Oakland junior point guard Johnathon Jones was named a Mid-Major All-American by CollegeInsider.com Tuesday. Jones and North Dakota State's Ben Woodside were the only Summit League players named to the team. Jones was also named the Summit League Most Valuable Player by CollegeInsider, while Woodside was named the Player of the Year. Not sure what the difference between the two awards is, but it's a nice honor none the less. Jones is just the second Oakland player to be named a Mid-Major All-American. Mike Helms was the first, he earned the honor back in 2003.

Jones set a Summit League single-season record with 290 assists this season, averaging 8.1 per game, tops in the nation. He also averaged 13.3 points per game this season to earn Summit League all-conference first team honors and all-tournament team honors.

"I am pleased for JJ and I think anytime you make a postseason All-America team it is well deserved,” Oakland coach Greg Kampe told OU athletics. “I think if you lead the nation in assists you should make every All-America team.”

The 2008-09 Oakland men’s basketball season is over. It was a memorable year with plenty of ups and downs as the Golden Grizzlies broke several team and individual school records on their way to a 23-win season, the most in the Division I era. Here are some of the most memorable moments from the season in chronological order, anybody is welcome to put them in their own order or let me know if I missed one.

Oakland wins at Oregon
Not many people thought Oakland could go into Oregon and get a win, especially after defeating the Ducks at The Palace of Auburn Hills the year before. The Grizzlies not only won this game behind a dazzling 32-point performance from Johnathon Jones, but showed a lot of mental toughness by doing it in overtime. Erik Kangas hit three free throws to give Oakland the lead with 33 seconds left and Blake Cushingberry putting them up 3 with a pair of free throws before Tajuan Porter hit three free throws to send it into overtime. I was listening to the game on the radio in the office and when went it went to overtime I told a co-worker that I thought Oakland lost its chance to win this one and Oregon would likely take it in overtime. Boy was I wrong. Kangas converted a three-point play 19 seconds in and the Grizzlies never trailed in overtime.

Freshman sizzle in Vegas Invitational
Freshman Drew Maynard scored 21 points and freshman Blake Cushingberry added 11 points, including the first three 3-pointers of his career as Oakland rallied from a 42-33 halftime deficit to beat Delaware State. The Grizzlies were playing without Erik Kangas, who was out with an injured ankle. The game I thought was a glimpse into Oakland’s future and propelled the team to the lower-bracket championship in the Las Vegas Invitational.

Grizzlies hand Green Bay lone home loss
This is in my mind Oakland’s most impressive win of the regular season. Green Bay (22-11) was 13-1 at home, with its lone home loss being to Oakland. The Phoenix finished the season ranked No. 16 in the CollegeInsider.com mid-major top 25. Kangas came through in the clutch with a 3-pointer with 52 seconds left in overtime to put the Grizzlies up two, 75-73. Oakland held on from there.

Benson’s double-double against U-M
Sophomore Keith Benson had 23 points, 11 rebounds and two blocks in Oakland’s loss to Michigan at the Palace of the Auburn Hills. The game helped kick start Benson’s breakout season, where he established himself as a low-post threat for the Grizzlies. Benson even said the Michigan game gave him confidence that he could be dominant against anybody.

Kangas 3-pointer lifts OU over Bison
Battling a cramp in his calf, Kangas played through the pain and hit the game-winning 3-pointer with five seconds left. In a rare display, Oakland head coach Greg Kampe rushed to halfcourt and hugged Kangas at the conclusion of the game. Kangas said it was his most memorable coach Kampe moment. I was on vacation the week of the game, but attended as a fan, dragging my wife along with me. She didn’t miss many games after that.

Kangas nets 39 in win at IPFW
In one of the best offensive performances I’ve seen live, Kangas poured in 39 points, including eight 3-pointers in a 93-88 win over the Mastodons. IPFW tried everything it could to slow down Kangas, but nothing worked. I think an older gentleman that sat in front of me put it best when he said, “Man that guy can shoot,” after Kangas buried an NBA range 3-pointer with a defender in his face.

Kangas hot-streak continues
Kangas hit eight 3-pointers in a win over IUPUI and then hit seven against Western Illinois to become Oakland’s all-time leader in 3-pointers. It gave Kangas 23 3-pointers in three games. In a classy move Oakland announced that Kangas was the new all-time leader and Kampe even called a timeout so the crowd could cheer Kangas’ accomplishment. Kangas won back-to-back Summit League Player of the Week honors for his effort.

Oakland dominates Oral Roberts
The Grizzlies lost a tough one in overtime at Oral Roberts earlier in the season and were coming off a pair of losses at the Dakotas. Kampe later said he thought the South Dakota State loss changed the team’s season and the players became committed to defense after it. Oakland’s ‘Big Three’ all had huge games as Kangas netted 21 points, Benson had 19 points, 10 rebounds and three blocks and Jones had 17 points and 13 assists. The win was the first of nine straight for Oakland.

Oakland completes perfect home season
Oakland defeated UMKC, 100-88, in the regular-season finale to finish the regular season 11-0 at the O’Rena and earns its first 20-win season since turning Division I. Despite being out of the conference tournament race, the Kangaroos didn’t allow Oakland to coast to victory and gave an inspired effort. But Oakland used its offense to win the game. Also memorable was senior Ricky Bieszki making his first career-start and addressing the crowd along with fellow seniors Dan Waterstradt and Kangas after the game.

