Benson sets blocks record as Oakland cruises past IPFW
FORT WAYNE, Ind.– Junior Reggie Hamilton scored a career-high 31 points and senior Keith Benson tallied 10 and blocked a game-high four shots, tying The Summit League all-time record with 317, to lead Oakland Universityto its 15th straight league win in an 86-68 rout over IPFW on Saturday at Allen County War Memorial Coliseum.
“It was only the second time this season we trailed in a league game in the second half and we showed we could handle adversity,” said OU coach Greg Kampe. “We were in foul trouble, but (Ryan) Bass was unbelievable. We have a deep team, a good team and we just keep playing.”
The Golden Grizzlies (12-8, 7-0) have won 18 straight games over league opponents, including last year’s tournament, and 32 consecutive league games when leading at halftime. The Golden Grizzlies outrebounded the Mastodons, 33-29, and have not lost the battle of the boards in any of their seven games.
Also in double figures for OU was freshman Ryan Bass with a career-high 11, and sophomore Drew Valentine added 11 points. Benson led Oakland on the glass with eight boards, while Hamilton made a career-best 11 free throws on 11 attempts.
Frank Gaines led the Mastodons (11-6, 5-2) with a double-double 17 points and 11 rebounds. Ben Botts tallied 12 points and Jeremy Mixon added 10.
Oakland led by as many as 13 points in the first half with just over eight minutes left until halftime, but the Mastodons outscored the Golden Grizzlies 18-8 to only trail by three, 35-32 at the break. Hamilton scored 13 points in the half on 5 of 10 shooting.
The Mastodons took their first lead of the game at 44-42 with 16:29 remaining in the game, but Hamilton responded for the Golden Grizzlies with an old fashion three-point play at the other end to give OU a 43-42 lead. Two lead changes would occur before OU used a 13-0 run over three minutes to extend the lead to 60-47.
Oakland pushed its lead all the way to 26 points and cruised to its seventh straight win over IPFW and fifth straight win on the season.
The Golden Grizzlies will remain on the road with games at South Dakota State (Jan. 20) and North Dakota State (Jan. 22) next Thursday and Saturday.
Category: Oakland University
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