FORT WAYNE, Ind. (Interstat) — In a Horizon League women’s basketball upset that defied both recent history and statistical projections, the Oakland Golden Grizzlies snapped a four-game losing streak by grinding out a 71-64 victory over the Fort Wayne Mastodons on Wednesday night at Gates Sports Center.

The win, secured before an announced crowd of 722, was orchestrated by a monumental performance from Oakland guard Makenzie Luehring. The 5-foot-6 junior from Jackson, Wisconsin, played 38 minutes and delivered a near triple-double, scoring 17 points while dishing out nine assists and adding two blocks. Her command of the game was the steadying force Oakland required to withstand several Fort Wayne surges.

Oakland, which improved to 9-17 overall, set a determined tone from the opening tip. The Golden Grizzlies raced to a 25-14 lead after the first quarter, fueled by the early interior dominance of Sereniti Roberts-Adams. The 6-3 forward from Chicago scored eight of her team-high 16 points in the opening period, helping Oakland establish an advantage it would never fully relinquish.

Fort Wayne, which fell to 16-11, responded forcefully in the second quarter. The Mastodons outscored Oakland 22-11 behind a burst from reserve forward Hillary Offing. The sophomore from Irmo, South Carolina, scored 10 of her 14 points in the period, exploiting the paint as part of Fort Wayne’s 42-18 overall advantage in that category. Her efforts, combined with the inside presence of 6-3 center Lili Krasovec of Budapest, Hungary, who also finished with 14 points, brought the Mastodons back to a 36-36 tie at halftime.

The most critical phase of the game unfolded in the third quarter. After Fort Wayne took its first lead at 41-39 on an Alana Nelson three-pointer, Oakland did not fold. Instead, the Golden Grizzlies tightened their defense, forcing difficult shots and limiting second chances. A key sequence saw Oakland regain the lead on a Luehring driving layup, followed by a defensive stop and another Roberts-Adams basket inside. Oakland closed the quarter on a 7-2 run to take a 53-52 edge into the final period, a slim but psychologically vital margin.

The fourth quarter became a tense, possession-by-possession battle. Fort Wayne’s Lauren Lee, a 5-7 guard from Dunnville, Kentucky, kept her team close, finishing with 13 points. Her three-pointer with 8:44 remaining gave Fort Wayne a 55-54 lead, but Oakland answered immediately. Luehring found space beyond the arc on the next trip, draining a three-pointer to put Oakland back ahead for good.

Fort Wayne had opportunities down the stretch but was plagued by missed shots in the final minutes. With Oakland clinging to a 63-61 lead, the Mastodons missed four consecutive field goal attempts over a crucial two-minute span. Oakland capitalized as Luehring drove for a layup to extend the lead to four with 3:01 left. After a Nelson three-pointer cut the deficit to 66-64, Oakland’s defense locked in, forcing two more Mastodon misses. Roberts-Adams then sealed the game with a layup off a Luehring assist with 1:12 remaining, pushing the lead to a decisive four points.

Oakland’s supporting cast provided essential contributions. Forward Lianna Baxter of Marinette, Wisconsin, scored 10 points and was a defensive anchor, while guard Filippa Goula of Ano Liosia, Greece, managed the backcourt alongside Luehring, adding nine points and four assists. Layla Gold of Indianapolis also chipped in 10 points.

The victory was a stark reversal from the teams’ previous meeting on Jan. 2, when Fort Wayne dominated Oakland 84-64. It also contradicted the pregame analytics from Interstat’s ELO system, which gave Fort Wayne a 94.6 percent probability to win.

Oakland’s ability to win despite being outscored by 24 points in the paint and allowing 13 points off turnovers underscored its resilience. The Golden Grizzlies made critical shots in the final quarter and got stops when they mattered most.

Fort Wayne was led by the 14-point efforts from Offing and Krasovec, while Nelson finished with nine points. The Mastodons will look to rebound at home against Youngstown State on Saturday.

Oakland, which hosts Robert Morris on Saturday, secured a rare road conference win and demonstrated a level of poise that had been missing during its recent skid, largely thanks to the all-around excellence of Makenzie Luehring.