With this week’s road win at Northern Kentucky, Greg Kampe now has won a basketball game coaching Oakland in his 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s and 70s. He turned 70 earlier this month.
Still, though, Kampe never has won a game against Michigan State and his good friend, Tom Izzo. Kampe will get his latest chance Saturday afternoon at Little Caesars Arena.
Oakland is famously (infamously?) 0-23 all-time against Michigan State, despite some close calls over the years ― none closer, of course, than the overtime loss to the then-No. 1-ranked Spartans in 2015 at The Palace. That loss still was giving Kampe nightmares years later. After all, beating Michigan State once was an all-consuming obsession for Kampe, but now?
“I’ve pretty much succumbed to the fact that’s probably not gonna happen,” Kampe said, with a chuckle, before practice Thursday. “It’s like the Lions, man. Nobody understands, when they were a half away from the Super Bowl (two years ago) how hard it is to get back to that point. You’ve gotta take advantage.
“We’ve had two, three chances to beat Michigan State, and we weren’t able to do it. It’s very comparable to the Lions’ thing. When you have the chance, you have to do it. You never know when those chances will come again.
“It is what it is. But we’re gonna compete our ass off.”
Michigan State and Oakland tip off at noon Saturday in the first game of a new three-game series that starts at LCA this year, and shifts to Breslin Center in East Lansing for 2026 and 2027. The two coaches have said they’ll keep playing each other as long as they’re still coaching. They’re now both 70, but with no end in sight.
Catching up with Kampe this week, we decided to play a game. We asked him what he would actually give up, or trade, for just one victory for over Michigan State (10-1), which, ranked No. 9 in the latest Associated Press Top 25, will be the fourth top-10 opponent Oakland (6-6) has played this season.
Would he trade any of his four Division I NCAA Tournament appearances, including the 2024 win over Kentucky?
“Not taking it,” Kampe said, without hesitation. “The NCAA Tournament is the holy grail for college basketball programs, especially for a mid-major.”
Would he trade winning a million bucks in the lottery?
“Nah,” he said, “cuz I’d use all that money to buy players and I’d have enough players to beat Michigan State.”
Fair point. OK, then, here’s the toughest one: Would he trade a round at Augusta National Golf Club, which, for the record, he’s never played? This one actually drew a pause.
“Here’s my answer to this: For Oakland and for my players and for my past players, it would be a win over Michigan State,” he said. “But for me, it would be a round at Augusta.
“That’s a true statement.”
You never have to worry about Kampe speaking the truth ― as he did earlier this month in blasting Oakland’s student section for its lackluster attendance for a Horizon League game. The students received the message loud and clear, and showed up in force for the next game.
Oakland has played arguably the toughest schedule in America this season, with losses to then-No. 7 Michigan (121-78), then-No. 1 Purdue (87-77) and then-No. 1 Houston (78-45), plus losses at UCF (87-83) and Northern Iowa (75-63). Those five opponents are a combined 48-5.
Some of the scheduling is necessity, chasing paychecks to pay the bills at the O’Rena. Some of that is Kampe being Kampe, chasing the spotlight (and national TV) for his program. And most of that is Kampe preparing Oakland for the season ahead. On that front, it’s paying off. Oakland is 2-0 in the Horizon League.
“I don’t think anybody that’s a big fan of ours watched us last night and didn’t think we were battle-tested,” Kampe said following the gritty 82-77 win over Northern Kentucky. “Both league games, we’ve had the lead late and they made runs, and we’ve made the plays. We’ve been there, and we believe in ourselves. … Before the season, I wrote on a little sticky note, it’s on my computer and I see it every day. The note says, ‘Toughness doesn’t come from talk. It comes from being battle-tested.'”
It’s time for Oakland’s biggest test, and not just because it’s the next test ― but because it’s Michigan State.
There’ll be a big crowd, and matching holiday sweaters ― Izzo, who Kampe used to have to beg to play along, has secured them for the first time, with an assist from wife Lupe ― and plenty of mutual admiration on display.
