Tennessee State men’s basketball picked up an 89-75 exhibition victory over Oakland on Saturday night, Oct. 24, at Wayne State Fieldhouse in Detroit, Michigan.
The Tigers secured the 14-point win in the second annual Hoops & Culture event, presented by Wayne State University and the Horatio Williams Foundation. The matchup offered Tennessee State another opportunity to prepare for the 2026-27 season following its Ohio Valley Conference championship and NCAA Tournament appearance last season.
Oakland kept the contest competitive throughout much of the first half. The Golden Grizzlies held a 36-35 lead with less than a minute remaining before Tennessee State moved in front to take a narrow 40-39 advantage into halftime.
The Tigers gradually created separation after the break, eventually building an 81-67 lead with just over four minutes remaining. Tennessee State maintained its advantage down the stretch to close out the 89-75 victory.
Oakland found offensive success from beyond the arc, finishing 13-for-34 from three-point range and shooting 48% overall from the field. However, the Golden Grizzlies were unable to keep pace as Tennessee State pulled away late.
Sophomore guard Ryder Bradley led Oakland with 16 points, four three-pointers, four assists and two steals. Nassim Mashhour and Warren Marshall IV contributed 12 points apiece, while senior guard RJ Taylor added 10 points and four assists.
Chris Fields Jr. finished with eight points and eight rebounds for Oakland, which recorded 17 assists and 10 offensive rebounds.
Despite the loss, Oakland head coach Greg Kampe pointed to positive stretches of play while emphasizing the team’s need to finish games stronger.
For Tennessee State, the exhibition victory provides another opportunity to build momentum ahead of the regular season. The Tigers entered the campaign with high expectations after winning the OVC Tournament and advancing to the NCAA Tournament in 2025-26.
The matchup was the first meeting between Tennessee State and Oakland in either exhibition or regular-season play.
