0-2.

NKU’s record this weekend is telling enough if I’m being honest.

The Norse admittedly were going to have a tough time going 2-0 this weekend, and with the injuries piling up, today’s Oakland game felt like it was an inevitable loss.

If you were unable to watch the game Sunday afternoon, there were multiple different injuries that have popped up this week:

• Ethan Elliott – missed his second game after suffering an injury vs. Wright State
• LJ Wells – missed the Oakland game with a lower back/tailbone injury
• Donovan Rakotonanahary – missed the Oakland game for undisclosed reasons.

Game Breakdown

Northern Kentucky University (NKU) learned a hard lesson on Sunday: in a battle of attrition, depth is the ultimate currency. Forced to “peel back the paint” on a frustrating performance, the story of the game was defined by a makeshift rotation and a physical mismatch that eventually boiled over in the second half.

A Scrappy Start Under Pressure

From the opening tip, Coach Horn’s hand was forced. With injury or availability issues testing the roster’s floor, the Norse debuted a patchwork starting five of Dan Gherezgher, Donovan Oday, Tae Dozier, Kael Robinson, and Ryan Tolliver.

The first eight minutes were a defensive rock fight. Despite three early turnovers, NKU showed flashes of promise, hanging tough through grit alone. However, the momentum shifted when Tae Dozier picked up his second foul. Forced to dive into the bench earlier than planned, the Norse saw their rhythm fracture. Oakland capitalized immediately, sparked by a 7-4 run that allowed them to seize a lead.

The Halftime Mirage

On paper, leading 30-29 at the half felt like a win. In reality, it was a precarious position. The Norse were hiding their thin rotation behind a poor shooting performance from Oakland, who shot a dismal 29% from the field in the first period. While Ryan Tolliver and Addison Archer provided serviceable minutes to keep the boat afloat, the cracks in the foundation were beginning to show.

The Second Half Collapse

The final 20 minutes told a different story. Oakland emerged from the locker room as the aggressor, their offense erupting for 47 points. The Grizzlies’ physicality manifested most clearly at the charity stripe, where they held a massive 14 to 7 attempt advantage over NKU. The game did feature a total of 18 lead changes, however, Oakland took the lead for good right around 10 minutes to go in the game.

The Norse struggled to find an answer on either end:

• Offensive Struggles: NKU went cold from the perimeter, finishing a lackluster 5-19 (26%) from beyond the arc.
• Defensive Gaps: The unfamiliarity of the lineups led to defensive lapses that a battle-tested Oakland squad exploited with ease. There were multiple wide-open layups surrendered throughout the half.

The Bottom Line

While Oakland was also playing down a starter, their identity remained intact. For NKU, the combination of foul trouble, cold shooting, and a lack of bench depth proved too much to overcome. The Norse fought to keep it close early, but the lack of continuity in the rotation eventually allowed the Grizzlies to run away with it.

Key Matchup:

In my preview, I discussed how Donovan Oday vs. Brody Robinson would probably decide the game, specifically calling out Robinson’s ball distribution and tendency to get to the FT line. Well, today Robinson put up 21 points, including a 9-11 performance from the FT line. He added 5 rebounds, 6 assists, 2 steals and just 1 turnover, a masterful performance! Donovan, on the other hand put up 15 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists, 1 steal, 1 block and FOUR turnovers. He was also extremely inefficient, going just 5-19 from the field and 0-7 from deep. Massive advantage to Oakland here.

Three Keys: How the Grizzlies took Over

While the scoreboard told one story at halftime, the underlying metrics told another. To understand why Northern Kentucky couldn’t sustain their early lead, we have to look at the three pillars of the game: rebounding, discipline, and the ability to start fast.

1. Rebounding: Quantity vs. Quality

On the surface, NKU held their own on the glass, trailing only 49-40 overall and actually winning the offensive rebounding battle 14-13. However, the second chance efficiency was the dagger:

• Oakland: Turned 13 offensive boards into 22 points.
• NKU: Turned 14 offensive boards into just 12 points.

Oakland didn’t just rebound; they punished NKU for every missed box-out. The Grizzlies’ ability to convert at nearly double the rate of the Norse on put-backs was the difference-maker in a physical second half.

2. The Discipline Gap: “Physicality Without the Whistle”

A concerning trend for the Norse continued Sunday: the inability to reach the charity stripe while simultaneously failing to keep opponents off it.

• The Disparity: Oakland earned 24 free-throw attempts, nearly doubling NKU’s 13.
• The Execution: Even when the Norse did get to the line, they struggled, shooting a lackluster 61.5% (8-13).

In a hostile road environment, giving away free points while leaving your own on the table is a recipe for a double-digit swing.

3. Breaking the “Early Deficit” Trend

If there was a silver lining, it was NKU’s poise in the opening 20 minutes. They successfully killed the early deficit trend that has plagued them in the past, showing enough grit to carry a slim lead into the locker room.

Final Verdict: The Halftime Shift

Ultimately, this game was won and lost in the locker room. Oakland made the necessary tactical adjustments to weaponize their physicality, while NKU—hampered by a thin rotation and unfamiliar lineups couldn’t find a counter-punch. To beat a battle-tested team like the Grizzlies on the road, you need a complete 40-minute performance. On Sunday, the Norse gave 20, and Oakland took the rest.

Key Performances

Donovan Oday: 15/6/5, 4 turnovers, 1 block, and 1 steal

Tae Dozier: 14/8/0, 2 blocks, 3 steals

Kael Robinson: 14/7/1, 1 block

Dan Gherezgher: 11/6/4, 2 turnovers and 1 steal

Up Next:

NKU heads back home to take on Green Bay on Wednesday. The Valhalla Voice will have a Horizon League update, as well as pregame coverage for the Norse battling the Phoenix!