherwise.”

Wu warns that there are plenty of predatory journals out there. If they sound too good to be true, they usually are. To help find credible journals, Wu suggests using BioRxiv, a biology preprint server.

“This [BioRxiv] is essentially a preprint server, so it’s really meant for draft papers that are not ready yet to go out,” Wu said. “The nice thing is this particular preprint server has a whole list of journals that once you are ready to submit, select the journal that you want to submit to and it auto converts and beams it up to the mothership.”

For more useful tips on writing published research as well as step-by-step help through your writing endeavors, visit the OUWC website to schedule an appointment.

Oakland University’s dance team: The spirit beside the sport

GRACIE MURRAY Features Reporter

Alongside the Golden Grizzlies’ basketball team and the pep band, the Oakland University dance team is a huge contribution to the atmosphere at the O’rena.

Kara Schell had been on the dance team for two years. Even though her time on the team was short, the experience has been worth it for Schell.

“This dance team means the world to me. Being a transfer student, my time was limited but I always remind myself to soak in every moment,” Schell said. “I enjoyed everything about this team from practices, to community events and to performing games.”

Schell loves performing on game days. She describes her experience as exhilarating. Schell enjoys dancing because she can heighten the crowd’s energy.

“My favorite thing about game day is interacting with the crowd and giving fans the ‘game day’ experience,” Schill said. “Whether it’s throwing t-shirts, handing out gift certificates, taking photos and dancing with fans.”

Schell’s favorite memory from this season was the last game before the team headed to Indiana for the Horizon League semi-finals.

“The energy in the O’rena was amazing and I will never forget how fun the game was,” Schell said.

Nina Cicerone, a senior who has been on the dance team for 4 years, is enjoying the time she has left with

her fellow dancers.

“Being on the dance team for four years has definitely made an impact in my life,” Cicerone said. “I am grateful for the memories we’ve made and everything we have gone through as a team. I’ve watched our team grow and am so proud of everything we have accomplished.

Coach Brenna has built the dance team from the ground up and she is the reason why OUDT is what it is today.”

The dance team is proud to be a part of the basketball team’s achievements this season.

“It’s been awesome to watch the OU basketball team on the blacktop and a pleasure to cheer them on from the sideline,” Cicerone said. “You can see the endless hours those guys put into their craft every time they step on the court. The dedication that the team, Coach Kampe, and the entire coaching staff have for the sport

is absolutely inspiring.

“Their hard work and perseverance have paid off and they definitely deserved to win the championship and hopefully will continue to have great success during March Madness. Without OU basketball, we would have nowhere to perform. They are the reason the O’rena fills with fans for us to dance for.”

The dance team had the opportunity to travel to Indianapolis for the Horizon League tournament, and it was a fun experience.

“I felt very blessed to have the opportunity to travel with my team to Indy. Traveling to away games is not something we get to experience, so having the privilege to do so was very exciting,” Schell said.

The dance team extends their excitement and wishes to the basketball team as they start dancing in March Madness.

“I am very proud of how hard everyone worked this season. They made it to the top of the Horizon League and I know they have what it takes to make it further into March Madness,” Schill said.

Members of the dance team are excited to watch the Golden Grizzlies play their next game. The dancers hope the Golden Grizzlies play hard and have fun.

“I would tell the basketball team to play strong, have fun and do your best. The Golden Grizzlies community is backing you up and cheering loud. You got this!” Cicerone said.

PHOTO COURTESY OF KATIE REID

For the first time in three years, Oakland found itself playing for an NCAA Tournament berth on Tuesday night. And for the first time since joining the Horizon League, the Golden Grizzlies converted on the opportunity to advance. Oakland will officially head to its fourth Division I NCAA Tournament in program history, and the first since 2011.The Golden Grizzlies started the game blistering hot, unlike Monday night’s semifinal. On Monday night, Oakland went 4:55 without scoring to start the game. In Tuesday night’s championship game, all five Oakland starters scored a point before the under-16-minute media timeout. Horizon League Player of the Year Trey Townsend scored 11 first-half points to help the Golden Grizzlies to a 37-33 lead at the break. Jack Gohlke added six points on two 3-pointers. Blake Lampman had eight points at halftime on 3-7 shooting, including 2-6 from beyond the arc. Chris Conway, Osei Price and DQ Cole all made scoring contributions, as well. For Milwaukee, the first-half scoring came from two main sources: Erik Pratt and B.J. Freeman. In the second half, the teams continued to trade buckets. By the under-12-minute timeout in the second half, Oakland’s largest lead was seven points, and Milwaukee led by no more than three points. Down starting guard Isaiah Jones and key contributor Rocket Watts, Oakland was forced to stick to a tight rotation late in the second half, which resulted in players becoming tired and exhausted during the most critical minutes of the season.

Townsend was visibly gassed late in the second half, but he powered through, especially on the offensive end of the floor. Veteran head coach Greg Kampe helped his team catch a breather by calling a timeout right before the under-8-minute timeout, so the Golden Grizzlies essentially got back-to-back breaks. The senior conference player of the year was unstoppable late in the game. Playing the most important minutes of his basketball career, Townsend proved why he won the league’s most prestigious award. Oakland’s offense ran through Townsend on every offensive possession late in the game, and, fittingly, ‘Mr. Oakland,’ as he’s been nicknamed, led the Golden Grizzlies to the NCAA Tournament. He finished with a career-high 38 points as Oakland bested Milwaukee for the third time this season. In moments when Kampe’s previous teams failed to execute, Townsend took it upon himself to will Oakland to victory. Now, the Horizon League Champion Golden Grizzlies will rest up and await their first game in the NCAA Tournament as a 14-seed against No. 3 seed Kentucky. In recent NCAA Tournaments, lower-seeded teams have been increasingly successful. No. 15 seeds Oral Roberts and Saint Peter’s, as well as No. 16 seed Fairleigh Dickinson, have all pulled off tremendous first-round upsets in the past five seasons. Oakland will now have its chance to become college basketball’s next Cinderella.The Golden Grizzlies NCAA Tournament appearance is scheduled for Thursday, March 21 at 7:10 p.m. on CBS.

