FORT WAYNE, Ind. - The Golden Grizzlies fell to the Mastodons, 80-66, tonight inside Gates Sports Center.

The Golden Grizzlies (12-16, 9-8 HL) were led by the duo of Buru Naivalurua and Allen Mukeba who both secured 20+ point nights with 23 and 21, respectively. Mukeba led off the glass with eight rebounds.

The Mastodons (19-10, 12-6 HL) had four players with double-digit points as Rasheed Bello led the team with 19 points and five threes.

DQ Cole got the game started as he hit from range on Oakland's second possession of the game to spark a 9-0 run before Purdue Fort Wayne got on the board. The Mastodons clawed its way back though, scoring eight of the next 10 points to make it 11-8 with 15:14 to go. Naivalurua put the run to an end with back-to-back layups, but Purdue Fort Wayne eventually made it a one-point game, at 17-16, at the 11:06 mark.

Nassim Mashhour sank a trio from the charity stripe after drawing a foul, but an 8-3 run from the Mastodons gave it its first lead of the game. Purdue Fort Wayne built its lead to 30-23, but Oakland slowly chipped away at it, cutting the game to 32-30 at the 4:24 mark. Purdue Fort Wayne went on another run though, building its lead to 39-30, before Oakland cut into the deficit slightly to trail at half, 42-35.

Naivalurua and Mukeba led the team in points with 15 and 11, respectively, as the team shot at a .433 clip from the floor. On the other end, 10 of the Mastodons 15 makes were from range, shooting at a .500 mark, as it leads off the glass, 18-16.

Oakland came roaring back in the opening minutes of the second half as Mukeba made back-to-back layups, followed by a Jayson Woodrich jumper to cap off a quick 6-0 run. Purdue Fort Wayne added three, but Oakland kept rolling, eventually tying the score at 47 apiece. The Mastodons answered with a three, but Naivalurua eventually retook the lead for Oakland after a turnaround jumper fell.

The Mastodons quickly regained its lead and built it to nine, at 64-55, with 6:43 to go, before Mukeba put a halt to the run with a two. However, the threes from Purdue Fort Wayne kept coming as it hit another three to build its lead to double-digits with 5:27 to go. The lead was too large for Oakland to come back from, as the Mastodons kept up as the Golden Grizzlies eventually fell, 80-66.

The Golden Grizzlies only made one less shot from the floor than the Mastodons, at 28-27, but the difference maker was from range as Purdue Fort Wayne made 17 threes compared to Oakland's one. Contrary to the first half, Oakland finished the game with the lead off the glass, 35-28.

Oakland is back in action for its final home game of the regular season Sunday (Feb. 23) as it'll face Cleveland State for senior day. Tip-off is slated for 3:00 p.m. ET and will be streamed live on ESPN+. 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.