Oakland went on the road and defeated Northern Kentucky in Horizon League play to stay in the race and possibly be the conference regular season champions. However, Oakland's season continues to be marked by ups and downs. Though the Golden Grizzlies are a mid-major team, UCLA is a team considered a Blue Blood program, and the Bruins can learn that losing streaks and a roller coaster season can pay off down the stretch of the regular season of play.
Oakland has had a roller coaster season up to this point of the season with impressive wins on the road against Toledo which they defeated the Rockets by 33 and against Loyola Chicago on a neutral court giving the Ramblers at the time of the game, their second loss of the season. However, the Golden Grizzlies lost at home to Eastern Michigan and lost on the road to Cleveland State by 17 and Youngstown State by 15.
UCLA's season has been more steady but like Oakland, they have endured a losing streak that has caused much angst and frustration among their fanbase. The Bruin fans, having experienced the ups and downs of the 203-24 season, are well-versed in the intricacies of a roller coaster season.
The Golden Grizzlies had played a difficult non-conference schedule playing Illinois, Kansas, and Boise state on the road as well as playing Michigan State and Oregon State on a neutral court. They are though 3-4 in Horizon League play and if they hope to repeat as conference champions, strong performances in early conference play can help prepare them for a late push in Horizon League heading into late January.
UCLA has also played a challenging non-conference schedule, playing Gonzaga, New Mexico, North Carolina, and Arizona on neutral courts, technically winning two out of those four games. Like Oakland, they currently have a losing record in conference play but it is only mid-January, with time to get back on track.
Greg Kampe is in his 41st season as Oakland’s head coach, and he made national attention recently in his post-game press conference with Michigan State’s head coach, Tom Izzo. Kampe, though, would have been happier had his team won a Diamond Head Classic tournament title with a win over Oregon, but for mid-major teams like Oakland, winning their conference tournament is what matters most, and getting a high seed for the Horizon League tournament is a top priority for the Golden Grizzlies.
Mick Cronin is in his sixth year as UCLA's head coach, and before his time in Westwood, he was the head coach at Cincinnati for 13 seasons. He, like Kampe, has recently made national headlines for his post-game comments after a home loss to Michigan and his being ejected from the game against Maryland. Cronin, like Kampe, would be happier not to have to endure a four-game losing streak this season. Still, both veteran coaches have that tough-minded mentality they want their players to have, and overcoming adversity is a mental strength trait moving forward.
The goal every season is for the Golden Grizzlies to win the Horizon League tournament and receive a berth to the NCAA tournament. Like last season, the ultimate goal is to win a NCAA tournament game as they did by upsetting Kentucky and advancing to the round of 32.
UCLA's goal every season is to not only make the NCAA tournament but also to make a run to the Final Four. The Bruins have the resources and support to do very well every season, but they are not the only Power Four basketball program with name recognition and prestige that has not been able to reach their goals every season, with last season being a prime example.
Oakland continues to have a roller coaster of a season thus far with ups and downs at nearly every corner but you can’t argue that when those who believe that the Golden Grizzlies would be unable to replicate the success of the last season, they find a way to make those believe again.
UCLA wants to stop their recent losing streak and not head towards the season they had last season. They want to replicate their streak of making it to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament like they had done for three straight years from 2021 to 2023.
The Golden Grizzlies appeared to be reviving their season in late December. Returning forward Isaiah Jones scored the winning basket with a layup as he grabbed the ball in mid-air on a missed shot with less than a second left in the game in the quarterfinal stage of the Hawaiian Airlines Diamond Head Classic, which was a sign that the Golden Grizzlies were going to make a run. After Oakland led Loyola Chicago 80-70 with just over two minutes remaining, Jones was the game hero with the winning basket to help the Golden Grizzlies defeat the Loyola Chicago Ramblers, 72-71. They went into the semifinals to take on Oregon State, where they were leading the Beavers late in the second half. However, Oakland's journey remained unpredictable.
Unlike last season, UCLA looked like last season was an exception, having won 11 of their first 13 games of the season that included wins over Washington, Gonzaga, Arizona, and Oregon. However, the Bruins have lost four straight games in Big Ten play.
The Golden Grizzlies had a 68-56 lead with just over four minutes left in the game against OSU but the Beavers came back to force overtime and OSU ended up winning the game by a final score of 80-74. Then Oakland faced off against the tournament host, Hawaii, in the third-place game.
The Golden Grizzlies played very well against the Rainbow Warriors in the second half and even took the lead late in the game, but Hawaii made two free throws to force overtime for the second straight game and, like they did against Oregon State, lost in OT.
UCLA, like Oakland, has let teams come back and defeat them. UCLA was leading Nebraska 32-31 early in the second half and ended up losing by eight to the Cornhuskers. The Bruins were leading North Carolina by 16 but lost to the Tar Heels. by two points. Similar to the Nebraska game, UCLA was leading Rutgers by a score of 33-28 right before halftime.
In Oakland’s final non-conference game, they went on the road to play Arkansas, who now has John Calipari, who, when he was the coach of the Wildcats, had had his Kentucky upset in the NCAA Tournament in his final game with Kentucky before he took the Arkansas job. The Golden Grizzlies were only down three points at the half to the Razorbacks but ended up being defeated by double digits.
Not to make any excuses for UCLA's recent losses but like Oakland, the Bruins have played three of their last four games not on their home court and they have played across the country against two east coast teams. Like the Golden Grizzlies, their upcoming schedule is not easy but more manageable.
Since conference play resumed in January, Oakland is 2-2 with wins against Milwaukee and Northern Kentucky as well as losses to Wright State and Robert Morris. In their two losses, they lost by four and eight points and their victory against Milwaukee who is currently in fourth place, they defeated the Panthers by 16 points. The roller coaster ride should be on an upswing for Oakland as their schedule eases up a little.
UCLA next plays Iowa on Friday on their home court and then, four days later, hosts Wisconsin. After these two home games, they stay on the West Coast and travel to play Washington before playing their crosstown rivals USC.
Their next six games are winnable games on paper, with their most challenging game during that stretch being against Robert Morris on the road, a team they lost to at home. If Oakland wants to improve their seeding for the Horizon League tournament, they must win five of their next six games. Being a high seed for the conference tournament helps them to make it to back-to-back NCAA tournaments.
The main lesson UCLA can learn from Oakland is that even if you lose multiple games early in conference play, it doesn't mean that your not going to make the NCAA tournament and that you are unable to get a signature tournament win. The Golden Grizzlies before last season went 11-9 in conference play and lost in the conference tournament, resulting in not qualifying for the NCAA tournament. Last season UCLA went 10-10 in conference play and did not make the NCAA tournament but the Bruins still have a path to finish the regular season strong and make a run in the Big Ten tournament. Then the expectation would be for them to make a run to the Sweet Sixteen as they did for that recent three-year period.
Oakland had a remarkable season before this one. If they want to endure this unpredictable season and relive last year's glory, they must dominate conference play and win the vast majority of their remaining Horizon League regular season games.
UCLA aims to embark on a remarkable season and win back the hearts of Bruin fans, just as they did during their turbulent season in 2020-21 when they triumphed in five consecutive NCAA tournament games en route to a Final Four appearance.