NKU Survives Wild Finish, Edges Oakland 85–84 in 1st Round of Horizon League Tournament
No introduction can do this game justice. Just go ahead and start reading.
First Half
Oakland Controls the Glass Early, Oday Ignites NKU’s Offense
Oakland set the tone on the opening possession by doing exactly what Northern Kentucky feared: attacking the offensive glass. Isaac Garrett grabbed the first miss and Tuburu Naivalurua finished the putback dunk to get the Golden Grizzlies on the board immediately. The Norse struggled early to clean the defensive glass, giving Oakland multiple second-chance looks in the opening minutes.
Donovan Oday got NKU on the board with a strong drive to the basket, and LJ Wells followed with a flush that cut the deficit to two. Moments later, Oday stepped into a three that gave the Norse their first lead of the night at 7–6.
The early stretch was back and forth, with Oakland continuing to generate extra chances while NKU tried to find rhythm offensively. Oday’s early aggressiveness stood out, finishing the half with 11 points on 4-6 shooting while providing the spark that steadied the Norse offense.
Norse Answer Every Push in a Back-and-Forth Stretch
Once the game settled, the middle portion of the half became a trading-punches affair. Brody Robinson’s perimeter shooting kept Oakland within striking distance, while NKU found answers from multiple spots in the lineup.
Ryan Tolliver delivered one of the hustle plays of the half when he saved an offensive rebound along the baseline and kicked it out to Dan Gherezgher for a three that pushed NKU ahead 18–16. A few possessions later, Kael Robinson knocked down a three and followed it up with an offensive putback in transition that stretched the lead to 25–20.
Defensively, NKU began to assert itself around the rim. Robinson, Wells, and Oday all recorded blocks in the paint as the Norse began protecting the interior more effectively. Still, Oakland kept hanging around. Isaac Garrett scored efficiently inside and Brody Robinson continued to hit timely threes, trimming the margin to 29–28 with just under five minutes left before the final media timeout.
Garrett’s impact was clear even beyond the box score. He scored nine points in the half and grabbed five rebounds, though the fast pace appeared to wear on him at times as he asked out of the game on multiple occasions during the half.
NKU Closes the Half With an 8–0 Surge
The final two minutes flipped the half in NKU’s favor.
After Oakland briefly grabbed a 31–29 lead on free throws from Garrett, Ethan Elliott knocked down a wide-open three when Oakland doubled Wells in the post, giving NKU the lead right back. Moments later, Wells grabbed another offensive rebound and kicked the ball out to Oday, who buried a three to extend the advantage.
The final sequence of the half came in a frantic burst. Oakland had the ball with 13 seconds left after a kicked ball reset the possession, but Brett White missed a corner three out of the baseline out-of-bounds set. NKU pushed the other direction, Shawn Nelson’s attempt at the rim missed, and LJ Wells flew in for a putback.
That basket capped an 8–0 NKU run over the final 1:35, sending the Norse into halftime with their largest lead of the half at 37–31.
The first 20 minutes featured seven lead changes, but NKU’s late surge and interior presence helped tilt the momentum heading into the break.
Second Half
Houge Opens the Half, NKU Counters Inside
Oakland opened the half with Michael Houge scoring in the paint. NKU immediately answered by going inside. LJ Wells scored in the paint and Kael Robinson followed with a difficult spinning finish at the rim to keep the Norse in control of the tempo early in the half.
Oday Pushes the Pace While Robinson Heats Up
Even when Oakland missed chances at the rim, they stayed dangerous because of Brody Robinson’s perimeter shooting. After Robinson missed a layup in transition, Donovan Oday pushed the ball the other direction and finished in transition for NKU.
Robinson responded the way he had all night, creating space with a step-back three that cut the Norse lead to four. By that point he already had five made threes, and every possession began to revolve around making him work just to get the ball.
NKU’s Defense and Pressure Create Separation
NKU leaned into its defensive pressure during the middle portion of the half. The Norse forced several steals and turned them into transition points, in part by pressing Oakland and forcing Robinson to work through multiple defenders just to initiate offense.
The stretch resulted in a 6–0 Norse run that slowly pushed the margin out. Isaac Garrett continued to battle inside but was clearly gassed during the up-and-down pace, asking for a breather which forced Greg Kampe to burn a timeout to reset his team. That was at least the third time we saw Garrett ask to be taken out of the game to catch his breath.