Grizzlies reach Summit League title game
Playing basically road games in the semifinals against South Dakota State and in the finals against North Dakota State, Oakland appeared on its way to the NCAA tournament before the Bison rallied and defeated the Grizzlies on a last-second shot by Ben Woodside. Seeing the Grizzlies come into the semifinal game in front of a packed house and dominate the game from start to finish was impressive to see. The loss in the finals may have erased the memory for some of how well Oakland played for 75 minutes in three days, but the Grizzlies gave it their all and came up just a bit short. The city of Sioux Falls also was impressive in its effort, shattering attendance records. It was also a neat experience going to various places and having people know not only about South Dakota State, but the entire Summit League. Every person I talked to had nothing but positive things to say about Oakland, including a group of classy Bison fans I ran into at Buffalo Wild Wings after the championship game.

75-footer eliminates Oakland from CIT
The season has to end at some point and if you can’t win the final game, why not lose on a 75-footer? That was my attempt at trying to be positive. You would have a hard time convincing me Bradley's Chris Roberts got the shot off in 0.9 seconds, but either way it was one heck of a shot and one that will be remembered for a long time to come. Had the shot missed, Oakland might have went on to win the CIT, but we’ll never know. The win over Kent State was also memorable. Oakland came out in a daze, but came out inspired in the second half and dominated. Jones also broke the Summit League single-season assist record in the Kent State win.

CollegeInsider.com Tournament

The opponent — Bradley (19-14) finished in fourth place in the Missouri Valley Conference and has an RPI of 98, tops of the 16 teams in the CollegeInsider.com Tournament. The Braves defeated Austin Peay, 81-74, in the first round to advance to the quarterfinals.

Seventh-year Bradley head coach Jim Les runs a ‘spread motion’ offense and likes to play an uptempo style. Les has recruited athletic and skilled players to run his system.

Senior forward Theron Wilson (6-foot-5, 200) is Bradley’s go-to player. Wilson was a first-team all conference player and is the only player in the Missouri Valley Conference to rank among the league’s top five in scoring (14.1, fifth), rebounding (7.2, fourth) and steals (1.9, second). He leads the Braves in all three categories. Wilson also gets to the free-throw line, averaging 7.2 attempts per game and is shooting 71.8 percent. Wilson has averaged 8.7 free throw attempts in Bradley’s 19 wins, compared to 5.1 attempts in its 14 losses.

The Braves as a team get to the free-throw line a lot. Bradley’s 777 free-throw attempts this season is among the top 30 in the nation.

Sophomore guard Sam Maniscalco (12.5 points, 2.9 assists, 1.9 3-pointers) is the Braves best outside shooter and shoots over 84 percent from the free-throw line. Bradley’s third-leading scorer Dodie Dunson (10.1 points, 3.0 rebounds) will likely be limited. Dunson suffered a severely bruised hand back on Feb. 21. He was limited in the Missouri Valley Tournament and played just 10 minutes against Austin Peay and didn’t score

Junior guard Chris Roberts (8.3 points, 4.1 rebounds), freshman point guard Eddren McCain (5.8 points, 3.2 assists) and 7-foot senior center David Collins (4.6 points, 4.1 rebounds, 1.5 blocks) round out the Braves’ starting lineup. Senior forward Sam Singh (4.7 points, 3.2 rebounds) and freshman forward Taylor Brown (3.6 points) are key players off the bench.

The Braves hit 11 3-pointers and shot 24 for 38 from the free-throw line in their win over Austin Peay. Bradley, which is located in Peoria, Ill., drew 4,472 fans for the first round game. The Braves averaged over 10,000 fans a game during the regular season. Wilson led the way with 18 points and eight rebounds against Austin Peay, Maniscalco added 15 points and hit four 3-pointers, McCain had 13 points and five assists and Roberts finished with 12 points.

Bradley lost key players Andrew Warren and Will Egolf to season-ending injuries early in the season.

Key matchup — Oakland’s Erik Kangas vs. Bradley’s Sam Maniscalco. The Grizzlies will likely have several guys try to shut down Wilson, but the matchup between Kangas and Maniscalco will be crucial. Kangas scored 18 of his 23 points in the second half against Kent State and showed once again how he can change the whole momentum of a game when he gets hot. Oakland is 11-1 when Kangas scores 20 ore more. Maniscalco is averaging 16.2 points and 2.5 3-pointers per game in his last nine. Maniscalco has shot 29 free throws in his last four games, including a 14-for-14 performance against Southern Illinois in the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament.

Matchup history — Bradley won the only previous meeting, 76-35, back on Dec. 6, 1997 at Carver Arena. Oakland and the Braves have had three common opponents this season, Michigan State, UMKC and Southeast Missouri State. Oakland defeated UMKC twice, fell to Michigan State, 82-66, and defeated Southeast Missouri State, 81-63, at the Las Vegas Invitational. Bradley lost to UMKC, 73-61, at a neutral site, fell at Michigan State, 75-59, and defeated Southeast Missouri State, 75-62, at home.

The skinny — Oakland can not afford a slow start like it had against Kent State, especially on the road. The Braves are a tough team at home and went 12-3 at Carver Arena this season. The Grizzlies will have to use its size inside with Keith Benson and Will Hudson to its advantage or could have to go small to defend Bradley’s uptempo style. Benson will likely matchup with Collins, who is a solid shot blocker (second in the MVC), but Collins averages just 17.5 minutes per game.

