Townsend’s 38-11 brings Oakland to Horizon title

Mar 12, 2024, 10:08 PM ET INDIANAPOLIS– Trey Townsend scored a career-high 38 points and made a number of key plays down the stretch as Oakland earned its first NCAA tournament quote given that 2011 with an 83-76 win over Milwaukee in the Horizon League national championship Tuesday night.Townsend had 27 points in the 2nd half, 16 in the last 6 minutes and 7 in the last 3 minutes. His 38 points were the most in a Horizon League competition championship game because at least 1996.

Townsend’s turnaround jumper with 2:35 left provided the top-seed Grizzlies a 72-70 lead. He then obstructed a pass and followed his own miss with a putback for a 74-70 lead with 2 minutes left.Blake Lampman made two totally free tosses at 1:03 to provide Oakland an 80-74 lead going into the eleventh hour when Chris Conway blocked two Panthers shots and Townsend slapped a loose ball out to a teammate.Editor’s Picks 2 Related Townsend wound up on the nasty line and made one with 35.9 seconds to opt for

an 81-74 lead, matching the biggest of the game. He later on included two more totally free tosses, completing 14-of-18 from the line. He likewise contributed 11 rebounds and 5 assists.Townsend became the 2nd player in the past 25 seasons to score 35 or more points, record 10

or more rebounds and play 40 or more minutes in a championship game game, signing up with Kevin Durant(2007 Big 12 championship game for Texas vs. Kansas). Jack Gohlke scored 15 points for the Golden Grizzlies(23-11), who are headed to their fourth NCAA competition, the very first three coming when they were in the Summit League. Lampman had 12 points and Conway had 11 with 10 rebounds, to sign up with Townsend, who had 11 rebounds, with a double-double. Erik Pratt led sixth-seeded Milwaukee (20-15 )with 16 points. Kentrell Pullian added 15 points, BJ Freeman 15 and Langston Wilson 10. The Panthers were trying to get into their 5th NCAA tournament, the very first because 2014. Trey Townsend ended up being the second player in the previous 25 seasons to score 35 or more points, record 10 or more rebounds and play 40 or more minutes in a conference championship game, after Kevin Durant in 2007. Robert Goddin/USA TODAY Sports Lampman and Townsend each made a pair of complimentary throws that provided Oakland the greatest lead of the game at 49-42 less than five minutes into the second half, however Pullian scored 2 fast baskets inside. After Townsend scored, the Panthers had 6 straight with Pullian giving them a 52-51 lead with 13:14 to go.The lead reached four for the Panthers at 64-60 but that lasted all of 23 seconds.Lampman had a fastbreak dunk and Gohlke drilled a 3-pointer in a late 7-0 run that assisted the Grizzlies take a 37-33 lead at the half. The biggest lead of the half was 17-11 Oakland on a Gohlke 3 7 minutes in.ESPN Statistics & Details and The Associated Press contributed

to this report.