For the third year in a row, the reentry into conference play was a bumpy ride for Oakland.
The past two seasons it was a trip to Cleveland State that opened up the main course of conference games. Those games both saw Oakland get down by at least 20 points. This time at Wright State, Oakland came out as flat as they could and were down 44-20 in less than 14 minutes of game time.
The Golden Grizzlies were competitive from then on but were ultimately unable to get the score closer than a 10-point deficit. The final ended up 88-73.
Wright State made their first seven field goal attempts and made their first five shots from three-point range. Many of these seemed very uncontested, and Oakland did not have an answer for the majority of the first half. At half, Oakland had allowed the Raiders to score 51 points. While the second half saw a much better defensive effort from Oakland, Wright State ended the game shooting 56% from both the field and from three. Oakland shot 38% from the floor, 24% from three.
Oakland was down to seven players who have logged a minute this season and have pulled MJ Yeager off of redshirt. Warren Marshall IV missed the game due to illness, and Nate Deer is having foot surgery that will end his season. Starting guard Nassim Mashhour continues to recover from the season ending knee injury he suffered against Toledo. Mashhour and Deer should each be able to retain this year of eligibility.
Brody Robinson did his best to spark a miraculous comeback. He ended the game with 27 points, making five threes to get there. As the rest of the team struggled to make shots from the perimeter, Oakland put backup point guard Khoi Thurmon on the ball and ran Robinson around as a shooter. He delivered with his shot making, but it also added to the Raiders holding Robinson to just one assist. Robinson continues to emerge as the Golden Grizzlies’ point of attack.
Buru Naivalurua posted a nice game, scoring 18 points and recording seven boards. Naivalurua has strung together back-to-back 18-point games now, after a few six-point performances. Oakland will continue to need him as the season progresses.
Michael Houge was good offensively as well. His 13 points and 12 boards gave him his first double-double of the season. Houge has also played a season high 36 minutes in consecutive games, a sign he has fully emerged from the preseason ankle injury that kept him out until late November.
Isaac Garrett fouled out and struggled most of the night; Ziare Wells was held in check with only four points; Khoi Thurmon did some good with five points, but only had one assist compared to three turnovers, much like Robinson’s ratio. Brett White II did not score, going 0-of-5 from deep. Robinson was the only Golden Grizzly to make a three on the night. Without Mashhour, the shooting of “the others” will be a key storyline.
Oakland is now 6-8 overall, and 2-1 in league play. As the Horizon League standings begin to take shape, they are tied for third with Wright State at 2-1, a game behind leader Milwaukee at 3-0.
The Golden Grizzlies now turn their attention to 2026, where a trip to Youngstown State awaits on New Year’s Day. The Penguins are 2-2 in the early league season, coming off of a home loss to Detroit Mercy, who is off to a 3-1 start in Horizon League play. Returner Cris Carroll averages 17 points per game, and also a team leading five rebounds per game. Transfer guard Bryson Dawkins is the only other scorer currently averaging double figures a game. This will be a stiff road test for Oakland. The holiday action tips off at 1pm ET on ESPN+.
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