Oakland has opened the college basketball season with one of the most demanding schedules in the country, and the Golden Grizzlies aren't getting much relief. After beginning 0–4 with losses to Michigan, Stanford, UC Santa Barbara and Alabama, Greg Kampe's team travels to Boise State on Wednesday for another difficult nonconference assignment.
The Golden Grizzlies are coming off a 109–68 defeat against No. 18 Alabama, which made 24 three-pointers and recorded 30 assists. Oakland actually collected 21 offensive rebounds and scored 38 points in the paint, but those encouraging numbers weren't enough to overcome Alabama's perimeter shooting. Nassim Mashhour led Oakland with 18 points, while Chris Fields Jr. recorded 15 points and 13 rebounds.
Boise State's offense presents another enormous challenge
Boise State enters Wednesday at 2–0 after defeating West Coast Baptist 132–53 and Butler 100–81. The Broncos are averaging 116 points through their first two games while shooting 52.1% from the field and 43.3% from three-point range. Those numbers are particularly concerning for Oakland after the Golden Grizzlies struggled to contain Alabama's perimeter offense.
Aginaldo Neto leads Boise State with 17.5 points and 6.5 assists per game, while Spencer Ahrens averages 17 points. The Broncos also have a productive interior presence in Dovydas Butka, who is averaging 16 points and 11.5 rebounds. That offensive balance could force Oakland to defend effectively across the entire floor rather than concentrating on one primary scorer.
Oakland needs progress more than another moral victory
The Golden Grizzlies have already faced several programs capable of competing for postseason opportunities, making their winless start understandable in context. However, Oakland must begin translating its rebounding effort and individual contributions into more competitive performances. Fields has recorded three double-doubles through four games, providing a foundation the Golden Grizzlies can build around.
Wednesday's game tips off at 9 p.m. ET and will stream on the Pac-12's YouTube channel. Boise State has won all three previous meetings between the programs, including an 87–43 victory in November 2024.
An Oakland upset would be one of Wednesday's more surprising results, but even a competitive performance could offer encouragement before the Golden Grizzlies return home to face Northern Iowa on Saturday. After four losses and a demanding travel schedule, Kampe's team needs evidence that the difficult opening stretch is preparing it for success later in the season.
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