YOUNGSTOWN, Oh. -  The Golden Grizzlies were unable to pick up a victory on the road to start the week, falling to Youngstown State 81-58, as the Penguins outpaced Oakland with a 26-point second quarter. Oakland's defense recorded 10 steals, but couldn't contain the YSU offense down the stretch.

After a slow start from the field, the Golden Grizzlies would take an early 8-7 lead as Lianna Baxter poured in her first bucket of the game fast out the gate. Layla Gold inserted her impact on the game in the opening frame as well, nailing a jumper at 6:23 and a layup at 0:13, which helped maintain the offensive pace. She would end the quarter with a game-high eight points (4-for-9 FG), as the game would hold steady at a 16-16 tie after ten minutes of play.

Oakland scored all 16 of their points in the paint, leveraging their defensive rebounds to create scoring opportunities in transition as they controlled the pace in the early stages.

Oakland struggled to maintain momentum in the second quarter, as the Penguins charged up an 8-0 run to take a double-digit lead at 22-32 with 4:46 left in the half. Luehring would scratch at the lead as she beat the halftime buzzer with a last-second floater, but YSU would take a 30-42 lead into the break after outscoring Oakland 26-14 in the second frame.

Luehring and Gold both led the Golden Grizzlies scoring efforts with ten points apiece in the first half, while Erica King led YSU with 13 points. Despite the Penguins only making two more shot attempts (17) than Oakland (15) on the same amount of attempts (37), Youngstown State went 4-for-12 from three, while Oakland failed to nail a triple (0-for-6) in the half.

The Golden Grizzlies did hold the advantage in blocks (4) and offensive rebounds (7) in the opening half as they looked to continue to set the tone down low.

In the third quarter, Oakland narrowed the gap with a strategic run led by points at the free throw line. Despite going 3-for-16 from the field in the third, Oakland was able to outscore YSU 16 to 15 in the quarter behind 9-for-12 shooting from the charity stripe.

The Golden Grizzlies used their aggressiveness and ability to get to the line to go on a 9-2 run, cutting the YSU lead back down to single-digits at 46-55 with under a minute left to go. The quarter concluded with the Penguins leading 57-46, but the momentum slightly in Oakland's favor.

Oakland's fourth-quarter efforts were highlighted by a persistent drive in the paint, where Lianna Baxter scored two consecutive layups, narrowing the gap to 62-50 at 7:47. Luehring's defensive play with a steal and subsequent layup at 6:44 further fueled Oakland's fast-break opportunities. However, the Penguins maintained a consistent shooting advantage, sealing the game with a string of three-pointers and layups, ending the game with a 10-0 run and securing a 81-58 win.

Luehring set career-highs in points with 20, and steals with five, showcasing her ability to contribute on both ends of the court. This performance marked the second time in the last week where she has set a career-high in points as she continues to play tremendous basketball during her freshman campaign.

Gold posted a double-double with 17 points and 10 rebounds, adding three blocks to her defensive efforts, marking her second double-double of the season. Baxter also collected 10 rebounds, providing a strong presence under the basket. Smith added 12 points and contributed two steals, demonstrating her effectiveness in both scoring and defense. This game marked her sixth straight scoring in double figures.

The next challenge for Oakland takes place at the OU Credit Union O'rena in Rochester, Michigan, where they will face Green Bay on Thursday, Jan. 8. Tip-off is set for 6:30 p.m.