CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - The Golden Grizzlies men's basketball team battled hard against the nationally-ranked Fighting Illini but a late-game run put Oakland behind and fell, 64-53, Friday night at the State Farm Center.
 
The Golden Grizzlies (0-2, 0-0 HL) were led by junior Trey Townsend who led the game with 19 points and was the only Oakland player to record double-digit points as he went 7-of-18 (.389) from the field. Townsend grabbed the team's first double-double of the year and his 10th of his career with 10 rebounds, all from the defensive end. Forward Chris Conway followed Townsend on the score sheet with nine points and shot 57.1% from the field.
 
The Fighting Illini (2-0, 0-0 Big Ten) had four players in double figures with standout guard Terrence Shannon Jr. leading the way with 15 points (5-12 FG), followed by graduate student Quincy Guerrier who recorded a double-double with 13 points and 10 boards.
 
Oakland came out of the gate hot and scored the game's first eight points, highlighted by a trey from Jack Gohlke and Blake Lampman, in a matter of 1:25. A lay-in from Illinois' Ty Rodgers put the Fighting Illini on the board, but Townsend answered with a pull-up jumper in the paint.
 
The Golden Grizzlies continued to attack early and challenged the nationally-ranked Fighting Illini near the halfway point of the first half as Tuburu Naivalurua scored his first points of the season after he missed the previous game against Ohio State.
 
Out of the second media timeout, Illinois went on to tie things up at 15 apiece but both teams locked down on defense as no points were scored in the following 2:06 of play. Oakland had to play catch up as Illinois narrowly took a 19-17 lead and did so to regain the lead following a bucket from beyond the arc by Lampman. Illinois went on to take a lead in the final minute, but a slam by Naivalurua cut the team's deficit to one headed into the locker room.
 
The Golden Grizzlies took advantage of the Fighting Illini's turnovers and scored seven points off of them and added five points off the fast break. Oakland shot 11-of-31 (.355) from the field and tacked on three makes from deep. The Fighting Illini struggled from three in the opening 20 and failed to make a shot, but made up for it by shooting 12-of-29 (.414) from the field.
 
Illinois jumped to a six-point lead in the first two minutes of the second half but Conway pushed back and made three-straight field goals from inside the arc to keep the game at bay at 35-35.
 
Play teetered back-and-forth as Townsend scored back-to-back to give a slight lead in favor of the Golden Grizzlies, 45-42, but a Fighting Illini dunk made it a one-point game halfway through.
 
The pace of the game remained as Illinois took a three-point lead but a bucket from Gohlke for three knotted things up at 48. The Fighting Illini ran away from there though and went on a 16-0 run before Conway brought it to a halt with a jumper with under a minute to go. DQ Cole tallied his first points of the contest as time was winding down to cut the lead to 11 where Oakland would eventually fall, 64-53.
 
Oakland improved from the field in the second half and went 10-of-25 (.400) with two three pointers and five points coming off the bench. Illinois continued to improve and shot an impressive 53.9% from the field (14-26 FG) and added 10 points off 2nd chance opportunities. Forty-four of Illinois' 64 points came from inside the paint, opposed to Oakland's 28.
 
Oakland opens its home season Tuesday, Nov. 14, as the Golden Grizzlies welcome in the Bowling Green Falcons. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. ET and is the 40th year salute to Coach Kampe. For tickets and more information, click here.