No. 14 seed Oakland, achieved the biggest upset in the NCAA Championship this year, ending the game 80-76, against No. 3 seed Kentucky. The Golden Grizzlies advanced to the second round for the first time in program history and got their second-ever NCAA championship win.
In an article by USA Today, Oakland’s head coach Greg Kampe said, “We wanted Kentucky ’cause they’re the best. We wanted that and we wanted to stage, and our kids came through.”
Even with a rough start by Oakland, with a three-point FG % of 0-7, Jack Golhke came off the bench to score 10 3-pointers. Seven of his three-pointers were made in the first 20 minutes, getting Oakland ahead in the first half.
“This guy right here, he had no conscious. We talked all week. Just go shoot it, baby. You’re the best. He’s the best, and he proved it to the world tonight,” Kampe said.
The Oakland team from Michigan was able to outshoot the best three-point shooting team in the championship, beating them at their own game. Now that the Golden Grizzlies made it past the first round, they have no plan to stop.
“We’re going to enjoy about 45 minutes of this and we’re gonna get ready because we got a chance of a lifetime. This isn’t the end of it,” Kampe said.
Oakland plays against No. 11 seed North Carolina State on Saturday, Mar. 30, at the PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh.
