'College basketball, man': Oakland won't wilt, beats Youngstown State in OT

Rashad Williams takes more 3-pointers than anyone in college basketball.

He also misses more 3-pointers than anyone in college basketball.

But that hasn't stopped him from believing in himself and after a sluggish first half Tuesday, he scored 19 of his 22 points after the break and Jalen Moore added 20 and 11 assists as Oakland held off a seasoned Youngstown State team, 87-83, in overtime of a Horizon League quarterfinal at the O'Rena in Rochester.

Williams, the former Wayne Memorial star who began his career at league rival Cleveland State and who's battled a shoulder injury all season, was 5-for-10 on 3-pointers, making three in a row during a critical stretch in the second half as No. 3 seed Oakland (11-17) now advances to meet No. 4 Northern Kentucky — for the first time this season — in the semifinals Monday night in Indianapolis.

"I never get mad at a shooter," Oakland coach Greg Kampe said. "Rashad has had some tough games, but I don't ever say, 'bad shot,' even when they're bad shots. I won't ever tell them that.

"You never get in a shooter's head. They're weird people.

"There are so many great plays and so many great players, but Rashad was such a key in this game."

Youngstown State coach Jerrod Calhoun concurred: "Rashad was certainly the difference."

BOX SCORE: Oakland 87, Youngstown State 83 (OT)

But there were plenty of difference-makers, including Daniel Oladapo, who had another double-double with 17 points and 11 rebounds, and Moore, who made two driving layups in the final minute of overtime.

Even two freshmen who've been key all year were key on the biggest stage, with Micah Parrish scoring 12 and Trey Townsend grabbing five rebounds and taking six, yes six, charges.

None were bigger than the charge he took from Youngstown State's Naz Bohannon with 1:19 left and Oakland clinging to a four-point lead. It was a play eerily similar to one late in regulation, when Bohannon made a basket but was called for the charge. Officials reviewed it and overturned it, ruling Townsend still was moving. That gave Bohannon the basket and a free throw, which he made to give his team a two-point lead.

"Six charges I was told," Kampe said. "That's gotta be an all-world record. It should've been seven."

Oakland had led since it was 8-7 in the first half and led by as many as 10 midway through the second half, before a rally by Youngstown State (15-12; No. 6 seed). This was reminiscent of so many Oakland games this season, when the Golden Grizzlies couldn't score late, and let so many leads slip away. Same with too many previous Horizon League tournaments.

This one, they finished.

For subscribers: An Oakland fan before he could walk, Trey Townsend hopes to lead Golden Grizzlies on a run

Oladalpo got a steal after his tying basket, but Moore missed the jumper which would've put Oakland ahead. That gave Youngstown State the ball with 28 seconds left, time to hold for the winning shot — which the Penguins did. Darius Quisenberry, the star guard who didn't play in the first two games against Oakland (which Oakland won), held till 7 seconds before he started to move. But Oakland, not wanting him to go right, which is his preferred move, blocked off that lane — and the lane to get the ball inside to Bohannon — and Quisenberry ended up heaving a desperation 3 that missed baldy. Kampe called that one of the best defensive positions he's ever seen from a team he's coached.

In overtime, Youngstown State scored first on a Quisenberry 3, answered by a Townsend 3, another big play in a game full of them. Really, a night full of them. Of the four Horizon League quarterfinals Tuesday, three went to overtime (one in triple-OT), and Detroit Mercy lost at the buzzer in regulation.

Garrett Covington scored 30, Quisenberry had 18 and Bohannon 14.

This was Oakland's sixth overtime game this season; the Golden Grizzlies are 2-4.

"College basketball, man," Kampe said. "You can't beat it. There's nothing better.

"A week ago, four weeks ago, the game would've been over. We would've been pouting and trying to figure out what. That's what young kids do.

"The difference this time is we knew, there's no next game. We battled and fought and found a way to win."

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Horizon League men's tournament

THURSDAY, FEB. 25

►No. 5 Detroit Mercy 83, No. 12 Robert Morris 73

►No. 6 Youngstown State 74, No. 11 UIC 58

►No. 8 Milwaukee 84, No. 9 IUPUI 72

►No. 10 Purdue Fort Wayne 89, at No. 7 Green Bay 84 (2OT)

TUESDAY

►No. 4 Northern Kentucky 70, No. 5 Detroit Mercy 69

►No. 3 Oakland 87, No. 6 Youngstown State 83 (OT)

►No. 1 Cleveland State 108, No. 10 Purdue Fort Wayne 104 (3OT)

►No. 8 Milwaukee 94, No. 2 Wright State 92 (OT)

MONDAY

At Indiana Farmers Coliseum, Indianapolis

►No. 1 Cleveland State (17-7) vs. No. 8 Milwaukee (10-11), 6:30

►No. 3 Oakland (11-17) vs. No. 4 Northern Kentucky (14-10), 9:30 (ESPN2)

TUESDAY, MARCH 9

►Championship, 7 (ESPN or ESPN2)

tpaul@detroitnews.com

Twitter: @tonypaul1984