Oakland Golden Grizzlies to take on the Illinois Fighting Illini on the road
Grizzlies look to snap 3-game skid against tough Illini
Oakland (2-6) will travel to Champaign, Ill., to take on the Illinois Fighting Illini (6-2) on Wednesday, Dec. 7. The game will tip off at 8 p.m. ET and will be televised on BTN Plus.
The Golden Grizzlies are coming off a tough 75-68 loss to the Detroit Mercy Titans on Saturday. Oakland led by 10 points with just over 10 minutes remaining in the game, but the Titans rallied to steal the victory.
The Fighting Illini, meanwhile, are coming off a 79-69 win over the Missouri Tigers on Saturday. Illinois has won four of its last five games and is now ranked No. 22 in the AP Poll.
The matchup between Oakland and Illinois will be a tough one for the Golden Grizzlies. The Fighting Illini are a much more talented and experienced team than Oakland.
However, the Golden Grizzlies have shown that they can compete with anyone when they play their best. If they can play a clean game and limit their turnovers, they have a chance to pull off the upset.
Keys to the game
For Oakland to win, they will need to:
- Limit turnovers
- Play tough defense
- Make their free throws
For Illinois to win, they will need to:
- Control the tempo of the game
- Get good shots from their shooters
- Avoid foul trouble
Prediction
Illinois is the clear favorite in this game, but Oakland has shown that they can compete with anyone when they play their best. If the Golden Grizzlies can play a clean game and limit their turnovers, they have a chance to pull off the upset.
However, the Fighting Illini are a tough team at home, and they will be looking to extend their winning streak to five games. I predict that Illinois will win this game, but Oakland will keep it close.
