Pregame Preview: Oakland (5-6, 1-0) at Northern Kentucky (9-3, 1-1)
Heading into Wednesday's game, Oakland brings one of the more efficient offenses NKU will see this season. The Grizzlies rank inside the top 80 nationally in offensive efficiency per KenPom and take care of the ball, turning it over on just 14.3% of their possessions. They have been consistently productive, scoring 77 or more points in nine of their 11 games so far. One area NKU will look to test is Oakland’s execution against zone looks. In limited possessions against zone defenses this season, Oakland’s field goal percentage drops to 37.5%.
Defensively, Oakland does a good job of avoiding fouls, but the results have been inconsistent. Similar to NKU, the Grizzlies lean heavily on zone coverage, using it just over 80% of the time this season. In those zone possessions, opponents are shooting 46.8% from the field. When Oakland switches to man-to-man, which makes up the remaining 20% of their defensive looks, opponents have been even more efficient, shooting 53.6%.
The heavy use of zone also helps protect Oakland’s best offensive player, but shortest rotation piece, Brody Robinson, by limiting how often he is exposed in one-on-one situations. In zone coverage, Robinson has held opponents to a 40.7% field goal percentage, compared to 70% (7-10) allowed when he is defending in man-to-man.
As usual under Greg Kampe, Oakland has challenged itself with one of the toughest non-conference schedules in the country. The Grizzlies opened the season with road games at Michigan, Purdue, and Houston, beat a quality Toledo team at home, and most recently dropped a road game at Northern Iowa. Despite that slate, their offensive production has remained steady. They also follow Wednesday's game against NKU with a short road trip to #9 Michigan State.
Oakland will be shorthanded entering tomorrow’s matchup and going forward. Starter Nassim Mashhour is out for the season after an MRI revealed a complete knee tear. He is expected to undergo surgery later this month with a four-to-six month recovery timeline. Mashhour had started every game and was averaging just over nine points per game while shooting 37.7% from three. Let's take a look at the scouting report with this injury in mind.
Oakland Scouting Report
★ Denotes Starter of Previous Game
★ #2 Ziare Wells – Senior Guard, 6'6" 170 lbs – Queens, NY / South Shore HS
Previous School: Lenoir-Rhyne
Season Averages: 24.4 MIN, 10.1 PTS, 5.3 REB, 1.5 AST, 0.9 STL, 0.2 BLK, 0.8 TO, 49.5 FG%, 77.3 FT%, 26.7 3PT%
Left-handed guard who does most of his damage with the ball in his hands. Wells opened the season as a starter for the first six games and returned to the starting lineup last game. He is not a volume three-point shooter, but he is very effective in the open floor. Oakland leans on him in transition, where he has reached double-digit transition points in three different games this season. He is quick, decisive, and aggressive pushing tempo. Two games ago against Toledo, Wells tied his season high with 21 points in just 23 minutes off the bench, showing his ability to score efficiently without heavy usage.
At Lenoir-Rhyne in 2024-25, Wells was one of the top players in Division II. He earned All-SAC Tournament MVP, All-SAC First Team, and All-SAC Newcomer of the Year honors while leading the Bears to the SAC Tournament title and an NCAA Division II Regional Championship. He led the team in scoring at 16.6 points per game, added 5.7 rebounds and 2.3 assists, and shot 53.2% from the field and 39.1% from three.
★ #6 Michael Houge – Fifth-Year Forward, 6'7" 228 lbs – Detroit, MI / Chattanooga Christian HS
Previous School: Jacksonville State
Season Averages: 24.3 MIN, 14.5 PTS, 4.5 REB, 0.3 AST, 0.5 STL, 0.7 BLK, 1.7 TO, 60.7 FG%, 81.8 FT%, 25.0 3PT%
Houge missed the first five games of the season with a high ankle sprain but has started each of the last five games. He is not a perimeter threat, and has attempted just four three-point shots all season. Offensively, Houge almost exclusively drives to his right, putting his head down to attack the rim and spinning back into the middle of the paint. That spin move is his favorite go-to, and it is an area where NKU’s perimeter help defenders will look to swipe down and try to force turnovers.
Last year at Jacksonville State, Houge appeared in all 36 games with two starts, averaging 8.5 points and 7.4 rebounds per game while shooting 47.8% from the field.
