Dec. 20, 2008

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AUBURN HILLS, Mich. -- Despite a double-double from sophomore Keith Benson with a career-high 23 points and 11 rebounds, Oakland University (7-6) fell to in-state foe Michigan (8-2), 89-76, on Saturday at The Palace of Auburn Hills. The Wolverines made 10 3-pointers in the first half and their bench outscored the Golden Grizzlies 35-7.

"We ran into a Michigan team that made shots tonight," said OU coach Greg Kampe. "The first five minutes of that game was unbelievable, on both sides. They kept it up and we didn't."

Joining Benson in double figures for the Golden Grizzlies was senior Erik Kangas and junior Johnathon Jones. Kangas scored 15 points, going 4-for-12 from behind the arc, while Jones finished with 13 points and nine assists. Senior Dan Waterstradt came close to a double-double with nine points and nine rebounds.

The game began with a fury of 3-pointers by both teams as the first five minutes of the game witnessed 26 combined points with U-M on top 14-12. OU would take its only lead of the game at the 14:28 minute mark of the first half on a Jones 3-pointer, 15-14, but the Wolverines rattled off an 18-0 run over a seven-minute span to take control of the game, 32-15 (7:42).

The Wolverines kept a double-digit lead through the first nine minutes until Kangas drilled a pair of 3-pointers and Benson tallied an old fashioned three-point play as OU was within nine points, 60-51, with 11:20 left in the game. The Golden Grizzlies traded baskets with Michigan until Kangas made another 3-pointer and Jones drove it to the basket for a pair of layups as Oakland was within four, 67-63 (7:01).

Four is as close as the Grizzlies would get as U-M went 6-for-6 from the free throw line down the stretch and drained two 3-pointers to extend the lead back to double digits and hold off a late rally by the Golden Grizzlies.

"Like I said, I like my team, and I like everything about it," said Kampe. "We ran into a team tonight that made a lot of deep shots."

Four Wolverines were in double figures, led by junior DeShawn Sims' 20 points and nine rebounds. Sophomore Manny Harris added 15 points and 13 assists for a double-double, freshman Luval Lucas-Perry scored 14 points in his first game for the Maize and Blue, and freshman Stu Douglass scored 12 points.

Oakland will take on Eastern Michigan (2-7) on Monday night in Ypsilanti. Tip is slated for 7 p.m. and can be heard on OU's flagship station WDTW (1310 AM) with Mario Impemba and Tom Negoshian.

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