Oakland Receives Votes in USA TODAY Preseason Coaches Poll
Oakland will begin the 2017-18 season among the nation’s elite men’s basketball teams, having received 19 votes in the USA TODAY Preseason Men’s Basketball Coaches Poll. The Golden Grizzlies were tabbed Horizon League favorites earlier this month, are the defending regular-season champion and landed three players on the Horizon League Preseason All-Conference teams.
USA TODAY Preseason Coaches Poll
After earning 25 wins and advancing to the second round of the NIT in 2016-17, Oakland starts the season ranked ahead of traditional powers and recent Final Four participants including Michigan, Oregon and South Carolina.
Three-time all-league forward Jalen Hayes and leading scorer Martez Walker (17.8 points per game in 2016-17) return to lead the Golden Grizzlies. Oakland also welcomes the addition of Illinois-transfer Kendrick Nunn, who averaged 15.5 points and 5.0 rebounds per game in his last season with the Illini.
The 2017-18 season tips off Friday, November 10 with nonconference play. The 2018 Horizon League Men’s and Women’s Basketball Championships - Motor City Madness - will be played March 2-6 at the brand new Little Caesars Arena in Detroit. The third edition of Motor City Madness again will feature all 10 teams on both the men’s and women’s side vying for the League’s automatic berth into the NCAA Tournament. Fans can reserve tickets now for Motor City Madness by contacting their favorite school’s ticket office.