ARTS

Inside the pre-game style of OU’s men’s basketball team

OLIVIA CHIAPPELLI Arts Editor

As Oakland University’s men’s basketball team makes their way to the NCAA Tournament, it’s only right that the spotlight shines bright on them this week — and why can’t that spotlight include their fashion choices?

The trend of NBA tunnel fashion has become an iconic part of the basketball world, and that medium of self-expression has even extended to OU’s men’s basketball players’ pre-game fits.

For Tone Hunter, fashion plays a large role in his life, and serves as an intersection point for many different facets of himself.

“I’m comfortable in what I wear, and I think that’s the biggest thing about fashion. It’s not about trying to be like the next person, it’s about how you feel wearing the clothes you wear,” Hunter said.

For this specific outfit, Hunter was inspired by the song “Still Get The Chills (Denim Tears)” by artist Lil Bean — specifically the lyrics, “It be hard to cry, that’s why I got on Denim Tears,” and, “I got Chrome Heart crosses on my sleeve.”

Hunter was listening to the song while getting ready and realized that he actually did have a Chrome Hearts hoodie and Denim Tears Cotton Wreath pants, so he found both in his closet and put them together.

“That picture shows my music, where I’m from, two brands that I really like and support and you see a big smile on my face because, you know, I’m just happy to be here and happy that I can show those types of things off about myself,” Hunter said.

Hunter counts major brands like Rhude and Sp5der as

sources of inspiration, but also likes to support brands from his native Las Vegas — like his cousin Quan’s Millions TooLate and his childhood friend’s Nothing Bigger.

Isaiah Jones — like Hunter — also likes to make a point of buying his clothes from friends who run their own clothing brands as a way to support them and their businesses.

Jones describes his style as baggy and trendy and references NBA players Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jordan Poole as his main style inspirations.

“My favorite piece is in this photo. The Stoic Gallery jacket feels great and with it having a double hood, it gives it some weight. It’s a very nice piece. And also my vintage Nike track pants because I just love the way they fit — especially for my height,” Jones said.

Fashion is not only a great point of artistic expression for Jones, but also a way to express his mood.

“Calm fits with sweats and a hoodie are the days where you are most locked into me. When I dress up a bit more, I am more open to others and responsive,” Jones said.

That same throughline of comfort extends to Trey Townsend, whose simple white t-shirt, navy baggy cargo pants and frayed-hem tweed shirt jacket — all from the Los Angeles-based streetwear brand MNML demonstrate his personal style and fashion priorities.

“Any chance I get to put on a nice outfit I’ll definitely seize the opportunity, whether it’s for a game or some kind of event,” Townsend said. “But don’t get me wrong, you’ll also see me in just sweatpants and a big hoodie a lot because I love to be totally comfortable too.”

‘Love Lies Bleeding:’ A bloody love story for the ages

MOE DEL ROSARIO Arts Reporter

Sapphics everywhere are rejoicing with the influx of films hitting theaters featuring woman-lovingwoman characters. With the recent release of crimecomedy film “Drive-Away Dolls,” a crime-thriller was due. Director Rose Glass and A24 delivered.

“Love Lies Bleeding” is Glass’s second film, but her previous film “Saint Maud” won Best Cinematography and the Douglas Hickox Award for Best Debut Director at the British Independent Film Awards in 2021.

Her short but impressive resume won the attention of A24 and Film4, and the two companies co-produced this film.

Not only did Glass receive attention from the two companies, but also her lead actress. Kristen Stewart was a fan of “Saint Maud” and was confirmed to be part of the cast for “Love Lies Bleeding” in April 2022.

The film had its American premiere at Sundance in January where it sparked a lot of conversation and became one of the most anticipated releases of the film festival.

Part of those conversations involved the film’s premise: a thriller revolving around a bodybuilder and a gym manager.

“Wouldn’t it be cool to make a film about a female bodybuilder? I thought it sounded like an exciting, psychologically rich territory to have somebody in that world and with that sort of ambition,” Glass said in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter.

As a fan of Glass’s work — and one of the many intrigued by the premise of “Love Lies Bleeding” — I had the theatrical release date of March 8, 2024 marked in my calendar.

Lou — the gym manager played by Stewart — and Jackie — the bodybuilder played by Katy M. O’Brian — have far from a meet-cute, as one of the first things we see them connect on is steroid injections. Nevertheless, you find yourself rooting for the pair, even when things take a sharp turn for the worst.

“I really like these people a lot, but they’re morally defunct and completely willing to justify any bad behavior because of love,” Stewart said in an interview with Collider.

As the film progresses, the audience finds themselves learning more about the meek gym manager and her father — as well as their history. Shock after shock, the film captivates anyone’s attention as they also try to piece together the lies.

While the action plays out, the film bounces between reality and hallucination, which adds a jarring and immersive element for the audience.

Stewart and O’Brian balance each other out and the two become a dynamic duo in the film. It’s interesting to see their interactions on screen, and to observe how they develop because of it.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed the film. The 80s thriller vibe mixed with a wonderfully written and complex sapphic love story felt like a gift from Glass. While watching, the film forces you to question the characters’ morals, as well as your own.

“In the end, everyone has the potential to do awful things if it gets them what they want. And I think people are quite good at justifying anything to themselves if it gets them what they want and makes them feel good. So I didn’t want to let anybody off the hook,” Glass said in an interview with the Los Angeles Times.

“Love Lies Bleeding” is currently in theaters now.

PHOTO COURTESY OF DISCUSSING FILM

PHOTO COURTESY OF OU MEN’S BASKETBALL TONE HUNTER

The pep behind the sport: Who are the Golden Grizzlies Pep Band?

MOE DEL ROSARIO Arts Reporter

By now every Oakland University student has probably seen or heard about OU’s men’s basketball team becoming Horizon League champions and representing the school all the way to the NCAA tournament.

