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That close: Michigan State withstands Oakland’s upset bid

| December 12, 2010 | Comments (0)

UP FOR TWO: Oakland University's Keith Benson drives past Michigan State's Derrick Nix during Saturday's non-conference game at The Palace of Auburn Hills. Staff Photo | Larry McKee, www.lmckeephotography.com

BY DAN STICKRADT

SENIOR EDITOR

dan.stickradt@northoaklandsports.com

AUBURN HILLS — As surprising as its sounds, Michigan State is a team searching for an identity. So is Oakland University, but in a different way.

The eighth-ranked Spartans are looking to keep their footing as a top-10 team, while the Golden Grizzlies are searching for a marquee win over major-conference opponent.

The two clashed with different goals in mind Saturday at The Palace of Auburn Hills.

Coming off back-to-back Final Four runs, the Spartans have already lost to a trio of top-tier teams this season and Michigan State had to withstand a multitude of punches by Oakland before holding off the Grizzlies, 77-76, in front of some 17,000 spectators.

“My opening statement will sound a little strange for a team that is somewhere in the top 50,” said Michigan State coach Tom Izzo. “I thought we played awfully well. I really do. I give a lot of credit to Oakland.

“We did everything we wanted to do. We wanted 60 shots, we got 62. We wanted to shoot better at the line, we shot 75 (percent). We wanted to get 15-20 threes up and we got 15 (attempts). We wanted to out-rebound them, we out-rebounded them by two (39-37),” continued Izzo. “I know that doesn’t sound like much, but this is one of the best rebounding teams I’ve watched against (teams like West Virginia, Purdue and Illinois).”

Michigan State (7-3) was coming off a loss to Syracuse but did not underestimate the Grizzlies.

“We knew we got them at the wrong time,” said Oakland coach Greg Kampe. “But we also knew, if we handled it, we could get the win.”

While many ranked teams play each other early in the season on neutral sites, Michigan State is the only team in the Associated Press poll that has played a road game against a ranked team this season. The Spartans have also played in the Maui Invitational, Duke and Syracuse, showcasing another brutal schedule.

Oakland, an NCAA tournament team last season, has not played a bunch of slouches, going up against Illinois, Purdue and West Virginia, all respectable losses, in the first month of the season. Tennessee, Ohio State and Michigan are still on the docket for the Golden Grizzlies.

Oakland (5-5) was not intimidated, holding multiple leads in the first half before falling behind 39-35 at the half.

Michigan State led by as many nine points (51-42) with 16:04 left in the second half on a jumper from Draymond Green. That was the biggest lead of the game for the Spartans, who could never fully send the Grizzlies to bay until the final buzzer.

MSU pushed the lead to 76-70 with 11 seconds left on a pair of free throws by Korie Lucious.

Oakland junior Reggie Hamilton responded with a 3-pointer to cut the game to 76-73 with just six seconds left.

Kalin Lucas split a pair from the charity strip with four seconds left to make it a four-point cushion.

Hamilton made one last three with one second remaining, but time ran out on Oakland’s upset bid.

“We just have to keep working hard,” admitted Oakland’s Keith Benson. “If we keep doing that, then we’ll beat one of these teams.”

Benson, Oakland’s 6-foot-11 redshirt senior center, finished with17 points, 12 rebounds and three blocked shots. Senior guard Larry Wright scored 21 points, sophomore Drew Valentine had 11 points and both senior Will Hudson and Hamilton scored 10 apiece for the Grizzlies.

Lucas scored a game-high 25 points with five assists and two steals, leading four Spartans in doubles figures. Freshman Keith Appling, making his first start, and Durrell Summers both scored 10 points and Green had 11 points, five assists and five rebounds.

It seemed that Lucas and the Spartans, who had 13 team steals against none for Oakland, always had an answer for every Oakland run in the second half. That had Kampe wondering about his team’s 11-of-20 foul shooting in a one-point loss.

“We’re a good free throw shooting team,” admitted Kampe. “I told those guys, until they believe that they can beat anybody in the country, if you don’t miss free throws like that.

“(We were like) if we miss those we’re in trouble. If Kalin Lucas is at the line, he’s thinking ‘I’m going to make this and then we’re going to get a stop.’ That’s our only difference right now. If you don’t believe me, call (Illinois coach) Bruce Weber and call (Purdue coach) Matt Painter,” continued Kampe. “We’re that close. It’s really disappointing that we couldn’t get this win.

“Hopefully we’ll learn from it and understand how close we are. Come March we’ll be okay.”

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Category: Editor's Column, Oakland University, Prep Wraps

About Dan Stickradt: DAN STICKRADT | SENIOR EDITOR dan.stickradt@northoaklandsports.com View author profile.

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