Backed by a career game from Maddy Skorupski, the Golden Grizzlies women’s basketball team took down the Detroit Mercy Titans at the OU Credit Union O’Rena on Saturday, Feb. 1, with a final score of 77-63.
“The big thing for us is when we play together, and we play well together, I don’t think anybody can stop us,” Oakland head coach Deanna Richard said in a video posted to the Golden Grizzlies website. “It’s a fun team to coach.”
Skorupski scored a career-high 38 points for the Golden Grizzlies in the rivalry matchup, accounting for over half of the team’s points while distributing a team-best five assists. Lianna Baxter and Macy Smith also scored in double-figures, recording 13 and 12 points, respectively.
For the Titans, Aaliyah McQueen led the team in scoring and off the glass, notching 19 points and seven boards. Emaia O’Brien and Jasmine Edwards also had solid games for Detroit Mercy, with the duo combining for 24 points and 11 rebounds.
With the first quarter underway, both teams traded buckets to start. However, a layup from Skorupski at the six-minute mark jumpstarted a 13-0 Oakland run that lasted nearly three minutes, giving Oakland an early advantage.
Although the Titans found some footing near the end of the quarter, the Golden Grizzlies run was enough to give them a 25-12 lead to end the quarter. However, Oakland wasn’t out of the weeds just yet.
Both teams struggled to score points at the start of the second quarter, but Detroit Mercy started to come alive halfway through the quarter. Following a fastbreak jumper from McQueen, the Titans put together a run, coming just one point away from Oakland.
Still, the Golden Grizzlies closed the half with some momentum, forcing multiple Titan turnovers with a press while Madison Royal-Davis converted an and-one layup. After Royal-Davis made her lone look at the line, Oakland went into the break up 36-32.
In the third quarter, the Golden Grizzlies turned to Smith, who caught fire, scoring eight consecutive points. Skorupski capped off Smith’s run with a steal that led to a layup, re-establishing the Oakland lead that had vanished in the second quarter at 50-35.
The Titans eventually broke through the Oakland defense toward the end of the quarter, but the Golden Grizzlies’ offense wasn’t going anywhere, as the Titans would end the quarter in a 16-point deficit.
Throughout the final quarter, Detroit Mercy stayed on pace with the Golden Grizzlies and cut Oakland’s lead down to 10 points at one point. However, Dani Grim responded with a pair of buckets, nearly cementing Oakland’s win.
With Detroit Mercy desperately trying to get back into the game, the Titans sent Skorupski to the charity stripe multiple times with under a minute to go. With a chance to put the game on ice, Skorupski did just that, giving Oakland their sixth conference win of the season.
In this matchup, Oakland’s ability to attack the paint was the difference maker. The Golden Grizzlies scored 44 points in the paint compared to the Titans’ 28. Taking it inside also gave the Golden Grizzlies an advantage in free-throw attempts.
“We have to stay consistent with what we’re doing,” Richard said in a video posted to the Golden Grizzlies website. “We had a little bit of a low; we just came off a three-game losing streak, but the past is the past. We’re better now than we were three games ago.”
Up next, the Golden Grizzlies will play the Purdue Fort Wayne Mastodons on the road on Thursday, Feb. 6. With the Mastodons atop of the Horizon League standings and undefeated in conference play, the Golden Grizzlies will have their work cut out for them.
