ROCHESTER, Mich. – Oakland University Men's Basketball honored Jalen Moore and Keaton Hervey on Senior Night while the team was handed its ninth #HLMBB loss on Saturday 78-69 by Northern Kentucky at the Athletics Center O'rena.

The Norse started the game hot from deep, going 5-5 for three as Jalen Moore and Trey Townsend chewed into the lead as Moore knotted the game up at 15-15 with a three of his own with 13:03 remaining.
 

Mr. Tricky Feet. 🎩 pic.twitter.com/CodE06b2QO

— Oakland Basketball (@OaklandMBB) February 25, 2023

Keaton Hervey knocked down a triple in the ensuing possession to steal the lead away from the visiting black jerseys 18-17 while the Norse stormed back, retaking the lead off a 9-0 run to go up 29-22 with 5:14 remaining. 

Suddenly, the Norse shooting would go as cold as the Michigan weather. After their latest three-pointer at 5:14, NKU didn't see a bucket the rest of the way as the Golden Grizzlies punished their inefficiency, producing a 14-0 run to head into halftime with the lead 38-29. 

NKU immediately answered with a triple less than 20 seconds into the second frame. It would not take long for the visiting Norse to retake the lead, Marques Warrick knocking down a triple with 14:34 remaining in regulation to retake the lead at 48-46.

Osei Price reeled the Norse back in from going any further, draining a three sandwiched by two others by NKU as the visitors answered every answer by Oakland.

Hervey's two free throws kept the lead down to five with 11:49 remaining before the Norse popped off to a 15-point lead with 7:28 to go. Moore's free throws had the senior start a takeover with Chris Conway as the two pulled the raiding Norse back in within ten with less than two minutes remaining.

Moore scored every point up to Rocket Watts' layup with 27 seconds on the clock as the Golden Grizzlies ended the 2022-23 regular season on Senior Night with a 78-69 loss. 

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• As this is being written, Oakland will play the loser of Milwaukee-Cleveland State Thursday, March 2 in the quarterfinal of the Barbasol #HLMBB Tournament
• Moore led the squad one last time in the regular season with 27 points 
• Hervey bagged six boards in the loss to lead the team with four coming from Townsend
• Moore was 14-14 from the free-throw line as the team finished 22-24
• NKU finished 15-26 (57.7%) from the three-point arc to OU's 31.6% (5-16)

The Golden Grizzlies will await their Barbasol 2023 #HLMBB Tournament opponent as the fifth seed and a first-round bye set for Thursday, March 2 at 7:00 pm ET.