ROCHESTER, Mich. - The Golden Grizzlies men's basketball team caps off 2024 with a matchup against Arkansas on the road tomorrow (Dec. 30), followed by ringing in the new year inside the OU Credit Union O'rena with a pair of home contests Thursday (Jan. 2) and Saturday (Jan. 4).

Oakland heads to Fayetteville, Ark., to face the Razorbacks tomorrow (Dec. 30) with tip-off slated for 8:00 p.m. ET, streaming live nationally on ESPN2. Oakland then heads back home and returns to league play as it welcomes Milwaukee Thursday (Jan. 2) at 7:00 p.m. ET, followed by a Saturday (Jan. 4) matinee against Robert Morris, slated for 3:00 p.m. ET, with both games live on ESPN+.

The Golden Grizzlies (4-9, 1-2 HL) wrapped up the Hawaiian Airlines Diamond Head Classic as it placed fourth after it fell in overtime to host Hawai'i in the third-place game, 73-70. It was a strong defensive battle on both sides before the Rainbow Warriors opened things up with an 11-0 run before Oakland put an end to it and went into the half down, 32-25. Oakland came back and took an eight-point lead in the second half, but the Rainbow Warriors clawed back and tied the game late.

Both teams had one final possession but neither could get a shot off as the game headed into overtime tied, 64-64. In the extra period, Hawai'i struck first with a three-pointer, but Oakland tallied its next three points from the charity stripe to tie things up with 2:13 to go. The Rainbow Warriors hit its second three of extra time, but Malcolm Christie matched it with a three of his own to tie the game up with 1:36 to play. Hawai'i, however, hit a layup with :46 seconds to go, followed by a free throw, as Oakland's contested three-point shot at the buzzer fell short as it fell in overtime, 73-70.

The Golden Grizzlies have four players who average double-digit points as Allen Mukeba leads the team with 13.1 per game. Buru Naivalurua, who averages 11.3 points per game, leads the team off the glass with 7.8 rebounds per game. From beyond the arc, Christie, who averages 11.2 points per game, has hit 37 from beyond the arc at a .339 clip.

Oakland tallies 64.8 points per game, compared to its opponents 71.2, as the team shoots at a .409 clip from the floor with 7.2 threes per game. Off the glass, Oakland comes down with 34.5 rebounds per game, 1.6 less than its opponents 36.1.

DATE: Dec. 30
OPPONENT: Arkansas
LOCATION: Bud Walton Arena - Fayetteville, Ark.
TIME: 8:00 p.m. ET
LIVE STATS
LIVE STREAM: ESPN2
LIVE AUDIO

The Razorbacks (10-2, 0-0 SEC) enter tomorrow's contest with one ranked win under its belt, as it beat No. 14 Michigan by two, along with one ranked loss after it dropped a game against No. 8 Baylor, 72-67. The Razorbacks also fell to Illinois, the only common opponent between the two teams this season, as Arkansas lost by 13, while Oakland lost by 12. Bench boss John Calipari, who has the most wins by any active head coach in Division I basketball, returns to face the Golden Grizzlies after Oakland knocked off the formerly-coached Kentucky Wildcats in the NCAA Tournament last season.

This marks the third time the teams will have faced each other as Oakland looks for its first win over the Razorbacks. Both games previously have been on the road, as the Golden Grizzlies traveled to Fayetteville in both the 2006-07 season and the 2011-12 season. Its closest game came in 2011 as Oakland fell, 91-68, as Arkansas tallied 91 points as well in its first meeting.

The Razorbacks are led by Adou Thiero who averages 17.6 points per game, shooting at a .610 clip from the floor, and leads the team off the glass with 5.7 rebounds per game. With a trio of players in the double-digits in scoring, Boogie Fland is next in line with 15.3 points per game and leads the team with 22 threes made.

The Razorbacks tally 81.8 points per game and allow just 65.8 per game, as the team shoots at a .508 clip from the floor. With a rebound margin of +5.2, the Razorbacks grab 36.5 rebounds per game as it also dishes out 16.5 assists per game.

Tip-off from Bud Walton Arena is slated for 8:00 p.m. ET and will be nationally-televised on ESPN2.

DATE: Jan. 2
OPPONENT: Milwaukee
LOCATION: OU Credit Union O'rena - Rochester, Mich.
TIME: 7:00 p.m. ET
LIVE STATS
LIVE STREAM: ESPN+
LIVE AUDIO
TICKETS

The Panthers (9-4, 2-0 HL) enter the week having won both of its league games, as it beat Cleveland State, 79-67, the only common opponent the two teams have played so far this season. The Panthers play the IU Indy Jaguars today (Dec. 29) before it treks to Michigan to face Oakland.

The Golden Grizzlies hold the edge over the Panthers, at 15-10 all-time, as Oakland has only dropped three games on its home court. The Golden Grizzlies swept the season series last season, home and away, along with a win in the Horizon League Championship game in Indianapolis, Ind. DQ Cole and Naivalurua both saw action in the contest, as Cole led the pair with four points.

The Panthers entire starting lineup is in the double-digits in points per game, as Themus Fulks leads the team with 14.5 points per game, shooting at a .534 clip from the floor. Jamichael Stillwell leads the team off the glass, with 11.9 rebounds per game, as he also averages 13.7 points per game.

The Panthers average 81.8 points per game and allow 71.8 points, as the team shoots at a .480 clip from the field. With 6.5 threes made per game, the team allows 7.7 threes per game as its opponents shoot better from beyond the arc at a .348 mark compared to its .310 clip. Off the glass, Milwaukee boasts 42.6 rebounds per game, 12.9 better than its opponents, as the team also dishes out 14.2 assists per game.

Tip-off from the OU Credit Union O'rena is slated for 7:00 p.m. ET and will be streamed live on ESPN+.

DATE: Jan. 4
OPPONENT: Robert Morris
LOCATION: OU Credit Union O'rena - Rochester, Mich.
TIME: 3:00 p.m. ET
LIVE STATS
LIVE STREAM: ESPN+
LIVE AUDIO
TICKETS

The Colonials (8-5, 0-2 HL) face Northern Kentucky today (Dec. 29) at home and follow things up with a game against Detroit Mercy before it faces the Golden Grizzlies. Just like Oakland, Robert Morris fell to Youngstown State in its Horizon League opener, 72-58, and followed it up with a loss against Purdue Fort Wayne, 82-77.

Oakland has only lost a pair of games against Robert Morris and are undefeated on its home court. The team has lost by a combined 11 points in its two games that it dropped, as Oakland won by 15 last season on the Blacktop. Cole, Naivalurua and Isaiah Jones saw action in the game as Cole tallied 11 points and missed just one shot from the floor. Oakland capped off the season series last year with a 64-43 win in Moon Township, Pa.

The Colonials have four players that average double-digit points, as Alvaro Folgueiras averages 12.8 points per game and averages a double-double with a team-lead 10.8 rebounds per game. Ryan Prather Jr. and DJ Smith lead the team from beyond the arc with 20 three pointers each.

The Colonials enter the week averaging 72.1 points per game and allow 69.8 points per game, as the team shoots at a .419 clip from the field. The team makes 6.5 threes per game at a .305 mark and outrebounds its opponents, 38.1-32.0. The Colonials turn the ball over 14.3 times per game and dish out 13.0 assists per game.

Tip-off from the OU Credit Union O'rena is slated for 3:00 p.m. ET and will be streamed live on ESPN+.

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