Oakland point guard Johnathon Jones will also play a key role on both ends of the floor. The nation’s assist leader has reached double digit assists in 10 of his last 15 games, including a 12-assist performance against Kent State.

The Grizzlies bench came up big against Kent State and Oakland could use a similar performance Monday. Oakland is 8-1 this season when Dan Waterstradt scores in double figures and 5-1 when Blake Cushingberry scores in double figures. Waterstradt had 11 points and 11 rebounds in Oakland’s win over Kent State, while Cushingberry added nine points and three steals. Cushingberry will also play a key role defensively and could see time on Wilson.

The winner of this game will have an excellent shot at making the finals, with the winner of the Idaho-Pacific game having to travel across the country to play in Wednesday’s semifinals.

Oakland will travel to Bradley Monday for the quarterfinals of the CollegeInsider.com Tournament. Bradley defeated Austin Peay, 81-74, at home in the first round of the tournament, while Oakland defeated Kent State at home to advance.

The Braves, who finished in fourth place in the Missouri Valley Conference, are 19-14 overall and are 12-3 at home this season.

“Bradley has been an outstanding team in the Missouri Valley, which is a conference that has some pull,” Oakland head coach Greg Kampe said. “When we hosted the NCAA Tournament at the Palace, they won two games here. They are pretty darn good. It’s a good team, not the best they’ve had, but solid. They have 19 wins and we’re excited to play them.”

The winner of the Oakland-Bradley game will host the winner of the Pacific-Idaho game in the semifinals. "They have bracketed the tournament now and the winner of our game will host the semifinals," Kampe said.

Oakland got off to a sluggish start in its win over Kent State and trailed 40-27 at halftime before outscoring the Golden Flashes, 53-34, in the second half. Kampe said the extra practice time to prepare for Bradley will help, but he believes at tournament time your team should be ready for anything.

“At this time of the year, your defense should be able to stop anything it sees,” Kampe said. “There shouldn’t be anything you haven’t seen before. I don’t know what they do yet. We are getting the tape today, will be figuring out their personal and trying to get it stopped.

“Except the last seven minutes of first half, (Kent State) couldn’t score on us. If your defense is sound and principles of it are sound, you can stop whatever you see.”

Kampe is also confident his team is now hungry to play in this tournament after not displaying that hunger in preparation for the Kent State game.

“I think they understand the tournament now,” Kampe said. “They played a game, they got excited and now they’re into it. I suspect we’ll go there and play well.”

CollegeInsider.com Tournament

The opponent — Kent State (19-14, 10-6 MAC) finished in a three-way tie for third place in the MAC and lost to Buffalo in the MAC Tournament quarterfinals. The Golden Flashes won 10 of its last 12 during the regular season.

First-year coach Geno Ford likes to keep his team fresh. The Golden Flashes have eight players averaging 15 minutes or more per game and just one player, senior guard Al Fisher, averaging over 28 minutes a game. Fisher is Kent State’s leading scorer at 15.2 per game. Fisher also leads the team in assists (3.5 per game) and averages 1.6 steals and 1.3 3-pointers per game.

Junior Chris Singletary (12.2 points) and junior guard Tyree Evans (11.7 points) also average in double figures for Kent State. Evans typically comes off the bench, but has started eight games. Evans is the team’s leading 3-point shooter, averaging 2.5 per game. Singletary averages 3.0 assists, 1.6 steals and 4.1 rebounds.

Other key players for the Golden Flashes include 6-foot-8 junior forward Anthony Simpson (6.7 points, 6.2 rebounds), 6-5 senior forward Julian Sullinger (6.6 points, 4.9 rebounds), 6-10 junior center Brandon Parks (6.1 points, 4.8 rebounds) and senior guard Jordan Mincy (5.4 points, 2.8 assists).

Kent State played three common opponents with Oakland this season. The Golden Flashes lost at Cleveland State, 67-41, defeated Eastern Michigan at home, 68-46, and beat Toledo at home, 81-53. Oakland fell at Cleveland State, 58-55, beat Toledo at home, 67-58, and won at Eastern Michigan, 66-53. This will be the first meeting between Oakland and Kent State.

Key matchup — Oakland’s Johnathon Jones vs. Kent State’s Al Fisher. Fisher is an offensive-minded point guard, who was the MAC Player of the Year last season and an all-MAC first team selection this season. Kent State is 6-2 when Fisher scores 20 or more, so shutting down Fisher will be a big priority for the Grizzlies. Fisher is also known as a clutch performer, with several game-winning shot to his credit in his two years at Kent State. Jones averaged 14 points and 8.3 assists during the Summit League conference tournament. Jones will have to continue to get his teammates involved, while making Fisher work on the defensive end.

The skinny — It’s real simple, both teams would rather be in the NCAA tournament so whoever wants it more in the CollegeInsider.com tournament will likely win. Oakland coach Greg Kampe said after the loss to North Dakota State he was worried because the team wasn’t practicing good, but they have turned things around with good practices the last few days. The Grizzlies’ undefeated home record will be on the line against Kent State so that could also be a motivator. The Golden Flashes need a win to keep their streak of 20 win seasons alive. Kent State is just one of seven Division I programs with at least 20 wins in each of the last 10 years.

Looking at the field, Oakland has a legitimate shot at making a run at the tournament championship, but can’t look ahead. If the Grizzlies defeat Kent State, they would likely host another tournament game on Monday. There is no tournament bracket, with the team’s being re-seeded after the first round so their opponent will be determined later. The tournament semifinals are next Wednesday and the finals March 31.

