Nothing seemed to go right for the Golden Grizzlies (9-7, 3-2 HL) in their defeat by the Wright State Raiders (12-5, 4-1 HL) on Monday, Jan. 16. The Golden Grizzlies suffered their third loss in conference on the Blacktop 73-61.

Taylor Jones led the way for the Golden Grizzlies with 17 points after entering the halftime break with only six. Hannah Little followed Jones with a double-double, 13 points and 12 rebounds, and Nola Anderson finished with 12 points and six rebounds.

Oakland trailed the entire game, finishing the first quarter down 7 to the Raiders. The Raiders lead would only grow after a disastrous second period, which was a big point of frustration for Head Coach Jeff Tungate.

“In the second quarter we didn’t compete,” Tungate said after the game. “We didn’t work hard. We weren’t making shots . . . It was just a matter of trying to find the group that wanted to compete the most, and once we found that group . . . I thought we played the way we were supposed to play.”

Oakland scored only 12 in the second quarter to Wright State’s 29, sending the Golden Grizzlies to the halftime break down 24 points.

“That second quarter absolutely killed us,” Tungate said. “We weren’t making shots and we let that affect our defense. In the second half, we started making shots, and we started guarding. But we can’t let our offense dictate our defense.”

The Golden Grizzlies decided to take action.

“In the locker room at halftime, we were talking about what we need to do,” senior Nola Anderson explained. “But at the same time, I said we always talk about what we need to do, we need to go out there and do it instead of just keep saying it. Because actions speak louder than words.”

The team looked much better after that conversation, but had dug themselves a deep hole in the first half. Oakland couldn’t close the gap enough to climb back into the game. After allowing 45 points in the first half, the Oakland defense was able to slow the Raiders down a little, giving up 28 in the second half.

With Taylor Gleason just getting over the flu and Sha’Keya Graves having an off-game, Tungate had to move a variety of players around in his lineup to get the Golden Grizzlies going on Monday evening.

“We had to kind of mix and match and try different lineups,” Tungate said. “That’s why we had Nola running the point at the end. I thought Nola did a really good job running the point, never playing there before . . . Unfortunately, it took us until the third quarter to figure it out.”

The Golden Grizzlies have four days to prepare for their next Horizon League matchup against Cleveland State on Friday. Anderson said it will be strictly business at practice this week gearing up to play the Vikings.

“Practice is going to be plain focus,” Anderson said. “No one is going to come in joking around. We’re going to get straight to what we need to get to . . . We’re going to come in ready on Friday.”

Oakland will take on Cleveland State (9-8, 4-2 HL) at 7 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 20 on the Blacktop.