DAYTON, Ohio - Despite a five-point first half lead, the Golden Grizzlies couldn't hang on against the Wright State Raiders and fell, 66-62, tonight inside the Nutter Center.

The Golden Grizzlies (5-12, 2-4 HL) saw Buru Naivalurua lead the team with 16 points, shooting 6-of-12 (.500) from the floor, as he brought down eight rebounds. Allen Mukeba led off the glass for the team with nine rebounds.

The Raiders (9-8, 3-3 HL) were led by Jack Doumbia who matched Naivalurua's 16 points, as Andrea Holden recorded a double-double with 11 points and 11 rebounds.

Isaiah Jones grabbed the first four points of the game as the Oakland defense held its own and didn't allow a Raider point for the first 3:11 of play. Wright State quickly made it a one-point game, at 6-5, but Malcolm Christie got started with a make from range to spark an Oakland 13-2 run with five separate players getting in on the action. The defense continued to play hard, as Wright State was held scoreless for 3:57 of play.

The Raiders grabbed a quick six points to cut the Golden Grizzlies lead to single-digits, but a Naivalurua free throw with 6:25 to go put the lead back to 10. Wright State, though, found a slight groove as it held the Golden Grizzlies to six points in the final 10 minutes of the half, but couldn't break free as it only scored 14. Despite the scoring woes, the Golden Grizzlies held the edge heading into the locker room, 28-23.

Naivalurua and Jones led the team with seven points each at the break, as the team was 10-of-26 (.385) from the floor, compared to Wright State who was hitting at a .435 mark (10-of-23). Both teams made one shot from range as Oakland held the edge off the glass with 20 compared to Wright State's 11.

Christie opened things up with another from range, but the Raiders eventually cut it to a one-point game, at 35-34, with 16:19 to go, but DQ Cole made some separation with a three. The teams traded points before I. Jones hit his first triple of the game to give the Golden Grizzlies some breathing room, now with a six-point lead at the 13:27 mark. The Raiders, however, battled back and scored the next eight points for its first lead of the game, at 45-43, but Cooper Craggs knotted things up with 10:47 to play.

Craggs followed things up with a triple of his own to retake the lead as Jayson Woodrich added to the fire with a jumper. Once again, the Raiders evened things up and eventually took a one-point lead after a three with 6:49 to play. Only a combined seven points were scored between the two teams for the next 4:04 of play as the game was knotted at 56 with 2:45 to play.

Wright State converted off three free throws as it drew a foul from range, but Naivalurua muscled his way for a layup and drew the foul, sinking his free throw to tie things at 61 with 1:01 to go. The Raiders nearly ran the shot clock out before it hit from the floor to take a two-points lead, while Naivalurua drew another foul on the other end of the court and made one of two. After Wright State made one free throw, Oakland remained down a pair with under :10 seconds to go, but a turnover sealed the game as Oakland fell, 66-62.

Oakland improved from the floor in the second half as it finished shooting at a .404 clip from the floor (23-of-57) with five triples made. The Raiders hit at a .453 mark from the floor (24-of-53) with seven makes from three, as Oakland came away on top off the glass with four more boards at 36.

Oakland returns to the floor Saturday (Jan. 11) as it stays on the road to face Northern Kentucky, with tip-off set for 6:00 p.m. ET. All Oakland games this season will be live streamed through audio via 97.1HD-3, The Bet1270 AM (WXYT-AM) & the Audacy App with Neal Ruhl on the call.