The men’s basketball team traveled to Indiana for the Horizon League finals, but with them also came the Golden Grizzlies Athletic Band.

So, who is the Golden Grizzlies Band?

If you’ve gone to any of the men’s or women’s basketball games this season, you’ve seen the band. They’re present at every game and tend to be one of the loudest sections — instruments or not.

The Golden Grizzlies have their own sets of chants and cheers, some of which poke fun at the other teams. Some of my personal favorite cheers include those they yell during opposition free throws. Listening to the band is entertainment of its own.

The band is composed of student musicians who play for home games and occasionally follow the teams elsewhere. The band sometimes also plays for other OU events throughout the year.

Because of this, the band brings forth so much spirit and love of the game that takes the energy level of the O’rena to new heights. With their singing, playing and dancing, they’ve made a spectacle of their presence.

The band plays a valuable role in the game both for fans and players.

“I feel like it’s important for us to be there so the players know that they’re supported. I’ve talked to

several players before, whether it’s in my classes or getting an autograph, and they’ve actually mentioned, ‘Hey are you in the band? We really love you guys and we appreciate you guys,’ which is nice,” Ava Hanchon — who plays the drum set for the band — said.

Those in the band also really enjoy their participation in the extracurricular.

“I know how basketball works now. Like before this, I didn’t know anything about basketball. I didn’t even watch it. Now I’m like the number one basketball fan and I actually bought ESPN Plus to watch the semi-finals,” Elise Perez — who plays flute for the band — said.

At a time like this where the men’s basketball team will be making it to the NCAA tournament, it is important for them to have a support system. The

band will be traveling with the team throughout the tournament and to all of the various locations they’re scheduled to play at.

“I am super proud of the students who have been members of the ensemble this year. They were always on their A-game whether we had a full house or a sparse crowd. Truly a professional and spirited group. I couldn’t have asked for a more enjoyable first year as the director of the Golden Grizzlies Band,” Professor and Band Director David Visnaw II said.

The band is made up of standard marching band instruments including bass guitar and drum set. If you’re interested in joining the band, contact Professor Visnaw at pdvisnaw@oakland.edu.

For more information about the tournament, you can visit the Golden Grizzlies website which provides details and times for all athletic events.

What music gets the men’s basketball team hype?

CHELSEA BOSSERT Arts Reporter

Music and basketball are more related than one usually thinks. Each men’s basketball game at the OU Credit Union O’Rena consists of dramatic and exciting highs, marked by contemporary songs that get people up and hyped.

With the recent success of the men’s basketball team and their recent NCAA tournament berth, there is now a ton of media attention on them. Instead of using the increased opportunities to talk to some of the players about important topics — as an arts journalist, I asked them about music.

More specifically, what song or musical artist gets them hype.

For some players, one song was just not enough. They like to listen to an entire artist — but different players have different reasons.

Chris Conway, Blake Lampman and the Horizon League Player of the Year and tournament MVP Trey Townsend all agreed on one thing — Drake is the GOAT.

Both Townsend and Conway listen to Drake to be in a more relaxed mood, but Lampman prefers to listen to the 37-year-old, Toronto-born hip-hop and RnB icon to get hype for games.

“Anything Drake gets me in the right mindset — it’s different every game — I have a good playlist though,” Lampman said.

Since none of those players listed specific songs, I have some suggestions for readers who want to get as hyped as three of the starting lineup for the Golden Grizzlies.

“Over” by Drake, which came out in 2010, has been a hype song for over a decade. The horns at the start, Drake’s effortless rhymes and flows over the production — headed by Boi-1da and OVO 40. The song has been featured in past NBA 2k games and has been the soundtrack for many basketball fans for the last 13 years.

One more Drake suggestion from me is the recently released J. Cole collab, “First Person Shooter.” One of the best rap songs from last year, “FPS” features a music video that matches the track’s energy exactly — in your face yet stoic and uncaring. The mechanical yet soulful production, paired with Drake and J. Cole trading flows will always put a smile on my face and get me hype.

Tone Hunter’s hype game day artist was Lil Durk. There are a lot of Lil Durk songs that get me hyped personally, but for watching and playing basketball, there’s no competition against “Still Trappin’” featuring King Von. It’s a pretty straightforward trap banger with tough aesthetics, perfect for getting in a competitive mindset.

“Praise Jan In The Moonlight” by YG Marley is Jack Gohlke’s pick for a hype game day song. YG Marley is Bob Marley’s grandson, and his influence is apparent in this upbeat reggae song. In my opinion, this song is perfect to get into a positive outlook before starting any game.

DQ Cole and Rocket Watts both agreed upon “B**** Let’s Do It” by Youngboy Never Broke Again — or NBA Youngboy for short. Much like Lil Durk’s music, NBA Youngboy makes southern trap music, but he is clearly influenced by where he grew up —

New Orleans, Louisiana.

Finally, Osei Price listed “Get In With Me” by BossMan Dlow as his pick for a hype day game song. Personally, this pick surprised me as it is not a super popular song and BossMan is not a super popular artist, however, it does not distract from how hype the song gets not only Price, but it gets me hype as well.

Even though the range focused mostly on hip-hop, each song and artist demonstrates the personality and the likeability of the men’s basketball team. With the first game of the tournament tipping off Thursday against Kentucky, let’s hope that both the music and talent of the team can carry them to success.

PHOTO BY OU MEN’S BASKETBALL

PHOTO COURTESY OF OU GOLDEN GRIZZLIES BAND

Congress moves forward with bill to ban TikTok

MALLORY WALIGORA Political Reporter

Congress is continuing its plan of banning TikTok for American users.

The extremely popular social media platform may be banned for all Americans due to foreign security concerns. The vote in the House of Representatives is to be held on Wednesday, March 20. The vote is predicted to pass — the bill has bipartisan support from both sides.