Oakland’s most successful season in Division I will continue after a heartbreaking loss in the Summit League championship game to North Dakota State. The Golden Grizzlies (22-12) will host Kent State at 7 p.m. on Tuesday at the O’Rena in the first round of the inaugural CollegeInsider.com Tournament.

“I’m really excited,” Oakland head coach Greg Kampe said. “I’m excited to get a chance to participate in postseason play, especially with the way our season ended. It’s great for our young team to be in another ‘one and done’ situation. It’s great for our seniors to be rewarded for our winningest season in our Division I history. It’s neat we were selected for a home game. They respect our schedule and what we’ve accomplished. I’m excited the fans will get a chance to see Erik Kangas play one more home game. And I’m excited we are in a position where we can actually win it.”

The CollegeInsider.com Tournament is a 16-team tournament that features mid-major schools. The tournament will be re-seeded after each round, with the championship game scheduled for March 31. The tournament field was not set at press time, but check CollegeInsider.com for more details.

“It’s a tournament for the mid-majors,” Kampe said. “It looks toward teams that had really good years, but didn’t get in the NIT or NCAA (tournament). They are deserving, but didn’t get in. A lot of times the NIT will look the other way when it comes to mid-majors because it wants to make money. This tournament is not about making money. It’s about rewarding student athletes at the mid-major level. It’s really a great concept and I’m really excited to be part of it.”

Kent State (19-14) finished tied for third place in the MAC and will have its streak of 20-win seasons on the line against Oakland Tuesday.

The Grizzlies have won a Division I school record 22 games this season and went 11-0 at home to earn the first undefeated home record in school history. Oakland won nine straight before falling, 66-64, to North Dakota State in the Summit League championship game.

Oakland senior Erik Kangas has been invited to participate in the College 3-Point Contest on April 2 at the Palace of Auburn Hills. Kangas is fourth in the country with 127 3-pointers this season, an average of 3.8 3-pointers per game. Kangas is also in the top-25 in the nation in 3-point field goal percentage at 41.9 percent. Kangas is Oakland's all-time leader in 3-pointers and holds the school and Summit League single-season record for 3-pointers.

The Golden Grizzlies (22-12) have likely not played their last game after falling to North Dakota State in the Summit League championship game. Oakland has a good shot at hosting a game in the 2009 Collegeinsider.com tournament. The 16-team tournament begins on Tuesday, March 17.

No. 3 Oakland (21-11) vs. No. 7 South Dakota State (13-19)
Why the Grizzlies will win: Oakland has the better inside players and will likely go to them early and often. The Grizzlies should also hold the edge on the boards with the bigger frontcourt. Oakland also has an edge at point guard with Johnathon Jones one of the best around. With Jones running the offense, the Grizzlies can put points on the board and limit their bad possessions. The big question mark is will leading scorer Erik Kangas play and if he does, how effective will he be? Kangas injured his ankle late in the win over IPFW.

Why the Jacks will win: Three words: Home court advantage. The Sioux Falls Arena will be filled to the rafters with Jacks fans, who are hungry to reach the conference championship game. SDSU has talent, but has been inconsistent, especially on the road, where it was 1-15 this season. The Jacks are also a solid perimeter shooting team and hit a school record 15 3-pointers against Oakland in Rochester earlier this season. SDSU rallied from a 17-point second half deficit to win in overtime in the last meeting, so the Jacks have confidence they can beat the Grizzlies.

Position by position breakdown
Point guard: Oakland’s Johnathon Jones (5-11, 165) vs. SDSU’s Michael Palarca (5-10, 170)
If Kangas is out or limited, look for Jones to be more offensive minded against the Jackrabbits. Jones has shown he is capable of going off for 20 or more this season when he has looked for his shot more. Jones will also be key factor in feeding post players Keith Benson and Will Hudson. Jones creates a lot of shots for those two and they didn’t get many looks while he was sitting against IPFW with three fouls last in the first half. Palarca played just eight minutes against Oral Roberts Saturday so he could see limited time again tonight. He has made five starts this season.

Shooting guard: Oakland’s Erik Kangas (6-3, 205) vs. SDSU’s Clint Sargent (6-4, 200)
Kangas status is still up in the air as of this afternoon, but my gut tells me he will at least give it a try. Just having Kangas on the floor is a plus for the Grizzlies because SDSU’s defense will have to be aware of him at all times and can’t concentrate on defending the interior. If Kangas can’t go, look for Blake Cushingberry to likely get the start. Sargent was just 3 for 11 with 12 points against Oral Roberts, but he is a key part of the Jacks offense. He averaged 14.3 points a game this season and hit 66 3-pointers in 28 games.

Wing: Oakland’s Drew Maynard (6-7, 220) vs. SDSU’s Garrett Callahan (6-1, 180)
This matchup will likely be critical. When Kangas missed a game earlier this season with an ankle injury, Maynard scored a career-high 21 points at the Las Vegas Invitational. Maynard was just 1 for 2 with two points in 17 minutes against IPFW, but will likely see more minutes and more shots if Kangas can’t go. Callahan is the Jacks leading scorer at 16.1 per game and went off for 30 against Oral Roberts on Saturday, but was 8 for 20 from the field. Callahan is a 43.2 percent shooter from 3-point range and averaged 2.5 3-pointers per game.