And, who knows, maybe, just maybe a Christmas miracle for Kampe.
“We’ve had our chances,” said Kampe, who has combined with Izzo to win 1,468 games as a head coach, Kampe all at Oakland and Izzo all at Michigan State. “And I have a chance to win the billion-dollar lottery, too.”
No. 9 Michigan State vs. Oakland
▶ Tip-off: Noon Saturday, Little Caesars Arena, Detroit
▶ TV/radio: BTN/760, 1270
▶ Records: Michigan State 10-1; Oakland 6-6
▶ Tickets: Starting at $30, available at 313presents.com
▶ Series: Michigan State is 23-0 all-time in the series, including 7-0 at neutral sites. The last meeting was a 77-58 win at Little Caesars Arena on Dec. 17, 2024.
State power rankings
MEN
1. Michigan (last: 2), 10-0
2. Michigan State (1), 10-1
3. Oakland (4), 6-6
4. Eastern Michigan (3), 6-5
5. Detroit Mercy (6), 4-7
6. Western Michigan (7), 5-6
7. Central Michigan (5), 4-7
WOMEN
1. Michigan (1), 9-1
2. Michigan State (2), 9-1
3. Central Michigan (3), 6-4
4. Eastern Michigan (5), 6-4
5. Detroit Mercy (6), 3-6
6. Western Michigan (7), 3-6
6. Oakland (4), 3-7
Games of the week
MEN
▶ Eastern Michigan at Akron, 7 Friday (ESPN+)
▶ Michigan State vs. Oakland, noon Saturday (BTN)
▶ Buffalo at Western Michigan, 1 Saturday (ESPN+)
▶ Central Michigan at Northern Illinois, 3 Saturday (ESPN+)
▶ Central Michigan at Wisconsin, 8 Monday (BTN)
WOMEN
▶ Eastern Michigan at Ball State, 11 a.m. Saturday (ESPN+)
▶ Northern Illinois at Central Michigan, 1 Saturday (ESPN+)
▶ Oakland at Michigan, noon Sunday (BTN+)
▶ Western Michigan at Ohio State, 6:30 Monday (BTN+)
Slam dunks
▶ Tough news on the injury front recently for Oakland, which lost sophomore guard and 3-point threat Nassim Mashhour (Dearborn) for the season to knee surgery. That’ll put a little extra pressure senior guard Brody Robinson, though he might just be up for it. He recently was back-to-back Horizon League player of the week, and this week he was named to the watch list for the Lou Henson Award, which is given annually to the top player at the mid-major level. Oakland has two winners (Trey Townsend in 2024, and Keith Benson in 2010).
➤ Detroit Mercy men promised to be deeper, and so far, so good. The Titans’ 32.9 bench per points per game rank second in the Horizon League, and 42nd in the nation. Detroit Mercy won its first two Horizon League games for the first time since 2018-19, and won a Horizon League road game for the first time since 2022-23. Moving back into the starting lineup recently is guard Tyler Spratt (North Farmington), a Cleveland State transfer who was named Horizon League freshman of the week after scoring a career-high 15 at Purdue Fort Wayne.
➤ Things have gotten so rough on the injury front for Western Michigan women that first-year head coach Kate Achter had to do a little in-season recruiting, adding volleyball player Mary Clare Brusek to the roster. She hadn’t played hoops since high school, but the senior forward scored 14 in a 58-48 win over Valparaiso.
➤ Keep a close eye on Central Michigan women under third-year head coach Kristin Haynie. The Chippewas, led by star sophomore guard Madi Morson (Canton), have played the gauntlet and have been humbled by the likes of Michigan, Notre Dame and Kentucky, but they beat Purdue at home, and just beat Valpo by 50. Yes, 50.
➤ Eastern Michigan women, under second-year head coach Sahar Nusseibeh, are making some strides, thanks in large part to senior Sisi Eleko, the Mid-American Conference player of the week after recording a pair of double-doubles. It was her second MAC honor this year, and she’s averaging 17.5 points and 11.2 rebounds.
tpaul@detroitnews.com
@tonypaul1984
