ROCHESTER, Mich. - Riding a five-game win streak, Youngstown State visits the OU Credit Union O'rena as the Golden Grizzlies look to stay atop the Horizon League Standing with tip-off set for 7:00 p.m. ET.
 
The Golden Grizzlies (11-8, 6-2 HL) took care of business against IUPUI, 88-66, for its fifth-straight conference win for its first five-game win streak since 2021.
 
The Golden Grizzlies jumped out to a quick 11-0 lead before IUPUI got on the board as Oakland didn't let up its lead for the remainder of the game. Oakland kept it rolling from there with two from the charity stripe followed by a make from downtown by Trey Townsend to extend the lead to 12 at the 13:46 mark. IUPUI eventually cut the deficit to single digits, at 20-12, but Isaiah Jones made a quick two to bump the lead back to 10. After a pair from the free throw line, the Golden Grizzlies moved the ball around the horn before Rocket Watts drained one from deep, followed by a Tuburu Naivalurua two.
 
DQ Cole tacked on his seventh point in as many minutes before the Jaguars turned the ball over in its defensive zone. Cole made yet another layup, followed by Watts and Towsend who both matched each other's threes as the Golden Grizzlies went on a 15-0 run in the span of 3:58. The Jaguars finally got back on the board with its first field goal in nearly five minutes, but the Oakland train kept chugging along as Watts floated one in for two. The Golden Grizzlies rolled into the locker room with a 20-point lead, 46-26.
 
Oakland started the second half off with fireworks as Townsend, from beyond the three-point line, sent a hook pass to Naivalurua for the alley-oop slam. The teams traded points but Oakland remained with a big lead as Lampman hit from range to extend the lead to 58-34. The Jaguars went on a 15-6 run in the next three minutes to make it a 15-point game, but the Golden Grizzlies hung around and didn't break to maintain the lead.
 
Oakland bumped its lead to 16 after another Naivalurua alley-oop with the help from Cole to make it 71-55 with a tick over eight minutes to play. Although the Jaguars hung around, Oakland had answered and kept the game at by between the 15-20 point margin down the stretch. A three, followed by a layup, threatened an IUPUI comeback, now down 14 points, but Lampman answered with a three of his own to ice the game as it went on to win, 88-66.
 
Oakland saw six players in the double digits for points, as Cole led the way with 19 after he went 7-of-13 (.538) from the floor with one three. Watts was right behind with 16, as Jones nearly recorded a double-double with 14 points and nine boards.
 
The Golden Grizzlies shot better in the second half than the first (.516) at a .577 clip (15-of-26) as IUPUI also improved with a second half mark of .469 (15-of-32). In total, Oakland edged IUPUI from range as the Golden Grizzlies made nine from deep opposed to the Jaguars six. Oakland once again remained on top of the boards with 16 rebounds in the second half compared to IUPUI's nine for an overall 35 rebounds. IUPUI finished with 20 boards and just six offensively.
 
SCOUTING THE PENGUINS
Youngstown State (12-5, 5-2 HL) rides a three game win-streak into Wednesday's contest after it dropped two-straight league games, with the first coming from the Golden Grizzlies. Since the Penguins fell at home against Oakland, 88-81, the team have gone 3-1, with its sole loss against Northern Kentucky, and have outscored its opponents, 81.25 - 75.
 
The last time these teams played was New Year's Eve as Oakland came away with the win, 88-81, at Youngstown which sparked the Golden Grizzlies current five-game win streak. In the win, Blake Lampman led the way and recorded career highs in points (26), field goals made (8) and three point field goals made (7), while Townsend recorded one of his double-doubles on the year with 15 points (4-of-7) and 11 boards. Two other Oakland players, Chris Conway and Jack Gohlke, also finished the game in the double digits with 18 and 12, respectively.
 
In its series history, the Golden Grizzlies fare well on its home court and have only dropped three games to the Penguins at the O'rena and look to avenge last year's loss on its home floor. Oakland's 88 points in its win this season is the most points the team has scored against the Penguins since March 6, 2019, in an 88-84 win at home.
 
Ziggy Reid, who earned Horizon League Player of the Week on Dec. 11, leads the team in points per game with 13.2, while Brandon Rush is right behind with 13.1. Forward DJ Burns, who has played and started in all 18 games this season, leads the team and the Horizon League in rebounds with an average of 8.6 per game.
 
The Penguins outscore its opponents by nearly 11 points as it averages 81.4 points per game and give up 70.6 with a .456 clip from the floor. Its defense has held shooters to hit from the floor at a .415 clip and let up7.8 threes per game while it hits 9.4 per game. The team also wins the battle off the glass with an average of 40.3 per game with a margin of 5.9.
 
Tip-off from the OU Credit Union O'rena is slated for 7:00 PM ET Wednesday, Jan. 17.
 
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