Oakland finally broke a scoring drought with a tough post basket from Tuburu Naivalurua, and Houge followed by grabbing his own miss and finishing to spark a quick 4–0 Grizzlies response.
Norse Look Ready to Pull Away
NKU answered Oakland’s push with some of its best offensive execution of the night. Dan Gherezgher knocked down a wide-open three, but Brody Robinson immediately responded with another step-back three of his own, setting a new career high with his sixth make from deep.
Ryan Tolliver delivered one of the best passes of the half when he fed Wells in the post for a strong interior finish. Tolliver’s minutes were quietly impactful throughout the stretch.
Soon after, Kael Robinson buried a wide-open three to push the Norse lead to 61–53. Isaac Garrett answered with an and-one over Ethan Elliott, though he missed the free throw. NKU kept the ball moving and Gherezgher knocked down another three after excellent ball movement to extend the lead to 66–55 with five minutes remaining.
Moments later, the Norse forced another stop and steal, and Donovan Rakotonanahary sprinted out for a transition layup that made it 68–55. NKU had gone on a 12–2 run over roughly three minutes while Oakland had barely managed a shot attempt during that stretch.
Chaos Starts to Build as Oakland Stays Alive
Just when NKU looked ready to cruise, the final minutes turned chaotic.
Oday missed a three that could have pushed the lead further, and although Tae Dozier grabbed the offensive rebound, his pass out was intercepted. Brody Robinson raced the other way for an easy transition basket to keep Oakland alive.
From there, the game turned into a parade to the free throw line and a scramble of late-game possessions. NKU pushed the lead to 14 after a wild sequence where Elliott was fouled intentionally, and went to the line for a 1-and-1. He missed the first, but Gherezgher secured the rebound and finished an and-one opportunity. Initially the referee on the baseline called for an intentional foul, but the refs reversed course and just sent Dan to the line to convert his three point play.
Oakland refused to go away. Robinson answered with a four-point play after being fouled by Oday on a three, cutting the margin to ten. NKU struggled at the line during the stretch. Wells missed both free throws on one possession, then Dozier missed two more later, leaving the door open.
Robinson continued to punish every mistake. He hit another deep three and assisted Brett White for another after Oakland secured multiple offensive rebounds on the same possession. Suddenly the lead was down to single digits again.
NKU even had a five-second inbound violation after a timeout, giving Oakland yet another possession. Still, Wells grabbed a critical defensive rebound moments later and drew another foul to slow the momentum.
The Final Minute Turns Into Survival Mode
Robinson hit another three to cut the deficit to eight. Oakland forced a steal on the next inbound, but Brody Robinson missed the layup attempt. Dozier split a pair of free throws, then a lob dunk from Naivalurua cut the lead to seven.
Gherezgher calmly knocked down a free throw with 40 seconds remaining, but Oakland answered with a quick uncontested layup. Wells was fouled on the inbound and made one to push the margin back to seven with about 30 seconds left.
Then Robinson delivered another dagger, burying his ninth three of the night to cut the game to four with 25 seconds remaining.
The free throw issues continued for NKU as Dozier missed both attempts with 23 seconds left. Oakland grabbed the offensive rebound on the other end and Naivalurua made two free throws to make it a two-point game.
Kael Robinson stepped to the line with 11.2 seconds left and calmly knocked down both free throws to push NKU ahead 85–81.
Oakland missed its next shot, Wells was fouled again on the rebound, and missed both free throws. Robinson banked in a three at the buzzer, but it did not matter.
After one of the wildest closing stretches of the season, Northern Kentucky escaped with an 85–84 win.
Final Numbers and Takeaways
The Norse did what the Norse do in March: win.
Despite controlling much of the second half, the final minutes turned tense. NKU led by 14 with 1:58 remaining, but missed free throws and a string of ridiculous shots from Brody Robinson turned the closing stretch into chaos.
In what was surprisingly an underwhelming crowd and environment at the O’rena, but the game itself did not disappoint. The final eight minutes of game time took roughly 30 real-world minutes to complete, as fouls, reviews, and late-game possessions stretched the finish into a marathon.
