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Yahoo
25-03-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
March Madness: Is NIL the death of Cinderella?
Oakland men's basketball coach Greg Kampe recalls exactly when he realized that mid-majors had become a farm system for power-conference programs. It was when Kampe lost a standout player who grew up minutes from campus, who attended dozens of Oakland games as a kid and who always hoped to play for the Golden Grizzlies just like both his mom and dad once did. Trey Towsend blossomed from unwanted recruit to Horizon League player of the year during his time at Oakland. The 6-foot-6 forward saved his best for the NCAA tournament stage, piling up 47 points and 25 rebounds in two games last March as the 14th-seeded Golden Grizzlies waylaid talent-laden Kentucky and took NC State to overtime. On the eve of that run, Towsend described playing for Oakland as 'a dream come true.' Two weeks later, he put his name in the transfer portal. The temptation was too strong with no penalty for transferring and with heavyweight programs offering hundreds of thousands in NIL money if he spent his final college season playing for them. 'He's making 20 times what I could give him this season,' Kampe told Yahoo Sports of Townsend, who has started 29 games this season for Arizona — a Sweet 16 team. 'What do you do? You wish him well. Many of these guys are being told you're not going to be in the NBA, so get your money now and you've got a chance to start your life with a little bit of a bankroll. That's a hard thing to argue against. I can't argue against that with my players.' Stories like that exemplify why there's concern in college basketball circles that the absence of upsets in this year's NCAA tournament may be the start of a trend rather than just an anomaly. The modern landscape of college basketball has made it more challenging than ever for the likes of Oakland to compete against deep-pocketed power-conference programs. Three players who Kampe recruited and developed played for Arizona, Washington and Ohio State this season — and the 41-year Oakland coach is far from alone. Lesser-known college programs from traditional one-bid leagues served as springboards for many of the stars of this week's Sweet 16. Auburn forward Johni Broome, the co-favorite to be named college basketball's national player of the year, began his college career at Morehead State. Fellow all-SEC standouts Mark Sears (Alabama), Chaz Lanier (Tennessee) and Walter Clayton Jr. (Florida) started out at Ohio, North Florida and Iona, respectively. Three pillars of Florida Atlantic's 2023 Final Four team now start for Arkansas, Florida and Michigan. Three former Belmont Bruins are now key players at Maryland, Ole Miss and Florida. Those player retention issues have eaten away at the biggest advantage that small-conference programs used to have in March. The Loyola Chicagos, Wichita States and Butlers of the past overcame the talent gap with older players who developed superior cohesiveness through years of playing together. That would be harder to pull off today with wealthier programs poaching players by sliding into their DMs or making offers through back channels. While the transfer portal does work both ways, mid-major coaches say that it's tougher now than it was five years ago to find power-conference players seeking to drop down a level in search of more playing time. The NIL money available to a SEC or Big Ten benchwarmer often surpasses the market for a SoCon or Horizon League starter. As Kampe puts it, 'The money has changed the dynamic completely. They're not going to come down as often anymore.' The supposed concentration of talent at the power-conference level did not draw much national attention the first few years of the NIL era because it didn't detract from the magic of March. The NCAA tournament retained its egalitarian appeal. Underdogs still turned into giant slayers. No-names still became legends. It was only three years ago that 15th-seeded St. Peters shocked Kentucky and Purdue on its way to the Elite Eight. It was only two years ago that Fairleigh Dickinson became the second No. 16 seed to win an NCAA tournament game, that 15th-seeded Princeton advanced to the Sweet 16 and that Florida Atlantic