However, the bill must pass through the Senate and Joe Biden. Although not impossible, this is a difficult task.

The parent company of TikTok, called ByteDance, is a Chinese company that many American politicians have grown fearful of. The company is headquartered in Beijing. Recently, Congress has pressured technology companies on the ethic of social media usage and responsibility.

Shou Zi Chew, the CEO of TikTok, testified in front of Congress along with other social media platform owners, notably Mark Zuckerberg. Chew was questioned about his association with the Chinese Communist Party. Throughout the questioning, he stated multiple times that he was Singaporean, not Chinese.

Members of the House Select Committee on the Strategic Competition Between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party have spoken out about their concerns. The committee has introduced

the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act.

“This bill prohibits distributing, maintaining, or providing internet hosting services for a foreign adversary controlled application (e.g. TikTok)... Under the bill, a foreign adversary controlled application is directly or indirectly operated by (1) ByteDance, Ltd. or TikTok,” the Act reads.

This bill essentially bans applications controlled by ByteDance from the app store and the web. This includes the banning of TikTok. As a Chinese company, many American politicians are starting to question the security of a platform and its ability to collect American data. According to the bill’s language, China is classified as a “foreign adversary.”

President Joe Biden has spoken about his thoughts on the matter. Biden agreed that he would sign the legislation if it made it to his desk.

“If they pass it, I’ll sign it,” Biden said.

A major opposition to this bill has been former President Donald Trump. Although Trump tried to ban TikTok when he was in office, he has since changed sides on the matter. Recently, Trump argued that a TikTok ban would primarily help Mark Zuckerberg and Facebook. By banning one social media platform, U.S. users will simply resort to another, allowing Facebook to gain more views and usage.

“I don’t want Facebook, who cheated in the last election, doing better… They are a true Enemy of the People.” Trump said.

Trump has continued to emphasize the dishonesty of Facebook, particularly in its influence on elections and political influence. The last thing Trump wants is for Facebook to grow in power and gain more influence.

The move to ban TikTok is especially unpopular for younger voters. This move is likely to alienate younger voters — a group of voters that is vital for the 2024 presidential election ahead. Will Biden lose young voters if he chooses to sign this bill? Will Trump gain more young voters if he continues to speak out against the banning of TikTok?

Meet the candidates — OUSC election ahead

MALLORY WALIGORA Political Reporter

Oakland University Student Congress (OUSC) has released its official list of candidates for the 20242025 academic year. Election season has officially started, with each prospective member beginning their campaign. Read more to learn about each candidate for the potential executive board and legislative positions.

This year, there are two presidential slates. Additionally, the list of legislative candidates consists of nine students, each vying for a spot in OUSC.

Kobus Presidential Slate

Joshua Kobus is one of two presidential candidates for this year’s election. His key initiatives include removing presidential scholarships and instead giving out scholarships to students. Additionally, Kobus is campaigning on transparency and plans to make OUSC one of the most visible student organizations on campus. Kobus also wants to give voice to student organizations at OU by making sure all student organizations get proper and easily accessible funding.

“People tend to forget that the purpose of a government is to serve its people. In this respect, OUSC’s purpose is to serve the students. I’d like to fix the problem of OUSC not being well known and not well-respected by showing everyone, by our actions, that we’re an organization meant to give back to the community,” Kobus said.

Joshua Kobus

Kobus plans on rebuilding OUSC’s reputation, emphasizing his “outsider” perspective on the

organization. He claims his experience in other campus organizations and projects outside OUSC adds diversity to his perspective.

“I’ve never been officially a part of student congress which gives me an ‘outsider’ perspective on many issues. My perspectives originate from observations of being a regular student for four years. I also have a lot of leadership experience to apply to this position,” Kobus said.

Kobus wants to encourage students to be more involved in campus life and become more involved. He wants every student to enjoy their OU experience and seeks to make positive changes in OUSC that will help the campus community.

The campaign’s Instagram page can be found at @ kobus4president.

Garcia-Brumer Presidential Slate

The second and final presidential slate is the GarciaBrumer slate, with Jimena Garcia running as the president. Vice presidential candidate Marion Brymer and speaker of the legislature candidate Marcus Johnson join Garia in her campaign.

The Garcia-Brumer slate is campaigning to fix poor mental health staffing at OU. The Garcia-Brumer slate is committed to increasing mental health funding and initiatives in OUSC and ensuring that resources remain affordable and accessible for students.

Jimena Garcia, Marion Brymer and Marcus Johnson

Additionally, the campaign emphasizes student advocacy for student resources. These student initiatives include expanding OU’s food pantry and ensuring cost transparency for course materials.

“We hope to boost civic engagement and student activism by making students aware of the ways legislation can make a difference in their everyday lives,” the Garcia-Brumer slate said.

Additionally, Garcia-Brumer plans to reinstate the Bear Bus or coordinate with SMART to increase shuttle services throughout campus. Increased student transportation resources will provide students with a safer commute during icy conditions. Students will have more access to grocery stores and off-campus locations.

“We understand the battles that students face regarding transportation in every respect and plan to prioritize this initiative under our administration if elected,” the Garcia-Brumer slate explained.

For more information, check out their Instagram page @garciabrumer.

Legislative Candidates

The official list of legislative candidates includes Cameron Fosnaugh, Ethan Lehman-Pace, Lance Markowitz, Daniela Meson De La Fuente, Victoria Ouding, J Cooper Smith, Mackenzie Smith, Rose Smith and DJ Williams. For more information about each candidate’s platform, visit this link.

Voting will be from April 1 at 8 a.m. to April 3 at 11:59 p.m. Winners will be announced on April 5.

For more information, follow OUSC on Instagram @ouscofficial. Additionally, you can visit their Grizzorgs page.

PHOTO COURTESY OF ZENBUSINESS

OU versus Big Blue: Preview of first-round opponent Kentucky in March Madness

EVAN BLANCHARD Sports Reporter

“You know, I never really liked the color blue,” head coach Greg Kampe said as Oakland was announced to take on Kentucky in the first round of the NCAA tournament.

