Jack Gohlke. If you follow college hoops, that name probably still gives you chills—or maybe nightmares if you had Kentucky winning it all in your bracket. Honestly, the Oakland March Madness 2024 run was one of those rare moments where reality actually lived up to the "Madness" branding. It wasn't just a win. It was a complete dismantling of the blue-blood hierarchy by a bunch of guys from the Horizon League who looked like they were having more fun than anyone else on the planet.
Most people look at a No. 14 seed playing a No. 3 seed and see a sacrificial lamb. Kentucky had Reed Sheppard and Rob Dillingham, two guys destined for the NBA lottery. Oakland had a 24-year-old grad transfer who took almost zero shots from inside the arc. It was absurd.
The Night Everything Changed in Pittsburgh
Let’s get into the weeds of that Kentucky game. Everyone expected John Calipari’s squad to run them off the floor. Instead, Greg Kampe—who has been coaching at Oakland since the mid-80s—unleashed a zone defense that turned the Wildcats into a team of confused statues. But the real story was Gohlke. He didn't just have a good game; he had a historic one.
He finished with 32 points. All of them came from deep. Well, okay, he had two free throws, but you get the point. He hit 10 three-pointers, which is just one shy of the all-time tournament record. Watching a guy who looks like your local insurance agent pull up from 30 feet over a future NBA pro is why we watch this sport.
The atmosphere in PPG Paints Arena was electric. As the game wore on, the "neutral" fans started realizing they were witnessing something weird. It wasn't a fluke. Oakland led at the half. They led late. They never blinked. When the final buzzer sounded at 80-76, the bracket-busting reality of Oakland March Madness 2024 set in. Millions of brackets were trashed within the first four hours of the tournament.
Greg Kampe and the Beauty of the Long Game
You can’t talk about this team without talking about Greg Kampe. He is the longest-tenured Division I coach at one school besides maybe a couple of legends. He’s seen it all. He’s been through the lean years when Oakland was barely a blip on the radar.
✨ Don't miss: What Place Is The Phillies In: The Real Story Behind the NL East Standings
The way he built this 2023-24 roster was smart. It wasn't about getting the highest-rated recruits. It was about fit. He found Trey Townsend, a local kid whose parents both played at Oakland. Townsend was the Horizon League Player of the Year for a reason. He was the anchor. While Gohlke was raining fire from the outside, Townsend was doing the dirty work in the paint, finishing with 17 points and 12 boards against Kentucky’s massive frontline.
It's sorta poetic. A coach who stayed loyal to a mid-major program for four decades finally gets his signature "shining moment." Most coaches jump ship for a bigger paycheck the second they have a winning season. Kampe stayed. And in 2024, the basketball gods finally paid him back in full.
Beyond the Kentucky Game: The Heartbreak Against NC State
People tend to forget what happened next. Oakland had to play NC State in the Round of 32. Now, NC State was on their own "Cinderella" run, which eventually took them all the way to the Final Four. But for about 35 minutes of that game, it looked like Oakland was going to the Sweet Sixteen.
It went to overtime.
It was grueling. Townsend played nearly the entire game. Gohlke was still hitting shots, but the legs were getting heavy. DJ Burns Jr., the massive center for NC State, was just too much to handle in the post late in the game. Oakland lost 79-73.
🔗 Read more: Huskers vs Michigan State: What Most People Get Wrong About This Big Ten Rivalry
It sucked. Honestly, it was one of those games where you wish both teams could move on. But that loss didn't diminish what they accomplished. They proved that the gap between the "high majors" and the "mid-majors" is closing, thanks largely to the transfer portal and the fact that older, experienced teams—like Oakland—can bully younger, more talented rosters.
What This Means for Mid-Major Basketball
The Oakland March Madness 2024 season is a case study for every small school in America. It showed that experience matters more than raw talent in a single-elimination format. Oakland’s starting lineup was old. They were savvy. They didn't care about the name on the front of the opponent's jersey.
There's a misconception that these upsets are lucky. If you watch the tape of the Kentucky game, it wasn't luck. It was a tactical masterclass. Kampe knew Kentucky struggled against zones. He knew Gohlke had the green light from anywhere past half-court. They exploited specific weaknesses.
This run also put a massive spotlight on the Horizon League. For years, it was seen as a "one-bid league" that wouldn't do much in the dance. Oakland changed that narrative. They showed that if you have a dominant post player like Townsend and a specialist like Gohlke, you are a threat to anyone in the country.
Why We Still Care About This Run
- The Gohlke Effect: He became an overnight celebrity, signing NIL deals with TurboTax and Buffalo Wild Wings within 24 hours. It was the fastest branding turnaround in sports history.
- The "Old Man" Strategy: Oakland relied on seniors and grad students. In the era of one-and-done players, this is the new blueprint for mid-major success.
- The Emotional Connection: Seeing Kampe's post-game interview where he was almost at a loss for words reminded everyone why college sports matter. It's not just about the money; it's about the decades of work leading to one 40-minute window of perfection.
The reality of college basketball now is that teams like Oakland are actually scarier than they used to be. With the portal, a coach can find a niche player who was overlooked at a bigger school and turn them into a star. Gohlke spent years at Division II Hillsdale College before coming to Oakland. That’s a wild jump.
💡 You might also like: NFL Fantasy Pick Em: Why Most Fans Lose Money and How to Actually Win
Lessons from the Oakland Upset
If you're a bettor or a bracket enthusiast, the lesson here is simple: stop ignoring the veteran mid-majors. Look for the teams with fourth and fifth-year seniors. Look for the coaches who have been there forever and know their system inside out.
Oakland wasn't a fluke. They were a well-oiled machine that happened to run into a Kentucky team that was talented but disconnected.
For those looking to replicate or understand this kind of success in sports or business, it comes down to identity. Oakland knew exactly who they were. They didn't try to out-athlete Kentucky. They tried to out-shoot and out-think them.
Next Steps for Hoop Fans:
To truly appreciate what happened, go back and watch the final five minutes of the Oakland-Kentucky game. Pay attention to the floor spacing. Then, look at the scouting reports for the upcoming tournament. Specifically, look for teams in the top 20 of three-point attempts per game—those are your "Oakland" candidates for next year. Keep an eye on the Horizon League standings; the blueprint is there, and other programs are already trying to copy it.