Power forward: Oakland’s Will Hudson (6-9 225) vs. SDSU’s Kai Williams (6-6, 220)
Hudson looked good in Sunday’s win over IPFW, scoring 15 points, grabbing eight rebounds and had three blocks. Hudson will need to be active again tonight and use his height advantage against Williams. Williams is likely the Jacks most versatile player, but has had an up and down junior season after an impressive sophomore and freshman years. Williams has the talent to do a lot of damage so he can’t be overlooked.

Center: Oakland’s Keith Benson (6-11, 225) vs. SDSU’s Anthony Cordova (6-7, 225)
This is the matchup Oakland will need to exploit if it hopes to quiet the crowd. Benson had 11 points, 10 rebounds and six blocks against IPFW, but had just five shots, hitting four. The Grizzlies have to get Benson more looks tonight. Benson will also have to stay out of foul trouble, while remaining aggressive defensively in the paint. Cordova has emerged as a solid player for the Jacks this season and is averaging 11.7 points and 6.8 rebounds this season. SDSU may try to go to him and get Benson in foul trouble.

Bench
The Jacks will likely have the edge here with Dale Moss and Griffan Callahan both productive players off the bench. Moss was 5 for 6 from the field with 10 points and six rebounds against Oral Roberts, while Callahan had four points and 11 rebounds. SDSU played Josh Cassaday (6-6) and Mark Engen (6-10) two minutes each against the Golden Eagels. The Grizzlies bench was likely the difference in its win over IPFW. Senior Dan Waterstradt hit three 3-pointer and finished with 13 points, freshman Matt Samuels had eight points in 11 minutes with Jones in foul trouble and Cushingberry had four points and four rebounds in 26 minutes. Cushingberry could be moved into the starting lineup depending on Kangas’ status.

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. — Oakland senior Erik Kangas went down with an injury with 2:18 left in Oakland's Summit League quarterfinal win over IPFW Sunday night. His injury was not disclosed after the game and his status will likely remain unknown until Monday's semifinal game against South Dakota State.

Oakland coach Greg Kampe was asked about the play and had this response: "It was a very physical game. I think that was their strategy, to come out and really get into us. It was like if all five guys foul at the same time, they can only call one. … They really went after us and the refs aren’t going to call a foul every possession so it was a physical game. And it ended like that, usually physical games end where something goofy happens. I’m not happy about it, but it’s basketball. We are going to play tomorrow night, not matter what. But I don’t know, he can’t walk."

If Kangas can't go then freshman Blake Cushingberry will likley move into the starting lineup and freshman Matt Samuels will be boosted into the rotation. Samuels played well Sunday night with junior point guard Johnathon Jones in foul trouble. Samuels had eight points on 8 for 8 free-throw shooting, three assists and one turnover in 11 minutes.

Oakland will take on South Dakota State, which upset No. 2 seed Oral Roberts Saturday night behind the home fans. The women's basketball team will also play tomorrow in their conference semifinal at 3:30 p.m. (Eastern). They will take on the three seed, North Dakota State.

No. 3 Oakland (20-11) vs. No. 6 IPFW (13-16)
Why the Grizzlies will win: Nobody has been able to stop Oakland’s offense as of late with the big three of Johnathon Jones, Erik Kangas and Keith Benson proving to be too much for their opponents, while Will Hudson, Drew Maynard, Dan Waterstradt and Blake Cushingberry have all made huge contributions. The Grizzlies are 10-0 when they score 80 points or more and have averaged 82 points a game during its seven-game win streak. If Oakland’s offense is on, then there are not many teams that can keep up.

Why the Mastodons will win: IPFW’s offense is capable of keeping with Oakland and has averaged 80 points a game against the Grizzlies this season. The Mastodons’ defense has also stepped up, holding opponents to an average of 65.6 points per game during its current three-game win streak. IPFW has won five of its last seven and look to be coming together at the right time. If the Mastodons can slow down Oakland’s offense and their 3-point shooters are on then it could pull off the upset.

Position by position breakdown
Point guard: Oakland’s Johnathon Jones (5-11, 165) vs. IPFW’s Zach Plackemeier (6-3, 190)
Jones leads the nation in assists at 7.8 per game and runs Oakland’s high-powered offense that has averaged over 82 points a game during its current seven-game win streak. Jones also averages 13.5 points per game and is a tough defender. He will likely guard the more offensive minded Ben Botts. Plackemeier averages 7.6 points and is among the league leaders in assists at 2.8 per game. He has averaged 8.5 points, five assists and four rebounds against Oakland this season.

Shooting guard: Oakland’s Erik Kangas (6-3, 205) vs. IPFW’s Ben Botts (6-0, 165)
This is a matchup between two of the Summit League’s premier outside shooters. In the first meeting Kangas set his career-high with 39 points, while Botts tied his career-high with 22 points. Both players scored 13 points in the second meeting, with IPFW focusing a lot of its attention defensively on stopping Kangas. This matchup will be key with both players capable of changing the whole momentum of the game at any time.

Wing: Oakland’s Drew Maynard (6-7, 220) vs. IPFW’s Nick Daniels (6-2, 190)
Both players could prove to the X-factor for their team. Oakland is 7-2 when Maynard scores in double figures. Maynard’s last double-digit output was against IPFW on Feb. 14, where he scored 13 points. Daniels is a consistent 3-point threat. He has hit 45 3-pointers this season and shoots 49.5 percent from 3-point range.

