No. 14 seed Oakland HC Greg Kampe shares No. 3 Kentucky’s Achilles heel ahead of March Madness matchup: “they don’t score in the post”
The 14-seeded Oakland Golden Grizzlies will take on the 3-seeded Kentucky Wildcats. The two teams have finished with virtually the same record at 23-11 and 23-10, respectively. The game plan for the Grizzlies to stop the Kentucky attack is clear.
According to head coach Greg Kampe, he believes he has the answers to solve the Wildcats' 5-rated offense.
"They don't score in the post. For a mid-major, that's an Achilles heels when you play teams that can score in the post. It really affects you defensively. So since you don't score in the post, our ability to maybe guard the three and to keep the game slow, we have a chance. We really do, if we can keep the game slow and take the three away from them."
The coach's game plan promises to be a solid one. But with Kentucky boasting the best 3-point shooting in the league, slowing down that offensive flurry is going to be a tall order.
But Kampe is relishing the opportunity for a variety of other reasons as well.
“One is this is primetime, we get to play at 7 o’clock on CBS with the A-team on the telecast, all of that stuff. That’s what you want when you’re in this, you want your kids to have a chance to be in the spotlight. That was number one. Number two, you got maybe the biggest blue blood of them all. You’ve got a coach that — I think the guy in East Lansing (Tom Izzo) is the best coach in the country, but Cal is right there with him.”
In a battle between two friends as head coaches, which team will win?
John Calipari and Greg Kampe have shared a close friendship for many years. Before Oakland won the Horizon League Tournament, the two were joking about potentially facing each other in the NCAA Tournament, before their joke became reality.
Coach Calipari spoke about the bond the two share, putting over how "great" a coach Kampe is. He even iterated how Greg would be perfect for any head coaching position that opens up.
From a matchup standpoint, John isn't willing to underestimate the Golden Grizzlies. Led by Horizon League Player of the Year Trey Townsend, the team boasts a lethal three-point shooting attack.
“When you have a chance like that where you can make threes and you got that one player that you can try to go to, it means you’re going to have a chance. You’re going to have a chance. We’re good, they’re good, let’s see where we are when we play on Thursday.” said Calipari
After ending the season on a 17-3 run, Oakland comes into the tournament red-hot with the longest-tenured coach in the nation at the helm. However, according to most odds and bet makers, they remain the underdogs in this matchup.
Do you think Coach Greg Kampe can work his magic and Oakland pull off the upset? Let us know in the comments below.