Indeed, Kentucky has been one of the most polarizing presences in college basketball since, well, forever. They have eight national championships, the best all-time winning percentage, and the most all-time wins. They have the most overall NCAA tournament wins and most tournament appearances.

As of 2023 (excluding this year’s All-Americans yet to be named), Kentucky has had 87 total All-American selections. Seven NBA All-Stars from this season were Wildcats, and 46 overall NBA All-Star selections. Long story short, Kentucky is one of the most storied programs in college basketball history.

Recently, they’ve had some burnouts in the Big Dance. Last year, they were a No. 6 seed and lost to No. 3 seed Kansas State in the second round. Just two years ago, in 2022, the Wildcats bowed out in the first round as a No. 2 seed to No. 15 seed St. Peter’s. In the COVID-19shortened season of 2021, Kentucky didn’t go dancing. Head coach John Calipari has been simultaneously praised and criticized by Wildcat fans; this season’s tournament must be a success for him.

Unfortunately, it won’t end happily for Big Blue Nation. Let’s break down Kentucky and see how Oakland can come out on top.

The Kentucky Wildcats Kentucky is led by coach John Calipari, who has led

the Wildcats since 2009. He won a championship in 2009 and has six Final Fours (two vacated). Their leading scorer is Antonio Reeves, who averages 20 points a game on 50.8 percent shooting from the field. He’s a fifth-year senior, earning all-SEC first-team honors. He spent three seasons at Illinois State before transferring to Kentucky. Reeves shoots a staggering 44.1 percent from the 3-point line, helping him get 19 games with 20 or more points.

Freshmen duo Rob Dillingham and Reed Sheppard come off the bench as all-SEC second-teamers. Dillingham was a five-star recruit out of high school. The 6-foot-3 shooting guard averages 15.4 points per game on an efficient 48.2 percent field goal percentage. He is one of the craftiest shotmakers in the entire country and lights up the scoreboard despite only playing 23.1 minutes a game.

He also shoots excellent from the three at 44.9 percent. Sheppard joins his backcourt mate as the point guard for Kentucky. The star freshman is rocketing up draft boards because of his NBA-ready game and efficiency. The 6-foot-3 guard averages 12.8 points per game to go with 4.3 rebounds and 4.5 assists. The most astonishing part of his game is his 54.3 percent field goal percentage, along with an otherworldly 52.5 percent mark from beyond the arc.

He isn’t a slouch on defense, either, averaging 2.5 steals a game. Although he comes off the bench, he plays 29 minutes a game and finishes each game for the Wildcats. Sheppard steps up big in the biggest moments and craves the spotlight.

Kentucky has several bigs that anchor their frontcourt. Leading them is fifth-year senior Tre Mitchell. The power forward scores 10.6 points with seven rebounds

per game. He provides a veteran presence in the paint, leading a trio of younger Wildcats. Freshman Ugonna Onyenso, a seven-footer, leads the Wildcats in blocks and is one of the best shot blockers in the country. Playing only 18.4 minutes a game, he averages 2.7 blocks a game.

He is joined by fellow freshman Aaron Bradshaw, a seven-footer himself, forming a formidable frontline. They don’t do much scoring for the Cats, only functioning as rim runners and receivers of drop-offs. Another freshman, Zvonimir Ivisic from Croatia, brings much more offensive prowess. At 7-foot-2, he can step out and shoot it from deep.

In his first game of the season against Georgia, he shot 3-4 on 3-pointers in only 16 minutes to go with five rebounds and three blocks. His playing time has wavered, but coach Calipari can call upon him for some offense.

As usual for Kentucky, they have several highly touted freshmen. Justin Edwards was the third-ranked high school recruit in the nation. He hasn’t exactly been stellar, averaging only 8.7 points, but all the tools are there. He’s 6-foot-8 with a good shooting stroke at 37 percent on 3-pointers.

D.J. Wagner, the sixth-ranked recruit, has started nearly every game for the Wildcats this season. He’s good for 10.3 points per game and 3.3 assists. Finally, Kentucky has Adou Thiero, a 6-foot-8 sophomore. Averaging 7.5 points, the lengthy forward snags 5.2 boards per game and shoots nearly 50 percent from the field.

(Continue reading on our website)

Rising as ‘Mr. Oakland’: Trey Townsend’s successful journey to the NCAA

SUMMER

WEATHERS

Sports Reporter

Trey Townsend was a kid who always dreamed of wearing black and gold — a dream that has blossomed into reality.

For Townsend, basketball was in his blood, and from a young age, he had been mentored by none other than Greg Kampe, the legendary head coach of the Oakland Golden Grizzlies. Their connection runs deep and is rooted in a shared love for the game and a mutual desire for greatness. Trey Townsend, the Horizon League Player of the Year, MVP and champion has made such an impact on the program, earning him the iconic title “Mr. Oakland.”

“It’s such a special thing,” Townsend said. “I’ve always just wanted to be a part of the team. I never could have written a story that went the way that it did and to be able to have such an impact, and hopefully a long-lasting one. I’m happy and thankful that people have given me that title. Kampe will always be Mr. Oakland to me, but if people want to call me that, I’ll take it. It’s a good compliment.”

It is Townsend’s senior year, and he helped secure the team’s ticket to the NCAA Tournament. In a pivotal game, Townsend put on a show. With the weight of his team’s hopes and dreams resting on his shoulders, he rose to the occasion in spectacular fashion and scored a career-high 38 points in their victory.

But it wasn’t just the win that made Townsend’s

performance so memorable — it was the way he carried himself on the court with humility and grace. As he stood on the court that night, surrounded by his parents, OU students and staff, he knew he was living out a dream that had always been in the making.

Now, as the Golden Grizzlies prepare to embark on their journey to the NCAA Tournament, Townsend emphasizes their team’s goal of consistency.