Forward: Oakland’s Will Hudson (6-9, 225) vs. IPFW’s David Carson (6-7, 220)
Carson has been a thorn in the Grizzlies side since transferring to IPFW, averaging 18 points in four meetings. Carson will try to use his speed and athleticism to counter Hudson’s size, while Hudson will look to crash the boards and go at Carson inside. Hudson’s defense will be more important than his offense in this matchup, but the sophomore averaged 12 points a game against IPFW this season.

Center — Oakland’s Keith Benson (6-11, 225) vs. IPFW’s Trey McCorkle (6-10, 230)
This is the matchup Oakland will likely look to make the most of. Benson had just nine points on 3 for 3 shooting at IPFW, but had 23 points, nine rebounds and six blocks in the second meeting when the Mastodons concentrated on stopping Kangas and Jones. If IPFW employs a similar strategy in the tournament then Oakland will need Benson to make the Mastodons pay. If IPFW is forced to double Benson then it will open up things for Kangas and Jones. McCorkle played just eight minutes at Oakland and 19 in the first meeting, with Delivez Yearby (6-6, 212) seeing more minutes.

Oakland bench vs. IPFW’s bench
IPFW’s Yearby (8.9 points, 6.3 rebounds and 1.8 blocks) won the Summit League Sixth Man of the Year award and is a rare big body that comes off the bench. The Mastodons typically go deeper into their bench than the Grizzlies with 10 players averaging over 10 minutes a game, while Oakland has just seven. The Grizzlies bench will likely consistent of just Dan Waterstradt and Blake Cushingberry. If either has a good game Oakland’s chances of winning improves. The Grizzlies are 5-1 when Cushingberry scores in double figures and 6-2 when Waterstradt does.

The Oakland Press' Dave Pemberton sits down with Oakland head coach Greg Kampe as his team prepares for the Summit League tournament and then hosts the Championship Edition of Grizz Talk Trivia.

No. 1 North Dakota State vs. No. 8 Centenary
Why the Bison will win: NDSU has four fifth-year seniors, who have prepared their entire career for this one shot at the NCAA tournament. Summit League Player of the Year Ben Woodside, first team all-league selection Brett Winkelman, Mike Nelson and Lucas Moormann will play like there is no tomorrow because for these guys there’s not. The Bison offense has been tough to stop all season and scored 89 points in their win over Centenary last week. Woodside had 32 points in the game that had a tournament feel because NDSU was trying to clinch a share of the league title, while Centenary was fighting to make the league tournament.

Why the Gents will win: The equalizer for Centenary is its 3-point shooting. In league play, the Gents led the league in 3-pointers made with 139 and attempted (388). Nick Stallings and Chase Adams each hit over 55 this season and David Perez and Maxx Nakwaasah hit over 20. If the Gents are on from the outside they can play with anybody, but if not they could be in trouble. The big keys for Centenary will be Stalling’s offense, the team is 3-0 in league play when he scores over 20, and how well Adams (the Summit League Defensive Player of the Year) can defend Woodside.

Key matchup: NDSU’s Ben Woodside vs. Centenary’s Chase Adams
Season matchup: NDSU swept, 68-53 on Dec. 6 and 89-79 on Feb. 26
Prediction: North Dakota State comes out with emotion and builds an early lead the Gents can’t recover from. Winner: North Dakota State

No. 2 Oral Roberts vs. No. 7 South Dakota State
Why the Golden Eagles will win: Oral Roberts has the experience edge as the three-time defending tournament champions and the Jacks are playing in their first-ever Division I tournament game. The Golden Eagles frontline of Marcus Lewis and Kevin Ford will have a height and strength advantage, and know how to take advantage of it. ORU senior Robert Jarvis is also known to play his best in big-game situations and won’t be intimidated by the home crowd.

Why the Jacks will win: SDSU will have the home crowd behind it as the state of South Dakota comes out to enjoy its first Division I basketball tournament. The Jacks road troubles have been well documented, but they will be just one hour from their Brookings campus where they went 10-3 this season and 7-2 in league play. SDSU also has solid depth with three players averaging in double figures in Garrett Callahan, Clint Sargent and Anthony Cordova, and also have Kai Williams (9.9 per game) and Dale Moss, who filled in nicely for Sargent who missed a few games recently.

Key matchup: ORU’s Marcus Lewis vs. SDSU’s Kai Williams
Season matchup: ORU swept, 85-76 on Dec. 6 and 63-58 on Feb. 26
Prediction: The Jacks played ORU tough on the road last week and will have the home crowd behind it so an upset pick is tempting. But ORU has been here before and while it will likely be a close game, the more experienced team will win out. Winner: Oral Roberts

No. 4 IUPUI vs. No. 5 Southern Utah
Why the Jaguars will win: IUPUI is clearly the more athletic team and will us its athleticism to its advantage. Robert Glenn and Leroy Nobles have really emerged during league play, while freshman sensation Alex Young has been up and down. If all three can get going, along with Gary Patterson, then the Jaguars have a chance to do some damage. IUPUI has struggled with consistency, but also has multiple players capable of taking a game over.

Why the Thunderbirds will win: Southern Utah coach Roger Reid has gotten the most out of his team all season and will have them ready for the tournament. The frontline of Tyler Quinney and John Clifford can matchup with Glenn and Nobles. The real x-factor for the Thunderbirds will be Davis Baker. If Baker can get going then SUU will have a good shot, but if Baker struggles then so will the Thunderbirds. SUU will also make any team pay for silly fouls, the Thunderbirds lead the nation in free-throw percentage.

