The Oakland Golden Grizzlies entered Ypsilanti with expectations of a breakthrough victory over the Eastern Michigan Eagles. After battling highly ranked teams like Purdue and Houston, losing by competitive margins, the momentum suggested the team was prepared to secure a statement win against local rival Eastern Michigan.
Instead, the final score — a high-octane 97-91 loss — exposed the fatal flaw that continues to plague the program: the consistent inability to defend the paint.
The cruel reality of size
The game was a brutal showcase of what Oakland cannot escape: a lack of interior size and the defensive vulnerabilities that come with it. Despite shooting an efficient 50.7% from the field, the Grizzlies could not contain the Eagles inside, allowing EMU to score 46 points in the paint, often capitalizing on simple communication lapses in the zone defense.
EMU forward Mohammad Habhab led the charge, finding very little resistance as he posted a game-high 24 points on a devastating 10-for-13 shooting performance, with all his makes coming from inside the arc. This outcome wasn’t necessarily a failure of effort from Oakland’s bigs, but a reflection of the physical reality: it is incredibly difficult for the Grizzlies’ frontcourt — including star Isaac Garrett — to consistently maintain a defensive stand against larger post players, even when standing ground and putting arms up.
Garrett, who finished with 15 points and six rebounds, often struggled to contain the physical play of EMU’s interior forces. This frequent difficulty in containment, a common issue when playing zone without extreme height or wingspan, made him prone to fouling or giving up easy baskets. The result was an interior that simply hemorrhaged points, despite an aggressive defensive effort from Nassim Mashhour, who tallied four steals.
Brody Robinson’s masterclass
Amid the defensive struggle, the offense continued to show flashes of the potential this team possesses. Brody Robinson had another exceptional night, proving he is exactly what Oakland needs at the point guard position. He controlled the tempo, shot an efficient 4-for-6 from the perimeter and masterfully facilitated the offense, tallying 22 points and six assists against only one turnover.
The bench provided much-needed life, largely thanks to Michael Houge. Houge provided both an offensive and defensive presence, scoring an aggressive 17 points on a scorching 7-for-9 shooting. The effort from Robinson and Houge was essential, yet it could not overcome the systemic flaws.
Inconsistency among key wings
The inconsistency of the team’s perimeter players also proved costly. While the team shot over 40% from deep, the individual performances were volatile.
Tuburu Naivalurua showed flashes of his soft touch and poise around the rim, contributing 15 points, six assists and five rebounds. However, his 6-for-15 shooting effort continues a trend of inconsistency, and the team needs his scoring to be more reliable from all three levels to truly contend.
Brett White struggled, shooting 1-for-4 from the field and 1-for-4 from three, failing to provide the perimeter spacing Oakland needed to pull EMU’s defense out of the paint.
Warren Marshall IV similarly struggled with his shooting, going 2-for-6 from the field.
Execution errors kill momentum
Despite these issues, Oakland had multiple opportunities to take control. The game saw 15 lead changes and was tied 13 times. However, key lapses in execution and transition defense prevented the Grizzlies from pulling away. A critical point came at the end of the first half, when the score was tied 39-39. Oakland allowed EMU to go on a 7-2 run, giving the Eagles a 46-41 lead at the break — a psychological and scoring blow that compounded the problem of defensive breakdowns late in the game.
The 97-91 loss drops Oakland to 1-5. The team has demonstrated the offensive firepower and high-level strategy needed to hang with anyone, but until the issues of interior size and defensive execution are resolved, the Golden Grizzlies will continue to lose the high-stakes games they are fully capable of winning.