“I want to stay consistent with everything,” he said. “I know that’s the thing that our team is trying to be focused on. It’s a big game. It’s a tournament game. I think the important thing is to just do what got you to this point, and just stay consistent. You don’t want to get too high or get too low.”

Acknowledging the camaraderie among teammates, Townsend underscores just how bonded they all are, a factor that has translated into success on the court.

“We’ve been such a close group of guys off the court. Not everyone sees that because they only see us, you know, obviously playing out here on the court. They don’t know personality-wise who we are, but if you’re on the bus ride back with us or been on these road trips, we have a speaker playing, having concerts, and just having such a blast, and I think as time has gone on, everyone’s getting more comfortable with each other. We’re all just jelling at the right time.”

They have embraced a unified mentality that is just so powerful and as they take the grand stage, they will have the support of coaches and the entire

Oakland University community behind them.

PHOTO COURTESY OF OU MEN’S BASKETBALL

Reviewing Horizon League champions previous NCAA Tournament appearances

KURT SZYMANSKI Sports Reporter

With the Oakland University men’s basketball team making its long-awaited return to the Big Dance, it’s essential to take a dive into how former Horizon League champions have finished in the NCAA Division I men’s basketball tournament.

At one point, dubbed ‘Motor City Madness,’ the Horizon League Tournament has been around since 1980, a time that predates head coach Greg Kampe’s time at OU and the move to become Division I in 1997.

While the Horizon League has never produced a national champion since the league’s inception, multiple teams have found success in the NCAA Division I men’s basketball tournament.

To start, the winner of the Horizon League Tournament has made it past the first round only 11 times in the 40 seasons a Horizon League Tournament winner has been invited to compete in the NCAA Division I men’s basketball tournament.

Notably, the winners of the Horizon League Tournament in 1980, 1981, and 1994 were not invited to the Big Dance. Additionally, Xavier lost in the preliminary round in 1983 to Alcorn State, meaning the team did not even make the tournament’s first round.

Furthermore, the NCAA Division I men’s basketball tournament was not held in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. So the Northern Kentucky Norse, which won the Horizon League Tournament, were not given a chance to play in the Big Dance.

If you take into account all 39 Horizon League

Tournament-winning teams that made it to the NCAA Division I men’s basketball tournament, there is a 28.2 percent chance that the winner will advance to the second round.

However, considering the recent trend of how Horizon League Tournament winners have finished in the Big Dance, a 28.2 percent change to make it out of the first round may be misleading. The Horizon League Tournament winner has not seen the second round since 2011.

As for the Sweet 16, just four of the 11 teams that made it out of the first round of the NCAA Division I men’s basketball tournament have advanced to the Sweet 16.

If you take into account all 39 teams that have made appearances in the Big Dance once again, that leaves a staggering 10.2 percent chance that a Horizon League champion has played into the second week of competition.

While all of these numbers might seem gloomy, there have been Horizon League Tournament winners who have had success in the Big Dance.

The biggest success story of the Horizon League includes Butler. Although Butler has since moved into the Big East Conference, Butler remains the only team that has won the Horizon League Tournament and reached the national championship.

Incredibly, Butler made it to the national championship in two consecutive seasons under head coach Brad Stevens. However, both times, Butler finished in second place, once to Duke in 2010 and once to Connecticut in 2011.

To date, Butler remains the only Horizon League

Tournament winner to make and advance past the Elite Eight and the Final Four.

Besides producing national championship-appearing teams, Horizon League champions have also defied the odds in a different way: upsets.

Interestingly, the most recent Horizon League upset in the Big Dance came from the Cleveland State University Vikings in 2009.

After winning the Horizon League Tournament, the Vikings entered the Big Dance as complete underdogs against a loaded Wake Forest University (WFU) Demon Deacons team. Notably, the WFU roster was filled with NBA talent, including Al-Farouq Aminu, Jeff Teague, James Johnson and Ish Smith.

Although the Vikings were a No. 13 seed, they completely dominated the fourth-seeded Demon Deacons, winning 84-69.

As the OU men’s basketball team gears up to return to the NCAA Tournament, they step onto the national stage, representing a conference with a history of thrilling upsets and competitive prowess.

Reviewing Oakland’s previous NCAA Tournament appearances

BROCK HEILIG Sports Editor

With Oakland University off to its fourth-ever NCAA Tournament, it’s important to look back at how the Golden Grizzlies have fared in each of their three previous appearances. Although Greg Kampe has been at Oakland for 40 years now, his program has only been eligible for the Division I NCAA Tournament for 26 seasons — ever since the program completed the transition from Division II to Division I in 1999.

Kampe has now led Oakland to four Division I NCAA Tournament appearances in 26 eligible seasons, which averages out to about one national tournament appearance every six or seven seasons.

The Golden Grizzlies’ first appearance came, ironically, in 2005, six years after the transition to Division I was complete.

2005 NCAA Tournament

In 2005, Oakland not only appeared in its first Division I NCAA Tournament in program history, but Kampe led the Golden Grizzlies to an NCAA Tournament victory. Led by seniors Rawle Marshall and Cortney Scott, the Golden Grizzlies, which earned a No. 16 seed in the Big Dance, defeated Alabama A&M in an opening-round play-in game.

Marshall, who came off the bench in the victory, led all scorers with 29 points. Scott added 21 points of his own to help the Golden Grizzlies to the 79-69 win.

Unfortunately for Oakland, North Carolina, the No. 1 overall seed and eventual national champion, awaited and the Tar Heels disposed of the Golden Grizzlies in

the Round of 64, 96-68.

2010 NCAA Tournament

Five years later, junior center Keith Benson carried Oakland to a 17-1 record in the Summit League as the Golden Grizzlies punched a ticket to their secondever NCAA Tournament appearance. Oakland entered the Big Dance as a No. 14 seed, and it drew a tough matchup against third-seeded Pittsburgh.

Benson scored 28 in the opening-round contest, but a balanced scoring attack by the Panthers — six players had 10 or more points — eliminated Benson and Oakland rather easily, 89-66.

