Elmhurst, Ill. (Oct. 18, 2006) ???C In the annual preseason poll of the Mid-Continent Conference???s men???s basketball coaches, SIDs and selected media, Oakland???s men???s basketball team was chosen to finish fifth in the eight-team league. The Golden Grizzlies received 135 points in the poll, trailing fourth-place Valparaiso by 21 points. Oral Roberts was the choice to repeat as Mid-Con champs, getting first-place nods on 19 of the 23 ballots. Senior Vova Severovas (Vilnius, Lithuania) was a preseason first team all-conference selection in the voting. Oakland will have one of the most experience teams in the Mid-Con this year, as head coach Greg Kampe starts his 23rd season with four starters and all but two letterwinners back from last season???s team. Heading the list of returning players is Severovas who averaged 14.9 points and 6.7 rebounds last season, OU???s top returning player in both categories. An honorable mention All-Mid-Con pick after last season, he led the league and was 16th in the nation in field goal percentage with a mark of .594. Joining Severovas as returning starters are seniors Shawn Hopes (Detroit, Mich.) and Rick Billings (Detroit, Mich.) and sophomore Derick Nelson (Lansing, Mich.). Billings averaged in double figures in scoring from his guard slot with an 11.4 average, while Hopes was among the league leaders in rebounding and blocked shots from his center position. Nelson was also among the league???s top rebounders, leading all freshmen last season with his 5.7 average. Now juniors, Brandon Cassise (Walled Lake, Mich.), David Carson (Gary, Ind.) and Patrick McCloskey (Marshall, Mich.) all played major roles last season and will be back for the 2006-07 campaign. Cassise is the top returning player in terms of three-point shots made, while Carson had the squad???s best three-point shooting percentage a year ago. McCloskey finished his sophomore year as one of the Mid-Con???s top rebounders. Oakland will play a pair of exhibition games on Nov. 1 and 6 before opening the season with a Friday, Nov. 10 contest against Defiance College at 7:00 p.m. in the Athletics Center O???Rena.

2006-07 Mid-Con Preseason Men???s Basketball Poll1. Oral Roberts (19) 2602. IUPUI (2)         2303. UMKC (2)          2004. Valparaiso        1565. Oakland           1356. Western Illinois  1087. Southern Utah      818. Centenary          42