Jan. 8, 2011
Box Score | Notes | Photo Gallery 
| 
Postgame Press Conference | Game Highlights
Oakland University 79, Western Illinois 50
ROCHESTER, Mich.
|
|
|
 |
| 1st | 2nd | Final | WIU
| 18 | 32
| 50
| Oakland
| 42
| 37
| 79
|
| |
Stats at a Glance
| WIU
| OAKL
| • Field Goal Pct.
| 36.8% | 48.0%
| • Three-Point Pct.
| 27.3% | 39.1%
| • Free Throw Pct.
| 35.7% | 78.6% | • Rebounds
| 32 | 41 | • Turnovers
| 13
| 11
| | • Steals | 7
| 9
| • Blocks
| 4 | 5 |
|
|
ROCHESTER, Mich. - Sophomore Drew Valentine led a charge of three players with double-doubles, finishing with a career-high 17 points and 14 rebounds, while junior Reggie Hamilton dished out a career-high 10 assists to go with 10 points and senior Keith Benson tallied 13 points and 13 boards to lead Oakland University (11-8, 6-0) to its 14th straight league win in a 79-50 rout of Western Illinois University (6-9, 1-4) in Summit League men's basketball action at the Athletics Center O'rena on Saturday in front of 3,805 fans.
"I'm really pleased with the game, especially after Thursday night's game and the way we shot the ball," said OU coach Greg Kampe. "We could have had a letdown tonight after that, but we didn't and that says a lot about the leaders of this team. Championship caliber teams come to play every night, and that is what we did."
It is the first time in program history the Golden Grizzlies had three players attain double-doubles in a single game. Oakland has now won 17 straight games against league opponents, including the 2010 Summit League Tournament. The Golden Grizzlies had 20 assists on 24 baskets in the game.
Senior Will Hudson led a charge of five players in double figures with 18 points, grabbing seven rebounds. Freshman Travis Bader reached double figures for the seventh consecutive game with 15 on 5 of 8 shooting from beyond the arc.
Oakland also won the battle of the boards, 41-32, and have outrebounded all six of its Summit League opponents this season. OU held the Leathernecks to 37 percent (21-for-57) from the floor while shooting 48 percent (24-for-50) for the game.
There were four lead changes and two ties over the first three minutes until the Golden Grizzlies used a 12-4 run to take the final lead of the game and held the Leathernecks to just six points in the final 9:30 of the first half to take a commanding 42-18 lead at intermission.
The Golden Grizzlies would extend that lead all the way to 35 points with under four minutes remaining and cruised to their 24th straight league win at home. OU has also won 31 straight league games when leading at halftime.
OU will have a week off before traveling to Fort Wayne, Ind. for a first-place showdown with IPFW (10-5, 5-1). The game will air on OU's flagship station WDFN-AM (1130) with Mario Impemba (play-by-play) and Neal Ruhl (color).
-OAKLAND-