Pittsburgh went on to lose in the Round of 32 to No. 6 seed Xavier.

2011 NCAA Tournament

Benson came back for his senior season, and he was joined by a much more balanced scoring attack alongside junior guard Reggie Hamilton, senior forward Will Hudson, freshman guard Travis Bader and senior guard Larry Wright.

Oakland posted a 17-1 record in the Summit League for the second consecutive year, and it won the conference tournament for the second straight year as well.

The Golden Grizzlies earned a favorable No. 13 seed in the NCAA Tournament and drew a Texas squad that had future NBA players Tristan Thompson and Cory Joseph.

Oakland outscored Texas by four points in the second half, but it ultimately came up just five points shy of an upset and the program’s first appearance in the Round of 32. The Longhorns lost to No. 5 seed Arizona in the next round.

To this day, Oakland still has yet to make it past the Round of 64 and appear in the Round of 32. Its 85-81 loss to Texas was by far its best chance.

Kampe and the Golden Grizzlies will face their match against the Kentucky Wildcats on March 21. Notably, Oakland is placed as a No. 14 seed, just like it was in 2010. The game is set to start at 7:10 p.m. ET.

PHOTO COURTESY OF MYSANANTONIO.COM

‘It was his moment’: Greg Kampe relives Trey Townsend’s takeover of Championship Game

BROCK HEILIG Sports Editor

What senior forward Trey Townsend did on Tuesday night in the Horizon League Championship Game will be talked about and written about for decades on the campus of Oakland University. During the program’s biggest game in at least three seasons, Townsend, the Horizon League Player of the Year, rose to the occasion.

In a game that went back and forth for all 40 minutes — neither team led by more than seven points — Townsend came up with big bucket after big bucket to help the Golden Grizzlies defeat the Milwaukee Panthers.

Twenty-seven of Townsend’s 38 points came in the second half. At one point, Townsend scored 16 consecutive points for the Golden Grizzlies. Jack Gohlke drilled a 3-pointer from the corner with 9:35 remaining in the game. No Golden Grizzly other than Townsend scored a point until Chris Conway made a layup with 1:23 left to go.

After the game, Greg Kampe took everyone inside one of the two timeouts that came near the eightminute mark.

“About seven minutes to go in the game, they had made a run, maybe took the lead. We were up one, and they were going to the line with two free throws... And we got to the sideline and we’re standing there, and Jack Gohlke, who’s a really good player, right?

Who could’ve been all-league, could be everything, and Blake Lampman, who is all-league and a really good player — the five of us were standing there — the guys on the court with me and a bunch of players... And Jack Gohlke grabs me and says, ‘This is Trey T’s moment! The ball goes to him!’

“Now, this guy wants to shoot the three, right? Then [Lampman] starts beating on people and saying, ‘It’s Trey T’s moment! The ball’s going to him!’ I didn’t have to coach. And the ball went to him the rest of the game. And this son of a — he delivered. He delivered.

“He delivered. And it was his moment. It’s why we won. Not that he delivered is why we won, it’s

because Jack Gohlke and Blake Lampman said those things. That’s why we won.”

Townsend was simply unstoppable, and he wouldn’t be denied an NCAA Tournament berth. Lampman and DQ Cole made clutch layups late to keep Milwaukee at bay, but the focus was all on Townsend.

The conference player of the year recapped his monster 38-point, career-best performance.

“I just think it’s a credit to how talented the rest of the guys are out there with me,” Townsend said. “A lot of the game plan, you’d think, is to just double Chris [Conway] and I in the post, but with the way Blake [Lampman], Jack [Gohlke] and DQ [Cole] have been playing, you can’t really just rely on that because Chris is one of the most talented players that I’ve ever played with at his size, and to be able to do what he can do, it’s hard to just pick and choose who you want to double. It just happened to be my night.

“My teammates just fed me the ball, and I was able to score. And if I wasn’t scoring, it would’ve been Chris. But having a guy like Chris down there with me, knowing, if I happen to miss, he’s gonna get a rebound and put it back or dunk it... it just makes me play with so much more confidence.”

Townsend will now lead the Golden Grizzlies into the NCAA Tournament, where they will look to make noise in one of the best sporting events in the world.

Through trials and tribulations, Greg Kampe toughed it out; now, he’s triumphed

BROCK HEILIG Sports Editor

March 7, 2016

Kay Felder and Oakland stormed back from 13 points down in the semifinals of the Horizon League Tournament at the Joe Louis Arena, but a last-minute, game-winning basket sent Felder and No. 2 seed Oakland home. The Golden Grizzlies lost, 59-55.

March 4, 2017

In the same building 362 days later, Jalen Hayes and Martez Walker combined for 49 points, but No. 1 seed Oakland was ousted from the conference tournament yet again, this time at the hands of No. 9 seed Youngstown State on a last-second layup. The Golden Grizzlies lost, 81-80.

March 5, 2018

The venue changed the following year to Little Caesars Arena, but the outcome stayed the same. Oakland went nearly nine minutes without scoring a point, but it still found itself up a point with 43 seconds to go. Then, Cleveland State’s Tyree Appleby made a jumper, and the eighth-seeded Vikings upset fourthseeded Oakland. The Golden Grizzlies lost, 44-43.

March 11, 2019

In the Horizon League Tournament semifinals the following year, No. 3 seed Oakland stormed back from a 10-point second-half deficit to take a two-point lead over No. 2 seed Northern Kentucky with 10 seconds to go. NKU’s Drew McDonald then hit a 3-pointer

with four seconds to go, and Oakland was eliminated yet again. The Golden Grizzlies lost, 64-63.

Coaching college basketball isn’t for the faint of heart, and Greg Kampe certainly doesn’t fall into that category. Four consecutive conference tournament losses by a combined seven points might send other 60-something-year-old coaches that have been at their respective schools for 30-plus years into retirement.

But not Kampe.

