ROCHESTER, Mich. – Jalen Moore's 35-point showout propelled the Oakland University Men's Basketball team to a 75-68 win over Wright State in the Athletics Center O'rena in a crucial #HLMBB Thursday night contest. 

Moore wasted no time getting on the board as the senior struck back-to-back three-pointers to open up the scoring for the Golden Grizzlies (13-17, 11-8 #HLMBB), leading 6-4 early on as the visiting Raiders (16-14, 9-10 #HLMBB) climbed back with a five-point run at 9-6.

The scoring woes popped up once again for Oakland, Wright State looked up at the LED boards in the O'rena up by ten at 18-8 with 13 minutes remaining when the tide started to turn.

Moore and Rocket Watts went 4-4 from the charity stripe bringing the Golden Grizzlies back within striking distance, slowly chewing out parts of the lead with the air in the arena changing with Watts and Moore's steal and score.

FUMBLLLLLLEEEEEE pic.twitter.com/KjPLCp5xQC

— Oakland Basketball (@OaklandMBB) February 24, 2023

Oakland got within four points at 30-26 with Moore once again draining a triple from range with 3:14 remaining.

A travel violation by Wright State granted Oakland the chance to take a last-second shot with a little over three seconds remaining in the half as Moore's pull-up jumper wouldn't fall as the Golden Grizzlies headed to the locker room down by two with the Cloverdale, Indiana native leading all scorers with 13.

Oakland was 3-11 from deep as Wright State struggled with a measly 1-9 mark. Heading into the game, OU was 2-14 when losing at halftime. 

After fumbling the possession after halftime, both teams did their best to rip the lead out from one another with OU running within a point at certain times of the early part of the second frame. 

An inbound bucket to Trey Townsend knotted the score at 47-47 with 11:44 remaining as the team's energy would be spent as the Raiders piled up an eight-point advantage at the under-eight media timeout.

A 9-2 run by the Golden Grizzlies brought the game back within reach, setting up a tied 49-49 game with 4:52 by Hervey's layup.

Moore's free throw with 3:53 remaining retook the lead for the first time in the second half, the lead extending with the aforementioned Moore going back to the line a possession later. Wright State would tie things up again at 74-74 before Hervey planted a triple that suffocated the life of the Raiders' bench.
 

GETTING THE CROWD ON THEIR FEET. 🏹@lil_jmoore34 from @oseiprice3 pic.twitter.com/pe6ojPNBCI

— Oakland Basketball (@OaklandMBB) February 24, 2023

For the next six points, Moore finished on the free throw line and secured the Golden Grizzlies' victory to the applause of the O'rena 75-68.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• Moore bags his second-straight 30-point game, his third overall, the sixth total 30-plus performance by the Golden Grizzlies this season
• Both Moore, Hervey, and Townsend had nine and eight rebounds, respectively, with OU out rebounding Wright State 33-26
• This is the first time Oakland has swept Wright State since the 2015-16 regular season
• Osei Price held a substantial 21 minutes played off the bench
• With its nine offensive rebounds, the Golden Grizzlies had 19 second-chance points to WSU's seven

Oakland will finish the regular season with its 31st game of the year at the O'rena on Saturday, February 25 at 3:00 pm on ESPN+ against Northern Kentucky.