Oakland defeats Youngstown St 83-85
Dramatic Comeback: Oakland Edges Out Youngstown St in Thrilling Conference Showdown
In a back-and-forth battle that saw both teams trade blows, the Oakland Golden Grizzlies emerged victorious with an 85-83 win over the Youngstown State Penguins at Beeghly Center on Saturday night.
The game was all but tied at halftime, as Youngstown State's Bryson Dawkins led his team to a 43-40 advantage. However, the Penguins' lead would prove to be short-lived, as Oakland made an impressive comeback in the second half.
Down by three with just over five minutes remaining, Oakland's Isaac Garrett took matters into his own hands, scoring eight points in a span of 2:45 to put his team ahead for good. The Grizzlies held off Youngstown State's final push, securing a thrilling two-point victory.
Garrett was the unquestioned star of the game, posting a remarkable 27 points and 14 rebounds while shooting an efficient 56.2% from the field. Brody Robinson chipped in with seven assists and eight points for Oakland, which outrebounded Youngstown State 32-36 but made up for it by forcing more turnovers (9 vs. 7) and converting those into scoring opportunities.
In contrast, Dawkins was instrumental in setting the tone early for Youngstown State, recording a team-high 20 points on an impressive 57.1% shooting performance from the field. Jason Nelson added eight assists to complement Dawkins' all-around effort.
Despite the loss, the Penguins can take solace in their gritty performance against a strong opponent. The 83 points allowed by Youngstown State marked one of the highest totals of the season for Oakland, but it was ultimately not enough to overcome the Grizzlies' relentless second-half surge.
For Oakland, the win marked a crucial conference victory that keeps them in contention for a playoff spot. With the league's top teams still ahead on their schedule, every win counts, and this thrilling comeback will be remembered as one of the most dramatic moments of the season thus far.
Box Score Breakdown
Youngstown State (HOME): 83
Oakland (AWAY): 85
- Field Goals: Youngstown St (43.0%), Oakland (55.0%)
- 2-Point FG: Youngstown St (57.6%), Oakland (56.3%)
- 3-Point FG: Youngstown St (29.0%), Oakland (53.0%)
- Free Throws: Youngstown St (75.0%), Oakland (74.0%)
- Rebounds: Youngstown St & Oakland (tie at 36)
- Assists: Oakland (17), Youngstown State (17)
- Turnovers: Oakland (9), Youngstown State (7)
Advanced Statistics
Youngstown State:
- eFG%: 50.0%
- FT Rate: 29.4%
- OREB%: 50.0%
- TO Ratio: 10.4%
- True Shooting%: 54.0%
Oakland:
- eFG%: 63.8%
- FT Rate: 72.3%
- OREB%: 21.9%
- TO Ratio: 13.6%
- True Shooting%: 68.6%
As the conference season heats up, every game will come down to a single possession or a crucial late-game surge. Tonight's nail-biter will go down as one of those games – an instant classic that will be remembered for years to come.