DETROIT, Mich. — The Oakland University Golden Grizzlies (6-7, 2-0 HL) fell to the Michigan State Spartans (11-1, 2-0 B1G), 79-70 in a neutral-site matchup at Little Caesars Arena in downtown Detroit. The Black and Gold battled and kept the game close, tying the scoreboard seven times and taking the lead on eight occasions. Despite a strong showing beyond the arc with 10 three-pointers, Oakland could not overcome MSU's advantage in the paint, where they outscored Oakland 42-26.

"That was an amazing crowd today. Sure there was a lot of Green and White, but I saw plenty of Black and Gold in the stands -- at least 5,000-7,000," said head coach Greg Kampe. "At the end of the day here, we've played four top-9 teams this year, we can beat them on any given night. They're going to win the coaching battle. They're going to win the effort battle. They're going to win the rebounding battle. The nights they make shots, they can beat anyone in the country."

Senior Ziare Wells scored 17 points, converting all three of his three-point attempts, and added two assists. Fifth-year Tuburu Naivalurua led the team with 18 points, hitting 6 of 11 from the field and securing five board. Senior Brody Robinson tallied 13 points with three three-pointers and dished out eight assists. Despite a quiet day from shooting, junior Isaac Garrett picked up the Oakland zone defense recording six rebounds and a team-high five steals.

Oakland opened the game with a strong offensive showing, taking an early 5–2 lead thanks to a three-point shot at the arc by Wells. The team maintained a competitive edge through the first half, highlighted by Garrett's fast-break layup at 15:54, which contributed to a 9–6 advantage. Oakland's three-point shooting was effective, with fifth-year Michael Houge and Robinson each connecting from beyond the arc to help regain the lead at 32–30 with 3:47 remaining. However, despite their efforts, a late dunk and drawn foul from the Spartans had Oakland trailing slightly at the end of the half, 39–36.

OU started the second half with a strong push, highlighted by Robinson's three-pointer at 17:28, narrowing the gap to six points. Despite further efforts, including a fast-break layup by Naivalurua at 14:31 after the steal, Oakland faced challenges maintaining possession, resulting in eight turnovers throughout the half. They continued to fight back, with Wells contributing a timely three-pointer at 3:12 to keep the team within reach. However, Michigan State managed to maintain their lead and the win.

After the holiday break, Oakland is back into the Horizon League. slate with a roadtrip to Dayton, Ohio to face Wright State on Monday, Dec. 29. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. on ESPN+.