It’s beginning to get late in the game for teams in college basketball. As the season winds down, wins are at a premium.
“There isn’t a lot of season left,” Greg Kampe quipped after a loss to Youngstown State the last time the Golden Grizzlies took the floor. “That is why tonight was so important.”
So with six games left in the season coming into a game as IU Indy, the Golden Grizzlies need to take advantage of games they are supposed to win.
They did on Wednesday, as they hit the road to Indianapolis and came home with an 82-67 victory over the Jaguars. The win moved Oakland to 8-7 in Horizon League play, and 11-15 on the year overall.
Leading the Golden Grizzlies was an emerging Nassim Mashhour. He went 5-7 from three and scored 18 points before fouling out in 24 minutes. He has played 20+ minutes five times this year, the last five games in fact. In that stretch he is shooting 62% from three and is scoring almost 12 points a game. The freshman is breaking out down the stretch.
As a team, Oakland made 12 threes. The 12-27 mark was maybe the best three point shooting display of the season. The Golden Grizzlies have now made double digit threes in four of their last seven games, after hitting that mark three times in the first 19 contests.
The big man duo of Allen Mukeba and Buru Naivalurua put up their usual averages. Mukeba scored 14 points and went five for five from the floor. He also added six rebounds and three assists. Naivalurua posted a double double, posting 13 points and 10 boards. He also dished out four assists and blocked three shots. Oakland used their three point shooting to get ahead, but the duo down low closed the game by taking control late.
DQ Cole added 10 points, while also flirting with double digit assists and rebounds as he had seven of each. Jayson Woodrich made two early threes, while Malcolm Christie made two threes and had a dunk in transition to give him eight points.
The fifth Golden Grizzly in double figures was Isaiah Jones. He didn’t miss a shot from the field and scored 13 points. Jones also grabbed six rebounds to help Oakland win the rebounding battle in a game they let up 20 offensive rebounds. He will be needed as someone to rebound from the perimeter spots down the stretch.
Around the Horizon League, Oakland only sits a game and a half behind Milwaukee for the final first round bye. After Robert Morris and Youngstown State both got wins last night, the more coveted top four spot has three teams tied at 11-5, in second place. The two mentioned above, and Purdue Fort Wayne.
The next chance for Oakland to add a win is Sunday, as Detroit Mercy makes the return trip to Rochester. Oakland won 65-59 at Calihan Hall in January. Tip off is slated for 3pm Eastern Time on the blacktop. The game will be broadcast on ESPN+.