came within a Lamont Butler buzzer beater of playing UConn for the national title. While no one emerged from small-conference obscurity to make last year's Sweet 16, five double-digit-seeded mid-majors pulled first-round upsets. Oakland ambushed Kentucky. Yale toppled Auburn. James Madison waylaid Wisconsin. Grand Canyon took down Saint Mary's. And Duquesne edged BYU. Then came the discourse-shifting opening weekend of this year's NCAA tournament. For the first time since the NCAA tournament expanded to 32 teams in 1975, every team that advanced to the round of 16 hails from a power conference. Seven are from the SEC, a Sweet 16 record. Four are from the Big Ten. Four are from the Big 12. One is from the ACC. The rest of college basketball's 31 conferences were shut out. Even the vaunted Big East failed to advance a team beyond the round of 32. There was one plucky, double-digit seed that managed to crash the party. Yes, the Cinderella of this NCAA tournament is an Arkansas team coached by John Calipari and assembled thanks to one of the sports largest NIL war chests. The lack of small-conference charm in this year's Sweet 16 has inspired widespread national attention and debate. On Monday's episode of 'Get Up,' former Duke star and current ESPN analyst Jay Williams argued that 'NIL is the death of mid-major Cinderella runs.' He clarified that they'll still happen, but 'it's gonna be more of a rarity.' That was measured and reasonable compared to Stephen A. Smith's scorching hot take. 'If this continues, it will be the death of college basketball,' the ESPN provocateur warned on 'First Take.' To take such a strong stance based on a single NCAA tournament seems a little premature. It's like arguing that only schools that start with the letter 'N' are viable title contenders in the future if Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico and North Carolina all made the Final Four one year. Those comments also ignore the many ways that the loosening of NIL rules is benefiting college basketball. Fringe NBA prospects are staying in college longer rather than chasing money in the G-league or overseas. Some of this season's most recognizable veteran stars would have been long gone in previous eras. And yet there is real concern in college basketball circles about the widening of the chasm between the sport's haves and have-nots. Michigan coach Dusty May recently told The Field of 68's John Fanta that he doesn't think Cinderella is dead but that the sport's changing landscape has 'taken all the best players from the lower leagues and spread them throughout the power-five level.' 'Now 1 through 18 in our league, 1 through 16 in [other leagues], everyone at the bottom is much better than the bottom used to be,' May said. When asked if it's harder now than it was five years ago for a mid-major to make a deep NCAA tournament run, Kampe told Yahoo Sports, 'That's a simple answer. Yes. Yes, it is.' But when asked if he worried about the future of the NCAA tournament, Kampe took a more cautious, wait-and-see stance. 'I don't think enough time has gone by to definitively say this is going to change the tournament forever,' he said. To Kampe, there's no use whining and complaining about how college basketball is changing. You do that, the 69-year-old Oakland coach says, and 'you're going to fall to the wayside. Nobody's ever going to hear from you again.' 'It's our job to figure out how to win this way, how to get to the NCAA tournament and win in the tournament,' Kampe added. What does that look like? Maybe two of this year's top mid-majors provided a blueprint. Drake and UC San Diego built experienced rosters by mining the D-II ranks. Ben McCollum brought four key players with him from North Missouri State to Drake. UCSD's Eric Olen found talent anywhere from Hawaii-Hilo, to Southern Nazarene University, to Azusa Pacific. Kampe has gone the Division II route in the past. This past season, he recruited a transfer from a Canadian program with modest success. 'We're going to keep turning over every stone,' Kampe said. 'This NCAA tournament has been a wakeup call, a slap in the face. OK, what do we do? How do we win this way? We're going to find a counter, maybe not Greg Kampe but someone smarter than Greg Kampe at this level will figure it out.'
