ROCHESTER, Mich. - The Golden Grizzlies men's basketball team looks to end its two-game skid as it faces IU Indy on the road, followed by a home game against Detroit Mercy.
Oakland will head to The Jungle tomorrow in Indianapolis, Ind., tomorrow (Feb. 12) with tip-off set for 6:30 p.m. ET, followed by an in-state matchup inside the OU Credit Union O'rena Sunday at 3:00 p.m. ET against Detroit Mercy.
The Golden Grizzlies (10-15, 7-7 HL) fell to Youngstown State, 84-75, in a hard-fought matchup at the OU Credit Union O'Rena last Thursday (Feb. 6). The game featured an intense back-and-forth in the early minutes, with five lead changes in the first eight minutes. However, Youngstown State's aggressive defense gave them a 38-32 halftime lead despite Oakland's strong rebounding performance (24-17 advantage). In the second half, the Penguins extended their lead by attacking the paint and maintaining composure despite efforts from
Allen Mukeba and
Buru Naivalurua to close the gap.
A trio of Golden Grizzlies tally double-digit points, as Naivalurua leads the team with 13.8 points per game and leads off the glass with 7.7 rebounds per game. As a team, Oakland tallies 66.9 points per game compared to its opponents 70.0, as the team shoots at a .420 clip with 7.3 three per game. Off the glass, Oakland holds a narrow margin as it brings down 35.0 rebounds per game compared to its opponents 34.0.
DATE: Feb. 12
OPPONENT: IU Indy
LOCATION: The Jungle - Indianapolis, Ind.
TIME: 6:30 p.m. ET
LIVE STATS
LIVE STREAM: ESPN+
LIVE AUDIO
GAME NOTES
The Golden Grizzlies got it done during its previous meeting this season against the Jaguars Jan. 15 inside the Ou Credit Union O'rena. Mukeba scored 20 points with nine rebounds as Oakland defeated IU Indy, 72-59, behind efficient shooting and strong defense.
DQ Cole and Naivalurua added 14 points each.
Oakland led 36-25 at halftime and maintained control in the second half, securing the win. The Golden Grizzlies look to get even on the road, as it's 10-11 on the road but have won the last three road games against the Jaguars.
Paul Zilinskas leads the team with 17.7 points per game, shooting at a .438 clip from the floor, as he leads the team from range with 74 threes. Off the glass, Sean Craig leads the team with 7.5 rebounds per game as he's one of three Jaguars to average double-digit points with 11.5 per game.
The Jaguars (8-18, 4-11 HL) average 74.8 points per game and let up one more per game to its opponents, as the team shoots at a .426 mark from the field compared to its opponents .465 clip. IU Indy makes 10.1 threes per game off a .365 clip and allow 8.0 per game off a .347 mark. Off the glass, the team narrowly edges its opponents with 34.3 rebounds per game, 0.2 more than its opponents.
Tip-off from The Jungle is slated for 6:30 p.m. ET and will be streamed live on ESPN+.
DATE: Feb. 16
OPPONENT: Detroit Mercy
LOCATION: OU Credit Union O'rena - Rochester, Mich.
TIME: 3:00 p.m. ET
LIVE STATS
LIVE STREAM: TV 20/ESPN+
LIVE AUDIO
TICKETS
GAME NOTES
Naivalurua and Mukeba recorded double-doubles to lead Oakland past Detroit Mercy, 65-59, for the team's 10th straight win at Calihan Hall back on Jan. 18. Both players scored 13 points, with Naivalurua adding 11 rebounds and Mukeba grabbing 10.
Jayson Woodrich contributed 10 points with three triples.
Oakland led 34-26 at halftime, hitting six threes in the first half and maintaining control through strong defense and timely scoring. Despite a late 12-2 run by the Titans, the Golden Grizzlies held on for the victory. All-time against the Titans, Oakland is 10-3 at home.
A duo of players average double-digit points as Orlando Lovejoy leads with 16.3 points per game, followed by Mak Manciel with 12.8 points. Lovejoy also leads off the glass with 4.7 rebounds per game, as TJ Nadeau has sank the most threes for the team with 38.
As a team, the Titans (8-18, 4-11 HL) score 65.9 points per game and allow 73.8 points per game, shooting at a .405 clip compared to its opponents .425 mark. From range, the Titans make 5.3 threes per game off a .328 mark, and allow 9.1 threes per game off a .319 mark. Off the glass, Detroit Mercy holds to lead over its opponents with 38.0 rebounds per game compared to 36.5.
Tip-off from the OU Credit Union O'rena is slated for 3:00 p.m. ET and will be live on TV 20 and ESPN+.
FOLLOW OAKLAND
Stay up to date on everything Oakland basketball via social media platforms. Follow our Instagram and Twitter at @OaklandMBB.