Key matchup: Southern Utah’s Davis Baker vs. IUPUI’s Leroy Nobles
Season matchup: IUPUI swept, 59-54 on Jan. and 79-65 on Jan. 29
Prediction: IUPUI is a bad matchup for Southern Utah. The Thunderbirds will keep it close, but the Jaguars will advance behind the play of Glenn, Nobles and Patterson.

Summit League all-conference team
1. Ben Woodside, North Dakota State —Woodside was the unquestioned leader for the Bison, which won the Summit League regular-season championship. Woodside led the league in scoring at 22.2 per game and his 23.0 per game overall is currently ninth nationally. His 5.6 assists were second in the league and his 6.3 overall is 11th nationally. He also shot 85.6 percent from the free-throw line and his 237 attempts overall is tied for 10th most in league history. Woodside is NDSU’s all-time leader in points, free throws made and attempted. He is also third in assists, fifth in steals and in second games played.
2. Erik Kangas, Oakland — Kangas was second in the league in scoring at 19.7 per game. He hit a single-season league record 119 3-pointers, which is currently third nationally. Kangas also became the Golden Grizzlies all-time leader in 3-pointers and continues to pad his record. Oakland was 10-1 this season when Kangas scored 20 or more points. He was also third in the league in free-throw percentage (89.3 percent) and averaged 1.2 steals per game.
3. Brett Winkelman, North Dakota State — The senior forward may get overshadowed a bit by Woodside, but he is a huge part of NDSU’s success. He was third in the league in scoring at 19.2 per game and ever more amazing at 6-foot-6 he is third in the league in rebounding (8.2 per game). He was also among the league leaders in free-throw percentage (eighth, 85.3 percent), steals (seventh, 1.5) and field-goal percentage (14th, 49.0 percent).
4. Johnathon Jones, Oakland — Jones led the league in assists (9.2 per game) and is currently leading the nation in assists (7.8 per game). The unselfish Jones also led the league in minutes played (37.7 per game) and assist/turnover ratio (3.0). Jones finished 18th in the league in scoring (12.9) and eighth in steals (1.4). He is also known as a tough defender and was one of eight finalists for the league’s Defensive Player of the Year.
5. Robert Jarivs, Oral Roberts — Jarvis followed up his 2008 first-tem All-Summit League performance with another all-league season. Jarvis was sixth in the league in scoring at 17.2 per game, second in 3-pointers per game (2.6) and ninth in minutes (34.6 per game). He helped lead Oral Roberts to a second-place finish in the league.
6. Marcus Lewis, Oral Roberts — Lewis was rewarded for his hard work in the offseason with a memorable season year, where he established himself as one of the top big men in the league. He was among the league leaders in seven categories, finishing 13th in scoring (13.8), fifth in rebounds (7.4), fourth in field-goal percentage (60.7), 14th in assists (2.3), sixth in blocks (0.8), seventh in offensive rebounds (2.4) and fifth in defensive rebounds (5.0).
7. Robert Glenn, IUPUI — Glenn established himself as a force in his first year in the Summit League after transferring to IUPUI from Wabash Valley J.C. Glenn finished seventh in the league in scoring (17.1 per game), ninth in rebounds (6.1), third in blocks (1.7), ninth in steals (1.4) and sixth in field-goal percentage (59.8 percent). He is a strong contender for Newcomer of the Year and a finalist for Defensive Player of the Year.
8. Davis Baker, Southern Utah — Baker increased his scoring average by over 11 points per game this season. He averaged 6.7 per game last season and improved to 18.5 this season (fifth in the league). He finished fifth in the league in free-throw percentage (87.9 percent), sixth in 3-point percentage (44.9 percent), ninth in 3-pointers (1.7) and fifth in minutes (35.5)
9. Keith Benson, Oakland — Might have short-changed the sophomore center a bit by voting him ninth as he established himself as a force in the paint all season and would be a strong candidate for most improved player if the league had an award. He led the league in blocks (3.2) and offensive rebounds (3.0). He was eighth in scoring (16.6), second in rebounding (8.3), third in field-goal percentage (66.3 percent) and fourth in defensive rebounds (5.3). He is currently sixth in the nation in field goal percentage (62.6 percent, minimum five field goals made per game).
10. David Carson, IPFW — Carson was the Mastodons go-to player all season and helped them win five of their last seven. He is a threat both inside and out on offense and can guard multiple positions. He finished the season ninth in the league in scoring (16.1), 11th in rebounds (5.9) and 10th in free-throw percentage (81.4 percent).
11. David DuBois, Western Illinois — DuBois did it all for the Leathernecks despite most teams game-planning to stop him. He was fourth in the league in scoring (18.6), 12th in rebounds (5.7), ninth in field-goal percentage (50.8 percent), 10th in blocks (0.7) and second in minutes (36.6).

NOTE: Voting is based on conference games only so those are the stats used in this article. 1-6 is my first team and 7-11 the second team.