Sure, the losses were excruciatingly painful, but he persevered, and he never made it about himself.

“I don’t run from adversity,” Kampe said on Tuesday night. “And I think there’s a lot of people that wanted me to, and I had some great teams. I’ve had five NBA players, and three of them didn’t make it [to the NCAA Tournament]... Four years in a row, we lost on a last-second shot. It’s heartbreaking.

“But when it comes down to just one weekend, and so many things can go wrong that what it takes to get there, it’s so hard and it’s so gut-wrenching, and it eats you alive.”

Kampe recalled one particular moment from 2016 that he struggled to stomach.

“It’s not about me. It’s about going in that locker room after a loss and seeing Kay Felder laying on the floor crying. And the fans don’t see that. They think, ‘Oh, we didn’t go [to the NCAA Tournament]... What it means to [the fans] is nothing — the fans go on and cheer for the next year. That was it for Kay Felder. That was his last chance.”

It wasn’t just Felder, though. The same could be said for every Oakland senior the past 12 seasons that never got a chance to play in the NCAA Tournament — the ones that poured their heart and soul into the program but never got a chance to play in March Madness.

“I know what it feels like to lose it, and it’s hell. And so, when it went bad and [the losses] started piling up on each other, I take that personally. I felt I let Oakland down, I felt I let my kids down. It wasn’t about me. It’s never about me. It was about those kids.”

The past can’t be changed, though. Kampe chose to persevere through the tough losses, and on Tuesday night, it all paid off.

March 10, 2024

Kampe found himself and his program in a familiar position: stuck in a close game in the final minutes of a conference tournament game. When it seemed like history was going to repeat itself with the Golden Grizzlies and Milwaukee Panthers knotted at 70 with just under three minutes to go, Trey Townsend — a senior, fittingly — wrote a different story. The Michigan native scored 16 consecutive points for Oakland and finished with a career-high 38 as Oakland won the Horizon League Tournament. The Golden Grizzlies won, 83-76.

(Continue reading on our website.)

PHOTO COURTESY OF OU MEN’S BASKETBALL

What they’re saying: Prominent Oakland figures react to NCAA Tournament berth

BROCK HEILIG AND KURT SZYMANSKI Sports Editor and Sports Reporter

Tuesday night marked a historic moment in the history of Oakland University.

The men’s basketball team punched a ticket to just its fourth Division I NCAA Tournament in program history with an 83-76 win over Milwaukee. After the win, Oakland fans, cheerleaders and band members poured onto the floor to watch the team cut down the nets and celebrate the milestone.

On the court were a few of the most prominent figures currently at Oakland University. The Oakland Post grabbed interviews with some of Oakland’s biggest names.

Greg Kampe (Head Coach)

“Last night I had 147 text messages. I just grabbed my phone I have 403. I guess that’s 13 years of not going to the tournament, everybody is coming out of the woodworks. Actually, it’s 12 years, this is the 13th, so it was only 12 years we weren’t there.

I think we’re a 13 seed and maybe a 12. I hope the committee watches that and I hope they agree with me and I hope they put us really close to Detroit so that our fanbase can get to it.”

Trey Townsend (Forward)

“I can’t put into words what this means. Honestly, I don’t know when it will hit me but I’m glad we’re playing this late in March.

If you guys could see how close everyone is off the court you wouldn’t be surprised with how things are turning out on the court. But, this group of guys is the

closest I’ve been with a team in any sport I’ve played, any year I’ve played and that’s just credit to them for everyone appreciating and understanding their roles. We wouldn’t be here without every single person.”

Blake Lampman (Guard)

“I’ve dreamed about this as a kid… I wasn’t even dreaming about this moment now that I’m here. I came to Oakland because I wanted to learn from Coach Kampe and hoped to coach one day and I never really looked back from there. I always trusted him, I love that dude. I knew if I trusted in him and I could get guys to trust in him with me then he could lead us to where we’re at right now.”

Ora Pescovitz (University President)

“It’s huge. First of all, of course, it’s huge for the student-athletes. It’s huge for the coaches. Not just, of course, Coach Kampe, but for all the coaches. There are a lot of coaches and trainers that pour their blood, sweat and tears into preparing the team, and it comes down to this one game, but actually it’s months and months and months, actually, years of preparing. So, it is really huge.

And, of course, it’s huge for the university. And all the students, by the way. The band, our dance team, and all of our student fans, our faculty, our staff, and all of our supporters. And I’ve been getting emails from all around the country, congratulating us. One of the things I hope is that a lot of prospective students will look at Oakland and say, ‘Gosh, I want to go to that school,’ and I expect they will.

And their parents will look at us and say ‘Do you want to go to that school with that great team that has, not just a great athletic program, but so much spirit?’ And to see our student-athletes, they’re not just great athletes.

They’re great people. And that’s one of the things I think prospective students will see and appreciate.”

Steve Waterfield (Athletic Director)

“Relief. I’m so happy for the team and the coaches. You see so much of what they do outside of what happens on the court, whether it’s practice, whether it’s just in the O’rena, I’m just proud of what they did. It’s a great group — a great team. I’m excited for them.

People are going to wonder what Oakland is and starting from now until hopefully past the first-round games. Oakland’s going to be in brackets, folks are going to look it up, it creates a platform that you can’t get unless you earn your way into the tournament.”

Kevin Beers (Public Address Announcer)

“[Greg] Kampe said it best: It’s hard. They’re the No. 1 seed, they won the regular-season championship and now won this, it’s so hard to do that. We haven’t done this since 2011. That tells you how hard it is. So that’s the thing. Mixed in with all the emotions has to be relief, in a way, especially for Kampe. And I feel that. I feel relief a lot. Everybody’s kind of floating. Everybody’s kind of floating on air. Everybody’s kind of individually and collectively gonna sort of float out of this place to their cars, so it’s so joyous.

part in it. Anybody who went to a single home game thacool about everybody being able to be out here on the floor right now.”

(Continue reading on our website.)