USA Today
05-03-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Milwaukee vs. Oakland men's basketball tickets still available for Thursday, March 6
Milwaukee vs. Oakland men's basketball tickets still available for Thursday, March 6 The No. 3 seed Milwaukee Panthers (21-10, 14-6 Horizon League) play the No. 6 seed Oakland Golden Grizzlies (15-17, 11-9 Horizon League) in the Horizon League tournament Thursday at UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena, starting at 8 p.m. ET. Both teams will attempt to get one step closer to earning an automatic place in the NCAA Tournament. Buy tickets for Milwaukee vs. Oakland Shop college basketball tickets at SeatGeek Shop college basketball tickets at StubHub Milwaukee vs. Oakland game information Date: Thursday, March 6, 2025 Thursday, March 6, 2025 Time: 8 p.m. ET 8 p.m. ET How to watch on TV: ESPN+ ESPN+ Location: Milwaukee, Wisconsin Milwaukee, Wisconsin Venue: UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena Tickets: Buy tickets here Watch college basketball on ESPN+! Milwaukee leaders So far this season, Jamichael Stillwell averages 13.0 points, 10.8 rebounds and 1.2 assists per contest. Defensively, he delivers 1.3 steals and 0.4 blocked shots. Offensively, Themus Fulks records 14.4 points and 5.9 assists per game. Kentrell Pullian averages 12.4 points, 5.2 rebounds and 1.5 assists per contest, shooting 45.5% from the field and 34.6% from downtown with 1.5 made 3-pointers per contest. On a per-game basis, AJ McKee is posting 11.1 points. Erik Pratt posts 11.1 points, 3.3 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game, shooting 43.4% from the field and 34.0% from 3-point land with 1.5 made 3-pointers per game. Oakland leaders On the hardwood, Allen David Mukeba Jr. posts 14.3 points, 7.7 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game, shooting 55.9% from the floor. Tuburu Niavalurua is putting up 13.7 points and 7.2 rebounds per game. D.Q. Cole averages 10.9 points, 3.7 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game, shooting 36.3% from the field and 29.4% from downtown with 2.1 made 3-pointers per contest this season. From an offensive standpoint, Jaylen Jones is putting up 5.3 points, 3.0 assists and 2.8 rebounds per contest. So far this season, Isaiah Jones is posting 6.9 points, 1.6 assists and 4.4 rebounds per contest. Milwaukee vs. Oakland stats breakdown The Panthers shoot 46.6% from the field, 3% higher than the Golden Grizzlies concede defensively. Milwaukee is 14-7 against the spread and 18-4 straight up when shooting better than 43.6% from the field. This season Oakland is 6-6 against the spread and 7-6 overall when shooting better than 44.5% from the field. The Panthers pull down 36.5 rebounds per game, topping the Golden Grizzlies by 4.1 boards per contest. The Panthers are 13th in rebounding in the nation, and the Golden Grizzlies are 157th. The Panthers are averaging 78.9 points, 7.2 more than the Golden Grizzlies allow. The Golden Grizzlies average 70.4 points, just 1.3 fewer than the Panthers concede. Shop college basketball tickets at SeatGeek Shop college basketball tickets at StubHub
Associated Press
03-03-2025
- Sport
- Associated Press
Oakland Golden Grizzlies and Green Bay Phoenix play in Horizon League Tournament
Green Bay Phoenix (4-27, 2-18 Horizon League) at Oakland Golden Grizzlies (14-17, 11-9 Horizon League) Auburn Hills, Michigan; Tuesday, 7 p.m. EST BOTTOM LINE: Oakland takes on Green Bay in the Horizon League Tournament. The Golden Grizzlies have gone 11-9 against Horizon League opponents, with a 3-8 record in non-conference play. Oakland is third in the Horizon League in team defense, allowing 71.6 points while holding opponents to 43.7% shooting. The Phoenix's record in Horizon League games is 2-18. Green Bay has a 3-19 record in games decided by at least 10 points. Oakland's average of 7.4 made 3-pointers per game is 1.4 fewer made shots on average than the 8.8 per game Green Bay allows. Green Bay averages 8.1 made 3-pointers per game this season, 0.6 fewer makes per game than Oakland allows. TOP PERFORMERS: Allen David Mukeba Jr. is shooting 56.1% and averaging 14.2 points for the Golden Grizzlies. Tuburu Niavalurua is averaging 15.4 points over the last 10 games. Marcus Hall is averaging 14 points for the Phoenix. Jeremiah Johnson is averaging 10.6 points over the past 10 games. LAST 10 GAMES: Golden Grizzlies: 5-5, averaging 77.4 points, 33.6 rebounds, 15.0 assists, 6.4 steals and 2.3 blocks per game while shooting 45.7% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 76.6 points per game. Phoenix: 2-8, averaging 71.2 points, 28.6 rebounds, 14.2 assists, 5.5 steals and 1.6 blocks per game while shooting 41.1% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 77.9 points. ___