NKU had contributors throughout the roster. LJ Wells recorded his sixth double-double of the season, and the Norse are now 6-0 in games when he reaches that mark this season. Several of his rebounds late were massive, the kind where he simply rose above everyone and secured the ball. Both Wells and the coaching staff were clearly focused on keeping him out of foul trouble. Early in the first half, on a transition play, Wells intentionally avoided contesting a fast break to prevent picking up an early foul.
Add another milestone to the night: LJ Wells topped 1,000 career points on the biggest stage yet.
Ironically, Wells nearly came out of the game just minutes after it started. On Oakland’s first three defensive possessions, he allowed two offensive rebounds and had a steal slip through his hands. After the third possession, Addison Archer was already sitting at the scorer’s table ready to check in. On the very next trip, Wells delivered a one-on-one defensive stop and secured the rebound. Archer was waved back to the bench, and Wells stayed in the game.
Like many teams this season, Oakland sent double teams at Wells in the post. NKU adjusted in the second half by giving Kael Robinson and Ryan Tolliver some touches on the block, allowing Wells to cut off the action and find easier scoring opportunities.
That approach also played into one of NKU’s offensive wrinkles during the game. The Norse spent stretches in a five-out alignment with all five offensive players spaced around the perimeter. That spacing opened driving lanes and cutting opportunities, and it also helped generate open looks for shooters.
Donovan Oday continued the story of his season: efficient and effective. He finished with a team-high 19 points on 7-11 shooting and was consistently productive without forcing offense. Northern Kentucky ended the night with five players scoring in double figures.
For the second straight game, Dan Gherezgher came off the bench to begin the game. He knocked down three threes, but some of his most important contributions came late and on the glass. Statistically, he was only credited with one offensive rebound, which came off a missed Ethan Elliott free throw that turned into the and-one opportunity. Later in the game he was fouled and taken to the floor while fighting for another offensive rebound on a missed free throw that would have been his second. Those hustle plays helped swing key possessions in NKU’s favor down the stretch.
Gherezgher’s impact on the glass was also historically unusual for him. In his four collegiate seasons, he has only recorded one other offensive rebound off a missed free throw. That came last season in the Horizon League quarterfinal at Cleveland State off a missed Josh Dilling free throw. Both of those moments coming in tournament play makes the timing even more fitting.
Horn noticed those plays immediately and mentioned them in the postgame with Jim Kelch and Rick Broering:
“He played with a level of poise and made some real winning plays late. I think he had two offensive rebounds on free throws, and then he stepped to the line and made his free throws. Dan was huge tonight. We don’t win the game without him.”
Ryan Tolliver also made a significant impact in limited minutes. He had not played in nearly a month, logging just three minutes against Milwaukee on February 7. Against Oakland, he did not score, but finished with five rebounds, including two offensive boards, along with two assists in just nine minutes. When he was on the floor, NKU posted a +12 plus-minus. For a player who had barely seen the court in weeks, he delivered exactly the kind of physical presence the Norse needed in a one-point win.
Horn explained the reasoning behind inserting Tolliver into the rotation.
“We looked at our team and said the most important thing we had to do tonight was rebound, so maybe we just needed to get a little bigger. Ryan’s a guy that can grab the ball and he’s got feel offensively. He made a great drive, he had a great pass on a cut in the second half, and he’s just a basketball player.”
The biggest glaring issue coming out of the game was NKU’s late free throw shooting and inbounding execution. From the 2:36 mark until the final buzzer, the Norse missed 11 free throws. Even with Brody Robinson hitting a series of difficult shots, the game likely never becomes close if NKU converts at the line. The opportunity to close the game out cleanly was there.
Inbounding also became a challenge late. NKU was hesitant to keep point guard Ethan Elliott on the floor during the final three minutes because Oakland had already shifted into intentional fouling mode and Elliott has struggled at the free throw line this season. That left a lineup mostly consisting of Gherezgher, Oday, Dozier, Wells, and Robinson handling inbound responsibilities.
The issue was that Oakland was fouling Wells and Dozier the most, and neither player was consistently converting those attempts during the closing stretch. Cleaning up late-game inbounding and free throw situations will be critical as NKU heads to Indianapolis. Those are the types of details that can decide tournament games.
