Short-Handed Norse Hang Tough Early Before Oakland Takes Control Winning 76-65
Northern Kentucky put together one of its stronger defensive halves of the season, limiting Oakland to tough looks and just 29 points before the break while carrying a one-point lead into halftime. But the game flipped after the intermission. Oakland began consistently getting downhill, scoring inside and living at the free throw line, slowly pulling control away in a 76-65 Oakland win.
First Half
Fast Breaks Set the Tone Early
Northern Kentucky wasted no time establishing how it wanted to play the half. The Norse scored their first two baskets in transition, with Tae Dozier knocking down a pull-up three before Kael Robinson followed with a putback. All seven of NKU’s early points came before Oakland’s defense could get organized, a clear signal that pushing the pace was going to be a priority. With Ryan Tolliver making his first career start in place of the injured LJ Wells, the Norse leaned into speed and decisiveness rather than half-court execution.
Second-Chance Chaos on Both Ends
The middle stretch of the half turned into a battle of offensive rebounds and quick responses. Oakland knocked down a three off an offensive board, but NKU answered immediately when Addison Archer extended a possession with a rebound that led to another Robinson triple. Donovan Oday continued to make plays downhill, driving and kicking ahead to Archer in transition to give the Norse a 14–12 edge.
Dozier added a coast-to-coast finish after a defensive rebound to reclaim the lead again before the under-12 media timeout. While Oakland continued to hurt NKU with second chances, piling up eight points off offensive rebounds during that stretch, the Norse countered by attacking mismatches and keeping the game moving.
Defense Slams the Door Late
Despite trailing 20–19 after another Oakland three off an offensive rebound, NKU found stability late in the half. Oday broke a scoring drought with a paint touch, and after a Grizzlies baseline out of bounds score, Robinson buried a transition three to make it 28–23 before a Norse timeout. The defining sequence came on the defensive end, where Oday and Tolliver combined for back-to-back blocks on a fast break, stopping what looked like a sure Oakland basket. Oday then ran the floor and got to the free throw line. Robinson tied the game at 28–28 with two minutes left, and from there NKU’s defense took over. Oakland managed just one point over the final 4:25 as the Norse stacked five first-half blocks and carried a 30–29 lead into the break.
At halftime, the numbers told a clear story. Northern Kentucky had 13 fast-break points and five blocks, while Oakland scored 10 points off offensive rebounds. The Norse were just 4-of-21 from three despite getting quality looks, but the late defensive surge and commitment to pace kept them in control heading into the locker room.
Second Half
Early Shot-Making and a Scare for Robinson
Northern Kentucky came out of the locker room with confidence. Kael Robinson and Dan Gherezgher both knocked down threes to open the half, giving the Norse an early jolt and briefly pushing momentum their way. That stretch was interrupted when Robinson limped off with an ankle injury, but after getting his ankle retaped, he returned quickly and barely missed any real time. The pace stayed high, and NKU continued to generate good looks before the game settled into a more physical, whistle-heavy rhythm.
Momentum Swings and Missed Opportunities
A designed look freed Tuburu Naivalurua for a dunk that cut into the Norse lead, but foul trouble soon shifted the rotation. Tuburu picked up his fourth foul with 14:18 left, forcing adjustments just as Oakland began leaning harder into paint touches. Robinson drilled his fourth three after returning to give NKU a 44–42 lead, but Oakland answered immediately with a Brett White and-one.
From there, interior defense became an issue. A Ryan Tolliver steal and transition finish briefly pushed the Norse ahead by three, but a 7–0 Oakland burst followed. The Grizzlies scored in the paint, hit a transition three, then jumped a bad Oday pass to build a 52–48 lead and force a Norse timeout with just over ten minutes to play. Gherezgher responded out of the break with a three to cut it to one, but the game began to tilt toward the foul line.
Free Throws Decide It Late
The final stretch belonged to Oakland’s ability to control tempo through free throws. Both teams traded trips to the stripe, but NKU quickly piled up fouls and sent the Grizzlies into the double bonus with more than seven minutes remaining. White hit a long two, then Brody Robinson drew a charge and kept getting downhill, extending the lead to nine.
Tae Dozier stopped an 8–0 Oakland run with a corner three, but every Norse push was met by another whistle. Robinson continued to live at the line, and Oakland capitalized on NKU’s late-game pressing with points off turnovers and free throws to close it out. The Grizzlies scored 47 after the break, turning a one-point halftime game into a 76–65 loss for the Norse.
Final Numbers and Takeaways
This game stayed tight for most of the afternoon, with 18 lead changes and five ties across nearly three quarters of play. Northern Kentucky pushed the pace early and found success before Oakland could get set, but consistent half-court scoring was harder to come by with the Norse shorthanded. LJ Wells remained out after injuring his tailbone against Detroit Mercy, Donovan Rakotonanahary was sidelined after Friday’s game, and Ethan Elliott missed his second straight contest.
Ryan Tolliver stepped into Wells’ spot in the starting lineup, and he and Addison Archer were asked to shoulder heavy minutes against Oakland’s physical frontcourt. The two combined for eight points on 3-of-8 shooting with 10 rebounds in 33 minutes. Given their limited experience this season and the matchup they were facing, that production was about what could reasonably be expected. Tolliver ultimately fouled out in his first career start.
The first half was one of Northern Kentucky’s better defensive performances in recent games. The Norse held Oakland to just 29 points, protected the rim well, and rejected multiple shots in the paint. Dozier anchored that effort, and while Oakland missed a few makeable looks, NKU consistently contested at the rim and disrupted the Grizzlies’ flow.