Yahoo
01-03-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Green Bay plays Oakland following Johnson's 20-point performance
Oakland Golden Grizzlies (13-17, 10-9 Horizon League) at Green Bay Phoenix (4-26, 2-17 Horizon League) Green Bay, Wisconsin; Saturday, 7 p.m. EST BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: Golden Grizzlies -7.5; over/under is 145.5 BOTTOM LINE: Green Bay takes on Oakland after Jeremiah Johnson scored 20 points in Green Bay's 76-71 victory over the Detroit Mercy Titans. The Phoenix are 3-10 on their home court. Green Bay is ninth in the Horizon League scoring 69.4 points while shooting 43.4% from the field. See for yourself — The Yodel is the go-to source for daily news, entertainment and feel-good stories. By signing up, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy. The Golden Grizzlies are 10-9 against conference opponents. Oakland is 8-8 in games decided by at least 10 points. Green Bay's average of 8.0 made 3-pointers per game this season is only 0.7 fewer made shots on average than the 8.7 per game Oakland allows. Oakland's 42.8% shooting percentage from the field this season is 4.3 percentage points lower than Green Bay has given up to its opponents (47.1%). TOP PERFORMERS: Marcus Hall is averaging 13.6 points for the Phoenix. Johnson is averaging 10.6 points over the last 10 games. Tuburu Niavalurua is averaging 13.9 points and 7.4 rebounds for the Golden Grizzlies. Allen David Mukeba Jr. is averaging 14.8 points and 8.4 rebounds over the last 10 games. LAST 10 GAMES: Phoenix: 2-8, averaging 70.5 points, 28.8 rebounds, 14.3 assists, 5.5 steals and 1.7 blocks per game while shooting 41.1% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 77.8 points per game. Golden Grizzlies: 5-5, averaging 76.3 points, 33.3 rebounds, 14.7 assists, 6.9 steals and 2.5 blocks per game while shooting 46.0% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 75.4 points. ___ The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
Associated Press
01-03-2025
- Sport
- Associated Press
Green Bay plays Oakland following Johnson's 20-point performance
Oakland Golden Grizzlies (13-17, 10-9 Horizon League) at Green Bay Phoenix (4-26, 2-17 Horizon League) Green Bay, Wisconsin; Saturday, 7 p.m. EST BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: Golden Grizzlies -7.5; over/under is 145.5 BOTTOM LINE: Green Bay takes on Oakland after Jeremiah Johnson scored 20 points in Green Bay's 76-71 victory over the Detroit Mercy Titans. The Phoenix are 3-10 on their home court. Green Bay is ninth in the Horizon League scoring 69.4 points while shooting 43.4% from the field. The Golden Grizzlies are 10-9 against conference opponents. Oakland is 8-8 in games decided by at least 10 points. Green Bay's average of 8.0 made 3-pointers per game this season is only 0.7 fewer made shots on average than the 8.7 per game Oakland allows. Oakland's 42.8% shooting percentage from the field this season is 4.3 percentage points lower than Green Bay has given up to its opponents (47.1%). TOP PERFORMERS: Marcus Hall is averaging 13.6 points for the Phoenix. Johnson is averaging 10.6 points over the last 10 games. Tuburu Niavalurua is averaging 13.9 points and 7.4 rebounds for the Golden Grizzlies. Allen David Mukeba Jr. is averaging 14.8 points and 8.4 rebounds over the last 10 games. LAST 10 GAMES: Phoenix: 2-8, averaging 70.5 points, 28.8 rebounds, 14.3 assists, 5.5 steals and 1.7 blocks per game while shooting 41.1% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 77.8 points per game. Golden Grizzlies: 5-5, averaging 76.3 points, 33.3 rebounds, 14.7 assists, 6.9 steals and 2.5 blocks per game while shooting 46.0% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 75.4 points. ___
