Oct. 15, 2009
2008-09 Stats 
ROCHESTER, Mich. - The Oakland University men's basketball team will begin team practice this Friday, Oct. 16, inside the Athletics Center O'Rena. The Golden Grizzlies will be on display for Midnight Madnezz as well, with festivities beginning at 8:30 p.m. with the block party across the street and doors opening for the O'Rena at 9:45 p.m.
Coach Greg Kampe enters his 26th season at the helm and may have his most talented team. He guided last year's squad to 23 wins, an appearance in the inaugural CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament and a runner-up finish at The Summit League Championship, falling to North Dakota State by two in the closing seconds. It was the first time in 10 years of Division I competition Oakland has reached the 20-win plateau and hosted a postseason game.
This season OU has been picked to win The Summit League by many preseason publications, including ESPN.com, Sporting News magazine, Lindy's magazine, Athlon Sports magazine and Blue Ribbon College Basketball Yearbook. Junior Keith Benson (6-11, 221) has been the consensus pick by these preseason magazines as the league's top player after scoring 14.3 points per game, 7.8 rebounds per game and 10 double-doubles.
Seniors Johnathon Jones and Derick Nelson return for the Golden Grizzlies. Jones, a 5-11 point guard from Okemos, Mich., led the nation with 8.1 assists per game, setting a new league record with 290. Nelson, a 6-5 power forward from Lansing, Mich., missed all but two games last season with an injury after leading the team in 2007-08 with 17.3 ppg and 7.4 rpg. Jones was named to the All-Summit League first team last year, while Nelson was a first team selection in '07-08.
Junior Will Hudson (6-9, 233) also returns to the starting lineup for Oakland. Hudson, a forward from Madison, Wis., averaged 7.4 ppg and 4.6 rpg. He also broke the single-season school record in field goal percentage (.682) last year.
Sophomores Drew Maynard (6-7, 231) and Blake Cushingberry (6-3, 243) are also back for OU. Maynard, a guard from Lake Orion, Mich., averaged 7.1 ppg after making 20 starts for the Golden Grizzlies. Cushingberry, a guard from Romeo, Mich., made 14 starts in 36 games played and scored 6.3 ppg.
Other returning letterwinners for the Golden Grizzlies will be junior John Kast (6-2, 181) and sophomore Ilija Milutinovic (7-0, 247). St. John's junior transfer Larry Wright (6-2, 162) is now eligible after sitting out last season due to the NCAA transfer rule and has been selected as the league's top newcomer by Sporting News magazine after averaging close to 10 ppg for the Red Storm.
Talented freshmen Travis Bader (6-3, 164), Ledrick Eackles (6-1, 184), Jay Thames (6-8, 202) and Drew Valentine (6-4, 212) will also provide tremendous depth to this talented squad.
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