YPSILANTI, Mich. — Oakland (1-5, 0-0 HL) fell to the Eastern Michigan Eagles (3-2, 0-0 MAC), 97-91, in a tightly contested matchup at the George Gervin GameAbove Center. The game brought on 13 ties and 15 lead changes, as Oakland's effort was led by a strong performance in the paint, scoring 44 points, while also capitalizing with 20 fast break points. EMU utilized a balanced attack, slightly outscoring Oakland with 10 three-pointers and maintaining a narrow lead throughout the second half.

"Sometimes the other team just plays better and we honestly did not play bad tonight," said head coach Greg Kampe. "Offensively, we played pretty well. We took a few bad shot, panicked a bit...within the last few minutes we got it back to three [points], and we had chances and weren't tough enough with the ball. We need to learn how to finish late in the game."

Senior Brody Robinson led the team with 22 points, hitting four triples and making six free throws. In his first game back from injury, fifth-year Michael Houge posted 17 points, converting seven of his nine field goal attempts. Fifth-year Tuburu Naivalurua added 15 points and recorded six assists, also collecting five rebounds as junior Isaac Garrett contributed 15 points and six rebounds, finishing with one block and one steal. Sophomore Nassim Mashhour tallied four steals and scored 10 points, demonstrating strong defensive play.

Oakland opened the first half with a strong start, highlighted by Mashhour's early three-pointer, setting the tone for the Black and Gold. Oakland's offense was active in the paint, tallying 20 points, led by Naivalurua's consistent scoring and Garrett's presence inside. Defensively, Oakland forced the Eagles into eight turnovers and capitalized with fast breaks down the court. Despite EMU's efficient perimeter shooting, converting eight 3-pointers, Oakland maintained momentum through key defensive stops and consistent scoring from the bench. The half concluded with a narrow margin as Oakland trailed EMU 46–41 after a late Eagles' run.

In the second half, Oakland opened with a layup by senior Ziare Wells, narrowing the gap to just on possession. Mashhour's steal and Garrett's subsequent layup added Oakland momentum on the offensive front. Robinson contributed significantly with a three-pointer at 13:42, followed by another at 6:55, keeping Oakland close. As the half progressed, the Eagles pulled ahead with a series of layups and free throws that kept them in the lead. 

Despite efforts from Oakland, including a crucial three-pointer by Mashhour with 24 seconds remaining, the Eagles maintained their advantage. The half concluded with a layup by Mehki Ellison and a final triple from Robinson, resulting in a 97-91 final.

Heading into Thanksgiving week, Oakland will head to Missoula, Montana for the Blaine Taylor Classic Monday, Nov. 24 and Tuesday, Nov. 25. The Golden Grizzlies will first take on Lamar, then battle host, Montana for their 2025-26 multi-team event.


How to Follow Oakland Men's Basketball: For complete information on Oakland Men's Basketball follow the team on X at @OaklandMBB and head coach Greg Kampe at @KampeOU. The team is also on Instagram and Facebook.