Greg Kampe is gearing up for another March Madness with Oakland. The longtime coach of the Golden Grizzlies hasn’t been to the NCAA Tournament since 2011, and their draw this season is John Calipari and Kentucky.

On Sunday, Calipari admitted the two head coaches were very close, and he praised Kampe as a great coach. Kampe agreed with that assessment, but also said it was a sad reality that he always winds up playing a close friend in March Madness.

“I’ve been texting with Cal, and I said we’ll probably end up playing as a joke… and it happens. It’s sad because every time I get in this thing, I play a close friend,” Kampe explained.

He included previous matchups against Roy Williams, Jamie Dixon and Rick Barnes as close friends he faced in the NCAA Tournament:

“They don’t want me to get beat, and I don’t want them to get beat,” said Kampe. “I want to play about someone I don’t know so I can not worry about them, let’s go win! … It’s crazy that I keep getting cars that are my close friends.”

As for the actual matchup on the court, Kampe believes it’s a pretty good opportunity for Oakland in spite of the fact the Wildcats are -13.5 at ESPN Bet. Fans can track the latest odds for the tournament via SDS’s Kentucky sportsbooks.

Kampe’s point is that he is mainly thankful Oakland is not facing a defensive juggernaut to begin the bracket. He’s also excited that the game is likely to be played with the best broadcast calling the game, putting the Grizzlies on the big stage.

“Kentucky is a great offensive team… I think our zone is going to be really tested, but the good thing is they’re not known as a great defensive team,” said Kampe. “My biggest fear is that we play a team that we can’t get shots against.”

While Kampe might be sad to face another close friend, he undoubtedly wants to win and provide a signature March moment for his program. We’ll see if he can deliver that type of win, or if Calipari and the Wildcats hold down the fort against Oakland.