ROCHESTER, Mich. - The Golden Grizzlies men's basketball team eyes its fourth-straight win as it concludes its homestand against Northern Kentucky Wednesday inside the OU Credit Union O'rena, with tip-off set for 7:00 p.m. ET.
 
The Golden Grizzlies (9-8, 4-2 HL) had another thrilling win against Green Bay, 79-73, which, just like its win against Milwaukee, came down to the wire.
 
Blake Lampman got the scoring started and sank one from range on the Golden Grizzlies first possession. Green Bay tallied a two, but Lampman came right back down and drilled another from beyond the arc for an early four-point lead. Green Bay finally answered with a three of its own, but Oakland rallied and scored seven-straight, finished off by an and-one from Trey Townsend.
 
The Phoenix tied the game up for the first time at the 6:26 mark before it grabbed a two-point lead at 23-21 with 5:40 to play. Rocket Watts made his two from the charity stripe, followed by a fastbreak layup from Lampman, but the Phoenix continued its shooting from three and hit another to retake the lead down the stretch.
 
After the Golden Grizzlies took a 30-28 point lead into the locker room, they stayed on top and grew its lead to eight points early. The lead grew to double digits as Lampman went around the Phoenix and stole the ball before the Golden Grizzlies worked it around to Townsend under the hoop who laid it up. The Golden Grizzlies got a quick five points, capped by yet another three from Lampman, to extend its lead to 13. An and-one from the Phoenix side put it back to a 10-point game, but Lampman made another one from downtown to make it 54-41.
 
The Phoenix cut it down to three, after its 12th three on the night, as it came crawling back into the game. Townsend made a pair of free throws, but a three on the other end of the court made it a two-point game with seven minutes to play. Green Bay took a one-point lead on its next possession with another three, and went up by three with a layup.
 
Oakland found its groove back after Townsend made six-straight points to regain a narrow lead, before the Phoenix grabbed two from the line before Townsend made one to match his season-high in points with 28. The Phoenix knotted things up at 69 with under three minutes to go as Jones made a pair of free throws, but another Phoenix three put the team ahead by one with 1:30 to go.
 
Isaiah Jones made another pair of clutch free throws from the line as Green Bay missed its next shot to give the Golden Grizzlies the ball, up one, with under a minute to go. The Golden Grizzlies called a timeout and drew up a play for Conway to hook a shot in and gain a three-point lead. Jones came up big down the stretch and forced a turnover as the Phoenix resorted to fouls. Jones made his two and made it 77-72 with :18 seconds to go. Another Phoenix miss gave Watts the ball as he dazzled for a dunk to secure the win, 79-73.
 
Townsend once again led the Golden Grizzlies (9-8, 4-2 HL) with his third double-double in four games. Townsend tied his season high of 28 points, which was also a game high, as he brought down 11 boards. Fifteen of Lampman's 19 points came from downtown (5-of-11 3FG) as Jones made eight key free throws for his 12 point total.
 
The Phoenix improved from the floor in the second half and hit at a .469 clip (15-of-32) and matched the Golden Grizzlies who also went 15-of-32. Green Bay were lethal from three and added nine in the second half to make its total 15 (15-of-36), as seven players made at least one, with the Golden Grizzlies that had a total of five. Free throws were crucial in the victory as Oakland converted 22 from the charity stripe which included 16 in the second half.
 
SCOUTING THE NORSE
The Golden Grizzlies look to get on the right side of things against the Norse as Northern Kentucky has taken the last two outings and four of its last five. In its previous matchup last season, Oakland fell on the road, 81-74, as five current Golden Grizzlies saw the floor. Townsend led those current players with 19 points (7-of-12 FG) with four boards, as Lampman, Watts, Osei Price and Chris Conway saw time. Oakland outscored Northern Kentucky in the second half, but a strong first half from the Norse led the team over the Golden Grizzlies.
 
Overall, the Golden Grizzlies hold a 10-12 record against the Norse which dates back to 1984 where the Golden Grizzlies secured the win, 49-47. The team has struggled in its last 10, with a record of 2-8, and average 71.36 points opposed to Northern Kentucky's 74.69.
 
Northern Kentucky (8-8, 3-2 HL), who dropped its most recent contest to Cleveland State, dropped its first two games of the season before it rattled off its first win at home against DePauw, 85-68, before it fell again at Cincinnati. The team hosted the Cincinnati & Northern Kentucky Toyota Dealers Thanksgiving Tournament and went 2-0 with wins over Texas A&M - Corpus Christi and LIU, which continued into a four-game win streak. The Norse reopened Horizon League play with a loss over Purdue Fort Wayne but answered nearly a week later with a tight win over Youngstown State, 79-76.
 
The Norse fell on the road to Cleveland State, 88-85, in overtime after a resilient second half from Northern Kentucky sent it into the extra frame. Down by six after the first 20, the Norse rallied behind a 50-point second half and a Marques Warrick three at the buzzer to send the game into overtime. Cleveland State seemed to be in control of the overtime session as it didn't give up a lead once, only a tie a handful of times, before the team was forced to make its free throws, and did, as the Norse fell, 88-85.
 
Warrick leads the Norse with nearly 20.0 points per game as he averages 19.7 off a .415 clip from the floor. Warrick has made 38 threes on the year and has brought down 39 rebounds. Off the glass, Trey Robinson leads the team with his 92, while Michael Bradley of the Norse has dished out the most assists with 76.
 
As a team, the Norse hold a narrow edge over its opponents in points scored per game, 73.6-72.5, and shoot at a .460 clip from the floor while it holds its opposition to .446. From range, the team it faces shoots better, at a 34.2%, while the Norse hit at a 32.1%. Northern Kentucky also looses the battle on the glass, with 33.8 rebounds per game to 35.6.
 
Tip-off from the OU Credit Union O'rena is slated for 7:00 PM ET Wednesday, Jan. 10.
 
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