Centenary has notified the Summit League it will leave the conference in 2011. The school avoids any penalties by giving a two-year notice. South Dakota is set to join the league in 2011, so it appears the league will stay at 10 teams

Losing Centenary is not a big loss for the Summit League. Remaining league members won’t miss the cost of traveling to Centenary’s Shreveport, La. campus. The Gents and Ladies have struggled in men’s and women’s basketball and most other league-sponsored sports. Centenary is also one of the smallest schools at the Division I level with less than a 1,000 students.

"The main reasons were financial and to find a conference more geographically appropriate," Centenary interim president Michael Easton told the Shreveport Times.

The Gents men’s basketball team is ineligible for postseason play next season because of poor Academic Progress Rate scores.

Oakland junior Keith Benson tested his skills against some of the top big men in the country as part of the Amare Stoudemire Skills Academy last week in Phoenix. Benson was one of 14 players invited to the prestigious camp, which featured instruction from NBA coaches and scouts.

“It meant a lot to be selected as one of the top big men around,” Benson said. “There were a lot of major schools there and it was just an honor. ... I didn’t really know a lot about it, but I was excited to get an opportuntiy to go there.”

Benson said he learned over 30 post moves at the camp and different ways to defend each one, as well as things NBA scouts look for when evaluating players. Stoudemire also stopped by to give the participants some pointers.

“It was good to see where I was against other people,” Benson said. “It was different not being the tallest one around and to matchup against them. I think I did well.”

Benson’s roomate was Kansas’ Cole Aldrich, who is projected to be a top five NBA draft pick next season.

The camp also featured Georgetown’s Greg Monroe, Virginia Commonwealth’s Larry Sanders and Tulsa’s Jerome Jordan — who are all projected to NBA draft picks next year by nbadraft.net — and Wake Forest’s Tony Woods, Purdue’s JaJuan Johnson and Cincinnati’s Yancy Gates, who are projected to be NBA draft picks in 2011 by nbadraft.net.

Rounding out the camp was Jeff Allen (Virginia Tech), Denis Clemente (Kansas State), Dwayne Collins (Miami), Jeremy Lin (Harvard), Jerome Randle (California) and Calvin Stoudemire (LeMoyne-Owen College).

Oakland center Keith Benson was invited and is currently participating in the Amare Stoudemire Skilsl Academy, which is for the top big men in the country. Only 14 players in the country are invited so it's quite an honor for Benson to be invited. The other players participating can be viewed here.  I'll have more on this later in the week.

Oakland added to its recruiting class this week with what head coach Greg Kampe called the highest-rated recruit Oakland has ever signed in Ledrick Eackles of Zachary, La.

Eackles choose Oakland over Nebraska, UAB, Southern Miss and even Memphis recently showed interest in Eackles.

“We went outside of our comfort zone in recruiting,” Kampe said. “We went out of our area in who we recruit, which is a major step for us, forget that we got a really good player, we went and recruited a kid from Louisiana that had offers from BCS schools and Conference USA teams, and we got him. That’s a major step forward in who we can recruit. ... We recruited him hard. Darren Sorenson did a tremendous job. I flew to Boston to see him play, that’s something I usually don’t do.”

Eackles said the coaching staff and Oakland’s dribble-drive offense helped him decide Oakland was the right fit for him.

“I really like the coaching staff,” Eackles said. “I liked what they were looking for and I think I fit that description that perfectly. ... It’s a different style of basketball than I normally play. We press a lot in Louisiana. When I came up north, it was a different style. I like the offense Oakland runs, the dribble-drive. It’s a good offense for me because I can get to the basket.”

Eackles played last season for Hargrave Military Academy in Chatham, Va. Eackles averaged 12 points a game for Hargrave, helping lead them to a national runner-up finish in the preparatory school national championships, tallying 20 points in the title game and was named to the All-Tournament second team. Hargrave’s entire roster has committed to play Division I college basketball. Playing with so many Division I players has helped Eackles become a better player.

“Playing against the top kids in practice and learning different moves, it teaches you to play defense against different types of players, different talents and moves. And how to read players and study their moves,” Eackles said.

Kampe likes Eackles commitment to defense and his athleticism.

“He’s a tremendous athlete at 6-foot-1,” Kampe said. “His biggest strength is he has the potential to be a lock-down defender. His dad (Ledell Eackles) played in the NBA so he has the pedigree. He’s a shooter too.”

Eackles visited Oakland in late October and said he liked the campus and the players, who showed him around. But there is one thing he will have to get used to, “The only difference is the temperature,” Eackles said. It’s going to be a different atmosphere for me in the winter time.”

Eackles likely completes Oakland’s recruiting class. Kampe said the team has one scholarship left, but they don’t have any offers out for the 2009-10 class.