With the win, Horn improved to 3-0 in third matchups against teams that had beaten NKU twice earlier in the same season. He will now get two more chances in that exact scenario, with the Norse set to face Green Bay on Sunday and, if they advance, Wright State on Monday.
Even sitting courtside, my heart was racing like any NKU fan watching from home. Just before the buzzer, I checked my watch. A cool 144 BPM. Nothing like March hoops with the season on the line.
Northern Kentucky’s Key Players
Donovan Oday: 35 MIN, 19 PTS, 7-13 FG, 3-6 3PT, 2-4 FT, 4 REB, 1 PF, 3 AST, 1 TO, 1 BLK, 2 STL
LJ Wells: 36 MIN, 18 PTS, 8-15 FG, 0-1 3PT, 2-8 FT, 10 REB, 2 PF, 3 AST, 1 TO, 1 BLK, 1 STL
Dan Gherezgher: 33 MIN, 17 PTS, 5-11 FG, 3-7 3PT, 4-5 FT, 3 REB, 2 PF, 4 AST, 2 TO, 0 BLK, 1 STL
Kael Robinson: 31 MIN, 14 PTS, 5-10 FG, 2-5 3PT, 2-2 FT, 6 REB, 3 PF, 1 AST, 1 TO, 2 BLK, 0 STL
Tae Dozier: 28 MIN, 9 PTS, 2-7 FG, 0-2 3PT, 5-8 FT, 3 REB, 2 PF, 2 AST, 2 TO, 0 BLK, 2 STL
Donovan Rakotonanahary: 14 MIN, 5 PTS, 2-3 FG, 0-0 3PT, 1-2 FT, 3 REB, 2 PF, 0 AST, 0 TO, 0 BLK, 0 STL
Ethan Elliott: 19 MIN, 3 PTS, 1-5 FG, 1-3 3PT, 0-0 FT, 3 REB, 3 PF, 2 AST, 1 TO, 0 BLK, 0 STL
Oakland’s Key Players
Brody Robinson: 40 MIN, 36 PTS, 12-24 FG, 9-17 3PT, 3-4 FT, 6 REB, 1 PF, 4 AST, 3 TO, 0 BLK, 1 STL
Isaac Garrett: 32 MIN, 17 PTS, 7-10 FG, 0-0 3PT, 3-6 FT, 9 REB, 3 PF, 2 AST, 1 TO, 0 BLK, 0 STL
Tuburu Naivalurua: 28 MIN, 14 PTS, 6-9 FG, 0-1 3PT, 2-2 FT, 6 REB, 3 PF, 2 AST, 1 TO, 1 BLK, 0 STL
Brett White: 27 MIN, 9 PTS, 3-9 FG, 3-7 3PT, 0-0 FT, 4 REB, 2 PF, 2 AST, 1 TO, 1 BLK, 0 STL
Michael Houge: 25 MIN, 6 PTS, 3-7 FG, 0-0 3PT, 0-0 FT, 4 REB, 3 PF, 4 AST, 2 TO, 0 BLK, 1 STL
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|---|---|---|
| Field Goals (FG) | 31-74 (41.9%) | 29-61 (47.5%) |
| Three-Point FG (3PT) | 13-34 (38.2%) | 9-28 (32.1%) |
| Free Throws (FT) | 9-12 (75.0%) | 18-30 (60.0%) |
| Total Rebounds (Offensive) | 43 (15) | 40 (11) |
| Assists | 16 | 19 |
| Steals | 5 | 7 |
| Blocks | 2 | 6 |
| Turnovers | 9 | 8 |
| Points Off Turnovers | 4 | 11 |
| Fast Break Points | 11 | 21 |
| Points in the Paint | 36 | 40 |
| Personal Fouls | 26 | 15 |
| Largest Lead | 4 | 14 |
Up Next- @ Corteva Coliseum vs Green Bay 3/8 | 3:30pm
Green Bay advanced on Tuesday with a 64–56 win over Purdue Fort Wayne. The Phoenix have already beaten NKU twice this season, winning the two games by a combined five points. The second meeting at Truist Arena went to overtime. This matchup now shifts to Indianapolis, with a trip into the Horizon League Semifinals on the line.