#10 Brett White II – Fifth-Year Guard, 6'6" 184 lbs – Battle Creek, MI / Battle Creek Central
Previous School: Rochester Christian
Season Averages: 17.2 MIN, 7.6 PTS, 2.8 REB, 0.4 AST, 0.5 STL, 0.4 BLK, 0.4 TO, 45.9 FG%, 46.2 FT%, 40.7 3PT%
White is a role player whose offense comes almost entirely from behind the arc. 54 of his 61 shot attempts this season have been threes, with most of those coming on catch-and-shoot opportunities. He has a quick, confident release with no hesitation and is very good without the ball, constantly hunting perimeter looks. Earlier this season, he knocked down six threes at UCF. He also reached the 2,000-point milestone for his collegiate career this year, capping an impressive journey for a player who was out of basketball coming out of high school.
At Rochester Christian in 2024-25, White earned WHAC First Team All-Conference honors, started all 28 games, and averaged 21.0 points and 7.3 rebounds per game while shooting 38.6% from three.
★ #12 Tuburu Naivalurua – Fifth-Year Forward, 6'8" 240 lbs – Sydney, Australia / Endeavour Sports HS
Previous School: Garden City CC
Season Averages: 32.7 MIN, 13.5 PTS, 5.7 REB, 2.2 AST, 1.4 STL, 0.7 BLK, 1.4 TO, 45.3 FG%, 68.0 FT%, 28.0 3PT%
Naivalurua was named the Horizon League Men’s Preseason Player of the Year entering the season and remains the focal point of Oakland’s frontcourt. He will take one or two threes per game, but it is not his strength. That volume is up significantly after attempting just six total threes last season. He is a big, physical post presence, and NKU will likely look to double him on his first move to the basket. He has good footwork in the paint and can still get quality looks at the rim even after picking up his dribble. Keeping him off the offensive glass is critical, as he is very good at rebounding his own miss and going right back up.
He is coming off a season-low six-point outing at UNI, where he went 3-9 from the field. Last season against NKU, he averaged 16.5 points across two games while shooting 13-19 from the floor. During the 2024-25 season, Naivalurua started all 31 games, averaging 13.9 points and 7.1 rebounds per game while shooting 55.5% from the field.
★ #32 Isaac Garrett – Junior Forward, 6'8" 219 lbs – Pleasant Grove, UT / Pleasant Grove HS
Previous School: Snow College
Season Averages: 30.9 MIN, 15.2 PTS, 6.5 REB, 2.7 AST, 1.0 STL, 1.1 BLK, 2.2 TO, 56.5 FG%, 81.4 FT%, 18.2 3PT%
Garrett has started every game this season and is one of Oakland’s most reliable producers. He is not a perimeter threat, but he consistently gets to the free throw line and converts. He leads the team in rebounding and scores efficiently overall. Most of his halfcourt touches come in the post, where his efficiency drops to 31.8 FG%, but he makes up for it in nearly every other area. He is strong in transition, looks for offensive stick-backs, and is aggressive attacking the glass. When facing up, he prefers to drive left before spinning back to his right to create space. He can be baited into tough shot attempts if forced off his first move. Defensively, Garrett has struggled at times. Opponents are shooting 46.6% against him, with teams finding success attacking him off the dribble and in post-up situations.
At Snow College in 2024-25, Garrett played in all 32 games with 31 starts, averaging 14.0 points and 7.0 rebounds per game while shooting 53.0% from the field.
★ #55 Brody Robinson – Senior Guard, 5'11" 160 lbs – Houston, TX / Houston Christian HS
Previous School: UT Arlington
Season Averages: 33.2 MIN, 16.3 PTS, 2.4 REB, 6.1 AST, 1.3 STL, 0.1 BLK, 2.0 TO, 45.3 FG%, 70.5 FT%, 37.5 3PT%
Robinson has emerged as a major piece for Oakland despite his size. He leads the Grizzlies in both scoring and assists and owns a strong 3-1 assist-to-turnover ratio. His offense comes in a variety of ways: pushing in transition, operating as the pick-and-roll ball handler, and spacing the floor as a spot-up shooter. He scored 27 points against Purdue Fort Wayne and has been held under double figures only once this season, coming at Houston. He is extremely quick off the dribble and can attack from either side of the floor, making staying in front of him a priority for NKU’s guards. Defensively, his size creates matchup opportunities. In one-on-one situations, Gherezgher, Oday, and Dozier should be able to attack him and try to create advantages.
At UT Arlington in 2024-25, Robinson started 29 games and played in 31, averaging 9.5 points per game while shooting 40.0% from three.