Oakland added a familiar face to its recruiting class with the addition of guard Reggie Hamilton, who is transferring in from Summit League rival UMKC (University of Missouri-Kansas City). Hamilton plans to start summer classes next week at Oakland.

“I am pretty familiar with the program,” Hamilton said. “I like their style of play and coach (Greg) Kampe is a well-respected coach. The program has had a lot of success, and I think the coaching staff and the people they bring in are a big part of that. That’s why I had a lot of interest in the program.”

Hamilton left the UMKC program in late-January after meeting with the coaching staff and agreeing it wasn’t a good fit.

“Mostly the style of play, really didn’t fit me,” Hamilton said. “Me and the coaches agreed that it wasn’t a perfect fit for my style of play.”

Hamilton averaged 12.6 points and 3.6 assists per game in 21 games last season and 11.7 points, 3.3 assists and 3.2 rebounds as a freshman at UMKC.

After being granted his release from UMKC, Hamilton said he talked to the Oakland coaching staff and Oakland point guard Johnathon Jones.

“I talked to couple players,” Hamilton said. “I have a lot of respect for Johnathon Jones. He’s one of the best guards in the conference. To practice with him for one year will be great for me. I talked to him during the season (while at UMKC). I thought that was a big rival for me. We always had good games against each other. It will be great for me to learn from one of the better point guards in the league.”

Hamilton will have to sit out the 2009-10 season, but will have two years of eligibility after that. Hamilton said he gets asked a lot of what it will be like to go against his former team, but he’s not really worried about it.

“I have no hard feelings towards the UMKC program,” Hamilton said. “I’m still cool with the players. There will be no emotions going into that when I’m able to play again.”

Several other schools were interested in signing Hamilton, including Wichita State, Missouri State, Northern Iowa and Baylor.

Hamilton is originally from Chicago and attended Thornwood High School, the same high school as current New York Knicks center Eddy Curry.

Oakland senior Erik Kangas broke nearly every school record for 3-pointers this season. Now he is set to test his 3-point shooting prowess against the rest of the nation’s top shooters in the 21st annual ESPN College Slam Dunk and Three-Point Championships Thursday at 7:30 at The Palace of Auburn Hills.

Kangas is looking forward to the event and said he was honored to be one of the eight players chosen to compete in the 3-point championship.

“I think it’s a good story for the rest of my life that I was one of the few people chosen to be in one of these skills competitions,” Kangas said. “It’s pretty cool that I got in it because I’m at a small school, where you don’t get a lot of national press. It’s good to get my name out there and get Oakland’s name out there too.”

Kangas said he has practiced a few times to prepare for the event, but he is trying to stay loose and have fun with the event.

“I did some trial runs, just picking them off the rack and seeing what side of the rack I’m more comfortable with. Besides that I’ve just been shooting on my own, making sure I don’t get all-washed up,” Kangas said with a laugh.

“I found out that I like picking them up from the right side of the rack better. Also you shouldn’t watch your shoot go in the hoop, you just have to shoot it and pick up the next ball. You can’t waste all that time. … I’m going to do a set-shot too, I’m not going to do a jump shot so I can go quicker. I’m not going to rush my shot, but after I shoot it, I’m going to go get the next ball.”

With the 3-point shootout taking place a short drive from Oakland’s campus, Kangas expects a strong cheering section at The Palace.

“Everyone that I talk to on a regular basis said they are going,” Kangas said. “Student tickets are only five dollars so I’m expecting a big section.”

Kangas will have some stiff competition with Creighton’s Booker Woodfox, Miami’s Jack McClinton, Missouri’s Matt Lawrence, Northwestern’s Craig Moore, West Virginia’s Alex Ruoff, Rhode Island’s Jimmy Baron and perhaps the wildcard of the group Grinnell College’s John Grotberg taking part. Grotberg, an Ann Arbor native, hit 526 career 3-pointers for Division III Grinnell College, the highest total in college basketball history at any level. He is the first Division III player to earn an invitation to the event in its 21-year history.

Kangas said he doesn’t know any of the other competitors, but is looking forward to meeting them and he is also looking forward to the dunk contest.

“The dunk contest is one of those things that everybody likes to watch,” Kangas said. “I think it’s going to be even cooler to watch it in person.”

The dunk contest will feature Gonzaga’s Jeremy Pargo and Micah Downs, Marquette’s Wesley Matthews, Charlotte’s Charlie Coley III, New Mexico’s Tony Danridge, Central Florida’s Jermaine Taylor, Toledo’s Tyrone Kent and Wisconsin-Green Bay’s Terry Evans.

The women’s 3-point championship will feature Arizona State’s Briann January, Maryland’s Kristi Toliver, Iowa’s Kristi Smith, Georgetown’s Karee Houlette, Central Michigan’s Angel Chan, Iowa State’s Heather Ezell, Duke’s Abby Waner and Furman’s Melissa Liebschwager.

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.