CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament

Oakland Rallies Past Kent State, 80-74, in CollegeInsider.com Tournament

March 17, 2009

Box Score

The Golden Grizzlies win 14th straight at home.

ROCHESTER, Mich. - Senior Erik Kangas scored 18 of his game-high 23 points in the second half, sophomore Keith Benson scored 16 points and senior Dan Waterstradt tallied his second double-double of the season with 11 points and 11 rebounds to rally Oakland University (23-12) from a 13-point first half deficit and 80-74 win over Kent State (19-15) in the opening round of the CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament on Tuesday night inside the Athletics Center O'Rena.

"We just beat the standard of the MAC," said OU coach Greg Kampe. "Kent State has won 20 games for 10 years in a row and I think only five or six teams have done that. Tonight was their chance to make it 11 in a row. They've been to the Elite Eight and they've been to numerous Final Fours. They've had coaches move on, one to Rutgers, one to Arkansas and one to TCU. So, don't minimize the importance of this game to Oakland University. This was not a bottom-feeder in the MAC."

Junior Johnathon Jones broke the Summit League single-season assists record with 12 tonight, pushing his NCAA leading season total to 278, surpassing UIC's Craig Lathen's 1983-84 old record of 274. Freshman Blake Cushingberry added nine points off the bench.

The win makes 14 straight at home for the Golden Grizzlies and snaps KSU's 10 consecutive seasons with at least 20 wins. It was also the first time that OU had won on Tuesday (1-3) this year the 13-point come-from-behind victory was the largest of the season for the Grizzlies.

OU outscored the Golden Flashes 24-13 from the free throw line and shot 50 percent (13-26) in the second half, compared to 39 percent (10-26) in the opening 20 minutes.

With Oakland up by two, 24-22, with 4:36 remaining in the first half, KSU outscored the Golden Grizzlies 18-4 over the final four minutes to take a 13-point lead, 40-27 lead at the break.

The Grizzlies responded with a 22-7 run in the second half to retake the lead, 49-47, with 12:05 remaining in the game. The Golden Flashes connected on a 3-pointer to take their final lead, but OU ran off a 7-0 run and went on to win by six.

KSU had five players in double figures. Leading the way was senior Al Fisher with 13 points, followed by junior Tyree Evans, junior Anthony Simpson and senior Julian Sullinger each with 12. Junior Chris Singletary added 10 points for the Golden Flashes.

The Golden Grizzlies will await the reseeding before they find out who they play on Monday night.