CINCINNATI, Ohio - For the first time since 2021, the Golden Grizzlies take one against a Power Six team as Oakland took care of business against Xavier on the road, 78-76, tonight inside the Cintas Center.
 
The Golden Grizzlies (4-3, 0-0 HL) were led by Trey Townsend who recorded a season-high 28 points (11-of-18), good for a game-high as well, and set his career record in assists with seven. Townsend, who added six boards on the night, was lethal in crunch time and made seven of the Golden Grizzlies last 12 points to help seal the win. Jack Gohlke and Rocket Watts also contributed down the stretch as Gohlke drilled one of his four threes, and Watts contributed two to extend the lead late.
 
The Musketeers (4-3, 0-0 Big East) saw three players in double-digit points as Desmond Claude led the team with 24 points (7-of-14) with six boards, with Quincy Olivari finishing the night with a game-high seven rebounds to go with his 11 points.
 
Chris Conway tacked on a quick four points, with an Isaiah Jones three sandwiched in between, put Oakland ahead early at 7-3. The game saw three-straight from beyond the arc, two from the Musketeers and one off the hand of Gohlke put the game at 10-9 with an Oakland advantage.
 
The Golden Grizzlies went on a slight run and tallied seven-straight to extend its lead to eight, but Xavier hung around early to cut it back to a one-point game with 12:08 to go. The Golden Grizzlies zone defense was a true test for the Musketeers as the team forced five turnovers in the opening eight minutes of play.
 
Oakland held strong against Xavier as the Golden Grizzlies had answers whenever the Musketeers tried to pull ahead. Xavier took its first lead of the game at the 10:23 mark but Townsend came right back down the court to retake the lead. The Golden Grizzlies held its ground and went up by seven, capped by a Townsend two-hand slam.
 
The Musketeers rebounded to put it back to a one-point ballgame and eventually took its second lead, 39-38, but quickly gave it up after Townsend had two makes from the line. Oakland remained ahead by one after the first half and walked into the locker room with the lead, 43-42.
 
The Golden Grizzlies shot an impressive 55% from the floor (17-of-31) with three makes from deep from three separate players. Townsend headed into the locker room with a game-high 16 points (6-of-9 FG) and dished out five assists after 20. Conway was behind Townend with eight points and shot at a .800 clip. The Musketeers narrowly edged the Golden Grizzlies off the glass with two more boards and added 13 of its 42 points from the free throw line. Xavier went 12-of-26 (.460) from the field and made five three balls.
 
The Musketeers came out with some urgency and took a 50-49 lead but the Golden Grizzlies rattled off nine-straight points, with Gohlke hitting from range to flip the script and put itself up, 58-50. The Musketeers ended its scoring drought with a three of its own to put the game within six with 12:03 to play.
 
Xavier pushed it to a two-point game after it tallied its 17th second chance point of the game with a make from beyond the arc. The game remained competitive as both teams traded points but Townsend eased the gap and put the Golden Grizzlies up four with a layup and a foul. Oakland put Xavier in the bonus with a tick under 8:00 to go as it made both free throws to cut the Golden Grizzlies lead in half.
 
Although in the bonus, the Musketeers would miss its first of two one-of-ones but eventually found the basket to tie things up with 5:53 to go. Going wire-to-wire, DQ Cole added his first points of the game to bring the Golden Grizzlies back ahead, but a free throw followed by a layup off a steal put the Musketeers ahead with under five to play.
 
Xavier battled and went on an 11-2 run in a five-minute span and took its largest lead of the night so far at three with 3:49 to go off another second-chance opportunity. Townsend curbed the momentum with a clutch bucket and drew contact while he laid the ball in. His three-point play put the game at bay at 69 and a big defensive board from Gohlke gave the Golden Grizzlies possession. Gohlke made a clutch three ball to put Oakland up by three before Xavier answered with two free throws.
 
Townsend continued his stellar performance with a pullup jumper and Watts gave the Golden Grizzlies a five-point lead in crunch time. The Musketeers answered with a two, but a crucial offensive board by Watts gave the Golden Grizzlies more time to milk the clock and none other than Townsend made a jumper for a five-point lead with :25 to go.
 
The Musketeers cut it close and forced a turnover and made it a two-point game with no timeouts left and put the Golden Grizzlies on the line. Oakland missed both from the charity stripe, but a full court heave came up short for Xavier as the Golden Grizzlies took its first Power Six win since 2021, 78-76.
 
The Golden Grizzlies continued shooting well in the second half and finished 12-of-25 (.480) from the field with three from deep for an overall clip of .518 from the floor. The Musketeers won the battle of the boards with 37 opposed to the Golden Grizzlies' 29 and tallied 22 second chance points, but the Golden Grizzlies dominated the paint with 38 points coming from it. Oakland was in control for nearly the entirety of the game and led for 34:24 of it, while Xavier only led for a total of 3:21.
 
The Golden Grizzlies open up Horizon League play on a three-game win streak Wednesday (Nov. 29) as it'll face off against in-state rival Detroit Mercy. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. and will be streamed live on ESPN+. All Oakland games this season will be live streamed through audio via The Bet1270 AM (WXYT-AM) & the Audacy App with Neal Ruhl on the call.