Yesterday Oakland beat Milwaukee 83-76 in the Horizon tourney title game to earn an automatic bid to next week’s NCAA tournament. The Golden Grizzlies made the NCAA tourney 3 times in a 7-year stretch from 2005-2011 but are finally heading back there after a 13-year absence. Earlier today HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel got to speak with Oakland SR F Trey Townsend about what it means to be in the same sentence as Kevin Durant.
You were born/raised in Michigan: what made you choose Oakland? I grew up about 25 minutes from here and my parents played basketball here so I have always been around the university and always wanted to come here.
You play for Coach Greg Kampe: what makes him such a good coach, and what is the most important thing that you have learned from him so far? He has been coaching at this level for 40 years at 1 spot, which is a crazy stat to have. He has had such great success and motivates us to lead each other because he knows what it takes to be the best.
You are 1 of the team captains this year: what is the key to being a good leader? My co-captain Blake Lampman is more of a vocal leader but I like to lead by example. We are a perfect combination in that it gives the other guys a chance to pick and choose how they connect with us.
You led the conference this year with 159 FTM: how much of your offensive strategy is focused on getting to the FT line? I play a pretty phsyical game and am in the post a lot so taller guys will always try to block my shots and let me draw fouls. I worked on my FTs in the offseason and it has paid off.
You started this season 6-8 but have won 17 of your past 20 games: how was your team able to flip the switch starting on New Year’s Eve? We always knew that this group was really talented based on our performance against power conference teams (like Ohio State/Illinois/Xavier/Michigan State). It took a while for the new guys to get comfortable in our system because we play a complicated zone defense but eventually it worked out.
Last week you were named conference POY: what did it mean to you to receive such an oustanding honor? It was such a surreal feeling. Growing up I always wanted to be part of this program. It was such a competitive conference this year but since we finished as the 1-seed I have to give a lot of credit to my teammates.
Last night in the Horizon tourney title game you scored a career-high 38 PTS in a 7-PT win over Milwaukee, becoming the 2nd player in the past 25 years to have 35+ PTS/10+ REB/40+ minutes in a conference championship game (along with Kevin Durant for Texas in 2007): how were you able to play your best when it mattered the most, and what is it like to join such legendary company? Coach likes to say that big-time players make big-time plays, and I have a great supporting cast that always gives me confidence. I am a senior and the title game is a situation of “win or go home” so I had a lot more adrenaline than normal but fortunately my shot was falling. It is crazy for me to even be in the same sentence as a superstar like Durant!
You were able to get the win despite playing without Isaiah Jones/Rocket Watts: any idea if either of them will be back in the lineup next week? They are both dealing with some ankle injuries and will rehab all week and take it day by day. Hopefully we will have them both back next week but if not they will still be cheering us on from the bench.
Your mother Nicole/father Skip both played basketball at Oakland and you brother Zach will play soccer at Oakland: who is the best athlete in the family? My mom was the best basketball player back in the day but I think I have finally received enough accolades to pass her. All my siblings are athletic so it is definitely a competitive houshold.
What kind of seed do you think you deserve, and what kind of seed do you think you will get? I think we are capable of being a 13-seed based on how we played againt the Power 5 teams in non-conference play, and maybe even a 12-seed? Whatever see we end up with, I would hate to have to play against us in the tourney because we will be prepared and play like it is the last game of our career.