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| Derick Nelson helps put OU's men out in front of Western Illinois University during the Summit League Tournament. |
While Oakland University’s men’s basketball team’s season ended in the semi-finals of the Summit League Tournament, members of the team earned several league honors and also set new records.
Oakland University's Derick Nelson was named to the 2008 Men's Basketball Summit League Championship All-Tournament Team. Nelson, a junior from Lansing, led the Golden Grizzlies in the conference tournament, averaging 19.0 points and 10.5 rebounds per game. He tallied his fifth double-double of the season against the Jaguars of IUPUI in the semifinals, scoring 21 points and grabbing 12 rebounds in 39 minutes of action.
Against Western Illinois in the quarterfinals, Nelson went for 19 points and grabbed nine boards in an 80-66 win over the Leathernecks.
Nelson and sophomore Johnathon Jones were named to the all-Summit League teams. Nelson earned first team honors, while Jones was awarded second team.
Nelson led the Golden Grizzlies in scoring with 17.1 points per game, fifth in the league. He also led OU in rebounding with 7.2 per game, third in the league, and steals with 1.8 per game, fourth in the league. He tallied four double-doubles on the regular season, and surpassed the 1,000-career point plateau on Feb. 16.
Jones, a point guard from Okemos, led the Summit League in assists per game with 6.1, 17th in the NCAA. He finished second in the league in assist/turnover margin (1.78) and free throw percentage (.863/31st in the NCAA).
The season saw several Golden Grizzlies reach significant single season and career milestones.
Among the most notable accomplishments, senior Patrick McCloskey became Oakland's all-time leader in career games played with 125. McCloskey surpassed Shawn Hopes' mark of 118.
Nelson set the all-time single season record for most offensive rebounds, capturing 102. Additionally, Nelson became the seventh player to reach the 1,000-point plateau during the Division I era of Oakland University men's basketball, tallying 1,106. Carvin Melson (1970-73) is the all-time points leader in the history of Oakland with 2,408 career points.
Erik Kangas moved into fifth place all-time for career three-point field goals with 213, while Brandon Cassise secured eighth place with 161.
Jones set the fifth place mark for single season assists with 186, moving him into seventh place for career assists with 305. Jones is currently on pace to set the second place mark for career assists average with 4.77 assists per game.
Red-shirt freshman Keith Benson recorded 40 blocks on the season, only one block shy of matching the all-time mark of 41, held by both Rawle Marshall (2003) and Dennis Kann (1993). Shane Lawal also moved into fifth place for single season blocks with 34.
For more information on OU’s men’s basketball team, visit the OU Athletics Web site.
While Oakland University’s men’s basketball team’s season ended in the semi-finals of the Summit League Tournament, members of the team earned several league honors and also set new records. Among the honors, Oakland University's Derick Nelson was named to the 2008 Men's Basketball Summit League Championship All-Tournament Team and Nelson and sophomore Johnathon Jones were named to the all-Summit League teams. Among the most notable accomplishments, senior Patrick McCloskey became Oakland's all-time leader in career games played with 125. McCloskey surpassed Shawn Hopes' mark of 118.