Jack Gohlke isn’t thinking about going to the NBA. Players who spend five years in Division II before moving to a small D-I program typically don’t head to the pros. But Gohlke has confidence in his skills and his team. He and his Oakland teammates believed that they could compete with anyone during the entire season.
Their belief turned into reality on Thursday when Gohlke, a 6-foot-3 graduate transfer, scored 32 points, sinking 10 3-pointers, as the 14th-seeded Golden Grizzlies stunned the third-seeded Wildcats, beating them 80-76.
“We’ve been a solid team all year,” said Gohlke. “We’ve won close games all year.”
It was the Horizon League champion Grizzlies, not the Wildcats, who looked ready for the pressure of March Madness. Oakland will now face 11th-seeded North Carolina State in the second round on Saturday.
Gohlke’s hot shooting early in the game boosted Oakland’s confidence. His teammates stepped up late, especially when Kentucky tried to slow him down.
Horizon League Player of the Year Trey Townsend scored 17 points for Oakland, and DQ Cole added 12, including a crucial 3-pointer with 28 seconds left. Antonio Reeves led Kentucky with 27 points, but the Wildcats couldn’t catch up to Gohlke’s scoring.
Gohlke made 10 of 20 3-point attempts, coming close to breaking the NCAA Tournament record set in 1990. His electric performance fueled Oakland’s victory.
The Wildcats, who were heavy favorites, lost to a double-digit seed for the second time in three seasons. Oakland coach Greg Kampe, who has spent 40 years at the school, called the win the biggest of his career.
“We led the whole game and every time they got the lead, we came right back. If we were pretenders, we would have folded. We’re not pretenders. We believe we belong here,” said Kampe.
Gohlke’s outstanding performance left fans cheering and secured a historic win for Oakland. But Gohlke isn’t satisfied with just one victory. “We’re not done yet,” he said.
