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ROCHESTER, Mich.\u00a0– The Golden Grizzlies gear up for a crucial early-week matchup on Tuesday, Feb. 3, as they head to Highland Heights, Ky., to take on Northern Kentucky (NKU) in a contest that could have major conference standing implications.<\/p>\n
Oakland (8-14, 5-7 HL) and the Norse (10-14, 7-6 HL) sit right next to each other in the Horizon League standings, with NKU currently in sixth place and Oakland in seventh.<\/p>\n
Playing some of their best basketball of the season, the Golden Grizzlies have won two of their last three games. In conference play, Oakland is the second-most efficient three-point shooting team in the Horizon League, shooting over 33 percent from behind the arc. The Golden Grizzlies also rank in the top five in scoring (64.1 ppg) in league play, as the offense has reached a new level as of late. They have been led by freshman Makenzie Luehring<\/a>, who is averaging 16.1 points per game and nearly 4.0 assists per game in conference play, both marks ranking top four in the league.<\/p>\n This matchup will be the first meeting between Oakland and NKU this season. The two squads split their two matchups during the 2024-25 season, with each team securing a road victory. The Golden Grizzlies have seen recent success at Truist Arena, winning two of their last three road games against the Norse.<\/p>\n The matchup is highlighted by a showdown between two of the top freshmen in the conference, as Oakland’s Luehring faces off against NKU’s Karina Bystry, who leads the Norse in scoring at 14.5 points per game.<\/p>\n Currently on a three-game losing skid-most recently falling 69-61 to Cleveland State on Jan. 31-NKU has slid from as high as second in the conference to sixth and could drop even lower with a loss.<\/p>\n Despite operating a high-volume, low-efficiency offense, the Norse are dynamic offensively, ranking fourth in scoring (67.8 ppg) and third in three-pointers made per game (7.3). However, NKU also ranks last in field goal percentage (.383) and sits in the bottom four in three-point percentage (.296).<\/p>\n The matchup tips off at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 3, at Truist Arena and will be streamed on ESPN+.
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