Newcomer of the Year
1. Robert Glenn, IUPUI
2. Kevin Ford, Oral Roberts
3. Delivez Yearby, IPFW
4. Gary Redus, Centenary
5. Ceola Clark, Western Illinois

Defensive Player of the Year
1. Mike Nelson, North Dakota State
2. Johnathon Jones, Oakland
3. Kelvin Sango, Oral Roberts

Sixth Man of the Year
1. Delivez Yearby, IPFW
2. Ceola Clark, Western Illinois
3. Dan Waterstradt, Oakland

Coach of the Year
1. Saul Phillips, North Dakota State
2. Greg Kampe, Oakland
3. Scott Sutton, Oral Roberts

1. North Dakota State (23-6, 16-2 Summit) — The Bison earned their first outright conference title since 1981 by going into the Mabee Center and beating Oral Roberts, which was looking for a share of its fifth straight title. Senior Ben Woodside hit 7 of 8 free throws in the final 34.9 seconds to lift NDSU to the win and cement his spot as the Summit League Player of the Year. Woodside had 29 points in the win, while Brett Winkelman had 21 and Michael Tveidt had 17. The rest of the team combined for eight points. Depth looks to be NDSU’s only weakness heading into the tournament.
2. Oral Roberts (16-14, 14-4) — The Golden Eagles played likely their best game in the month of February in their loss at home to North Dakota State. Oral Roberts had a shot at its fifth-straight regular-season league title, but now must focus on trying to win its fourth-straight tournament title. The Golden Eagles had the advantage of the tournament being in Tulsa the last four years, but now must face South Dakota State in Sioux Falls, S.D. in the first round. The loss at home to NDSU snapped ORU’s streak of 35 straight wins at home in league play.
3. Oakland (20-11, 13-5) — The Golden Grizzlies are likely the hottest team entering the league tournament after winning their last seven. Oakland has won by an average of 13.4 points during its seven-game win streak and have averaged 82.3 points per game. Senior Erik Kangas hit five 3-pointers in the Grizzlies win over UMKC, which give him 119 on the year and breaks former UMKC great Michael Watson’s single-season league record of 118 3-pointers. Kangas’ 4.0 3-pointers per game is the third most in the nation and his 42.3 3-point percentage is 21st in the nation.
4. IUPUI (16-13, 9-9) — The Jaguars ended Western Illinois season with a 71-66 win in Macomb, Ill. The Leathernecks knew they needed to beat IUPUI to get in, but couldn’t get past the Jags. IUPUI had four players in double figures in the win lead by 17 from Alex Young, but had just seven bench points. The starting five of Young, Robert Glenn, Gary Patterson, Leroy Nobles and Jon Avery is likely the Jaguars best unit and expect those five to start in Sioux Falls.
5. IPFW (13-16, 8-10) — The Mastodons enter the tournament on a three-game winning streak and have won five of their last seven after starting off league play 3-8. Senior David Carson and junior Delivez Yearby have been huge during the three game winning streak. Carson has averaged 17.3 points, 6.7 rebounds and 1.0 steals per game, while Yearby averaged 10 points, 7.7 rebounds and 2.7 blocks. The Mastodons will face Oakland, which swept them during the regular season.
6. Southern Utah (10-19, 8-10) — The Thunderbirds dropped a pair of road games last week, but still managed to get the five seed. In the first round, SUU will face IUPUI, one of only two teams to sweep SUU this season. The Thunderbirds averaged just 57 points a game in the two losses last week, while giving up 73.5. Davis Baker averaged 13.5 points a game, but no other player averaged in double figures.
7. South Dakota State (12-19, 7-11) — The Jacks road losing streak continued with a pair of losses at Oral Roberts and Centenary last week, which dropped them to the seven seed. But SDSU enters the tournament as a dangerous team. The Jacks nearly upset ORU before falling in the final minutes and will be just an hour from campus for the rematch in the first round of the tournament. Second leading scorer Clint Sargent returned from an ankle injury to score 20 points in 26 minutes in the loss at Centenary.
8. Centenary (6-12, 8-22) — The Gents are now playing with house money after sneaking into the conference tournament with a win over South Dakota State. Centenary lost eight straight prior to the win over the Jacks. Senior Nick Stallings scored 22 points in the win over SDSU and the Gents clearly need Stallings' scoring to win games. Stallings averaged just 9.1 points per game during Centenary’s eight-game losing streak after scoring 16.2 per game when the Gents started conference play 5-4. Centenary is 3-0 in league play when Stallings scores 20 or more.
9. Western Illinois (9-20, 6-12) — The Leathernecks had three straight home games to end the season and needed to win just one to get in the conference tournament, but failed to do so. It’s a shame senior David DuBois career had to end like that. DuBois played hurt for most of the season and was a great competitor. WIU will also lose second-leading scorer Josh Rivers so head coach Jim Molinari will have a lot of work to do, but he has the long-term contract to get it done.
10. UMKC (7-24, 3-15) — The Kangaroos showed a lot of heart in its loss at Oakland by not giving up when they were down 20 early and making it an interesting game. UMKC could be a dangerous team next season depending on how hard the core of underclassmen work in the offseason. The Roos only lose senior Dane Brumagin, who showed a lot of toughness playing hurt the last few weeks. Playing on one foot, Brumagin scored 14 points against Oakland when most guys might have just quit on the team.

I'll be heading to Sioux Falls on Friday to cover the league tournament and will likely be live blogging from all the Oakland games. I plan on doing several things leading up to start of the tournament, including final Summit League power rankings, my Summit League all-conference ballot, a tournament edition of Grizz Talk and previews for all the men's games so be sure to check in. It's shaping up to be a fun tournament and I expect some big crowds in Sioux Falls.

Here are a couple links from this weekend
Oakland men-UMKC game story.
Oakland women-UMKC game story.
Feature on OU's Ricky Bieszki making his first career start