The second half told a different story. Even as the Norse kept the game within reach, Oakland slowly took control, largely through free throws. Much of that pressure came from Brody Robinson, who finished with a game-high 21 points despite shooting just 5-of-16 from the field. Robinson went 9-of-11 at the line and repeatedly forced fouls. He drew 12 fouls on his own, accounting for more than half of the 22 total fouls called against NKU. A handful of the fouls Robinson drew came on possessions where Northern Kentucky defended well, but he sold the contact just enough to coax whistles from the officials. After the game, Coach Darrin Horn addressed Robinson’s impact:
The Robinson kid’s really hard to guard, but I think we have an issue in our league with how he’s being officiated as well. I mean, he shot 11 free throws by himself, drew 12 fouls, and on some of them, I’m not really sure what we’re supposed to do.
Oakland made a clear effort to attack the rim in the second half and play through the post. The Grizzlies attempted just five threes after halftime, instead funneling offense through Michael Houge, who finished with 18 points, his second-highest total of the season.
Northern Kentucky, meanwhile, struggled to convert from the field, particularly from deep. The Norse went 9-of-40 from three, their highest three-point attempt total of the season. Kael Robinson did provide a positive sign, knocking down 4-of-11 from beyond the arc in a bounce-back shooting performance the Norse will hope carries forward.
Without LJ Wells available, NKU never played through the post. Instead, the offense leaned heavily on transition opportunities and ball movement in the half court, looking for either open perimeter shots or driving lanes. One sequence in the middle of the half proved pivotal. With just over 11 minutes left, Ryan Tolliver jumped a passing lane and finished a layup to give the Norse a three-point lead.
Oakland answered with a paint score, and on the ensuing possession Dan Gherezgher pushed the ball after a made basket, got to his preferred left side of the rim, and generated a clean look that didn’t fall. The Grizzlies immediately capitalized, hitting a transition three, and Northern Kentucky never regained the lead. Oakland followed that Gherezgher miss with a 16–4 run, creating the separation that ultimately decided the game.
Donovan Oday turned in his least efficient performance of the season since the Purdue Fort Wayne game, when he went 1-of-7 from the field. He still led the Norse with 15 points, but it took 19 shot attempts, and he finished 0-of-7 from three. Oakland did a strong job of staying disciplined on his downhill drives, limiting trips to the free throw line and forcing him to score over length. Oday ended the night just 5-of-6 at the stripe.
Northern Kentucky’s Key Players
Donovan Oday: 36 MIN, 15 PTS, 5-19 FG, 0-7 3PT, 5-6 FT, 6 REB, 5 AST, 4 PF, 4 TO
Tae Dozier: 36 MIN, 14 PTS, 6-14 FG, 2-7 3PT, 0-0 FT, 8 REB, 0 AST, 2 PF, 2 TO
Kael Robinson: 34 MIN, 14 PTS, 5-13 FG, 4-11 3PT, 0-0 FT, 7 REB, 1 AST, 2 PF, 1 TO
Dan Gherezgher: 37 MIN, 11 PTS, 4-13 FG, 3-9 3PT, 0-1 FT, 6 REB, 4 AST, 3 PF, 3 TO
Addison Archer: 25 MIN, 6 PTS, 2-4 FG, 0-1 3PT, 2-4 FT, 5 REB, 1 AST, 2 PF, 0 TO
Shawn Nelson: 22 MIN, 3 PTS, 1-6 FG, 0-4 3PT, 1-2 FT, 1 REB, 3 AST, 3 PF, 1 TO
Ryan Tolliver: 21 MIN, 2 PTS, 1-4 FG, 0-1 3PT, 0-0 FT, 5 REB, 1 AST, 5 PF, 1 TO
Oakland’s Key Players
Brody Robinson: 38 MIN, 21 PTS, 5-16 FG, 2-7 3PT, 9-11 FT, 5 REB, 6 AST, 2 PF, 2 TO
Michael Houge: 33 MIN, 18 PTS, 8-15 FG, 0-0 3PT, 2-4 FT, 12 REB, 2 AST, 1 PF, 2 TO
Brett White: 34 MIN, 11 PTS, 4-13 FG, 2-8 3PT, 1-1 FT, 8 REB, 1 AST, 1 PF, 1 TO
Tuburu Naivalurua: 29 MIN, 9 PTS, 4-9 FG, 1-2 3PT, 0-0 FT, 7 REB, 0 AST, 4 PF, 0 TO
Warren Marshall IV: 21 MIN, 8 PTS, 4-5 FG, 0-1 3PT, 0-0 FT, 4 REB, 1 AST, 3 PF, 0 TO
Ziare Wells: 30 MIN, 7 PTS, 2-4 FG, 0-0 3PT, 3-6 FT, 6 REB, 5 AST, 0 PF, 1 TO
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|---|---|---|
| Field Goals (FG) | 27-64 (42.2%) | 24-73 (32.9%) |
| Three-Point FG (3PT) | 5-18 (27.8%) | 9-40 (22.5%) |
| Free Throws (FT) | 17-24 (70.8%) | 8-13 (61.5%) |
| Total Rebounds (Offensive) | 49 (13) | 40 (14) |
| Assists | 17 | 15 |
| Steals | 6 | 8 |
| Blocks | 7 | 6 |
| Turnovers | 14 | 11 |
| Points Off Turnovers | 13 | 11 |
| Fast Break Points | 11 | 21 |
| Points in the Paint | 40 | 30 |
| Personal Fouls | 12 | 22 |
| Largest Lead | 15 | 7 |
Up Next- Green Bay @ Truist Arena 2/4 | 7pm
Northern Kentucky returns home Wednesday night to face a Green Bay team that has dropped four of its last five games and now sits at 7–6 in Horizon League play. The Phoenix edged the Norse 80–78 earlier this season, setting up a clear opportunity for NKU to respond on its home floor. A full preview of the matchup will be available ahead of tipoff.
