ASHWAUBENON, Wis. (Interstat) — The Oakland Golden Grizzlies used a dominant second half to defeat the Green Bay Phoenix 88-63 in a Horizon League men’s basketball game Sunday at Resch Center. Oakland led 37-31 at halftime before outscoring Green Bay 51-32 after the break. The victory improved Oakland’s record to 11-9 overall. Green Bay fell to 11-8. An announced crowd of 2,011 watched as Oakland controlled the game throughout the final 20 minutes. The Golden Grizzlies were projected as favorites and covered the pregame spread. The combined score fell well under the posted over/under line.

ASHWAUBENON, Wis. (Interstat) — The Oakland Golden Grizzlies turned a tight Horizon League contest into a decisive road victory with a dominant second-half performance, defeating the Green Bay Phoenix 88-63 on Sunday at the Resch Center. Fueled by a career-high 26 points and 10 rebounds from forward Tuburu Naivalurua, Oakland outscored Green Bay 51-32 after halftime, pulling away from a six-point lead at the break. The Golden Grizzlies improved to 11-9 overall, while the Phoenix fell to 11-8. The most critical stretch of the game came early in the second half, when Oakland transformed a 37-31 halftime advantage into an insurmountable lead. After Green Bay’s Ramel Bethea scored inside to cut the deficit to 33-29 just over two minutes into the period, the Golden Grizzlies unleashed a 15-3 run over the next four and a half minutes. The surge was a showcase of Oakland’s interior dominance and transition game. Isaac Garrett, who finished with 17 points and 10 rebounds, scored on a putback. Naivalurua followed with a tip-in, and after a Green Bay turnover, Brody Robinson converted a fast-break layup. Naivalurua then drew a foul and made a free throw, and after another Phoenix miss, Ziare Wells buried a 3-pointer. By the time Garrett scored again in the paint, Oakland led 48-32 with 15:40 to play, and Green Bay never recovered. The Golden Grizzlies controlled every key facet of the game. They outscored Green Bay 50-26 in the paint, capitalized on turnovers with a 20-4 edge in fast-break points, and held a 17-12 advantage in points off turnovers. Their defense consistently disrupted the Phoenix, who managed just four fast-break points all afternoon. Naivalurua, a 6-foot-6, 239-pound junior from Sydney, Australia, was the catalyst. He played 34 minutes, shooting efficiently from the field and adding two assists and a block to his double-double. His performance marked a significant offensive uptick from his recent outings, where he had scored 15, 12, and four points in his last three games. Garrett provided a perfect complement in the frontcourt, notching his own double-double. Wells added 14 points, five rebounds and three assists, while Robinson chipped in 10 points and five assists for Oakland. Green Bay was led by Bethea, who scored 11 points and recorded four blocks. Marcus Hall added nine points, four rebounds and four assists, and Preston Ruedinger dished out eight assists. But the Phoenix struggled to find consistent offense, shooting poorly from the floor and failing to match Oakland’s physicality inside. The first half was a back-and-forth affair featuring eight lead changes. Green Bay took an early 5-2 lead, but Oakland responded with a 7-0 run. The Phoenix stayed close, tying the game at 19-19 on a Bethea alley-oop and again at 27-27 on a Marcus Hall 3-pointer. Oakland closed the half on a 10-4 spurt, keyed by five points from Warren Marshall, to take a 37-31 lead into the locker room. The second half, however, belonged entirely to the visitors. Oakland’s decisive run established a double-digit lead it would only expand, cruising to a 25-point victory that exceeded its pregame expectations as a 4.5-point favorite. The combined score of 151 fell well under the over/under line of 159.5. A crowd of 2,011 watched at the Resch Center. Oakland next hosts IU Indy on Wednesday. Green Bay travels to face Youngstown State on Thursday.

Preview: Oakland at Green Bay in Horizon League Men’s Basketball ASHAWAUBENON, Wis. (Interstat) — A surging Green Bay team looks to extend its winning streak when it hosts an Oakland squad finding its footing in Horizon League play on Sunday at the Resch Center. The Phoenix (11-7, 5-2 Horizon) have won five straight games, most recently an 88-73 road victory at Cleveland State on Thursday. Guard Preston Ruedinger is the catalyst, coming off a 23-point, 10-assist double-double in that win. Over the last seven games, he is averaging 14.7 points and 5.4 assists. Oakland (10-9, 4-3) arrives after a 73-60 win at Milwaukee, snapping a two-game skid. The Golden Grizzlies are powered by guard Brody Robinson, who scored 17 points with four assists against the Panthers. Robinson has been a high-volume scorer in conference play, including a 35-point outing in a loss to Wright State on Jan. 11. Green Bay’s offense has hit its stride during the streak, averaging 78.6 points per game. Marcus Hall (21 points vs. Cleveland State) provides a secondary scoring punch alongside Ruedinger. The Phoenix have also been strong defensively at home in league play. Oakland counters with an offense capable of explosive nights, having scored 96 or more points in three of its last six games. Michael Houge (19 points vs. Milwaukee) and Isaac Garrett offer support for Robinson. The Golden Grizzlies will need to contain Ruedinger’s playmaking and force turnovers to slow Green Bay’s rhythm. This is the first of two regular-season meetings between the teams. They will meet again in Rochester, Michigan, on Feb. 20. The matchup features two of the Horizon League’s top guards in Robinson and Ruedinger, setting the stage for a pivotal conference clash as both teams jockey for position in the standings.