Greg Kampe Wins 400th Game

From ougrizzlies.com

Redshirt sophomore Keith Benson scored a career-high 21 points, grabbed eight rebounds and blocked four shots, and senior Erik Kangas finished with a season-high 19 points, to lead Oakland University (4-5, 1-1 Summit) past UMKC (3-6, 0-1 Summit), 84-78, in men's basketball action on Thursday night in Municipal Auditorium. The win gives head coach Greg Kampe his 400th of his career.

"This is an unbelievable win for us," said Kampe. "From what we went through on Tuesday night and knowing the importance of tonight's game, to get in a 0-2 hole would just kill us. These kids deserve a lot of credit. I told them it was one of the gutsiest performances that I have ever been associated with."

After the Kangaroos' Dane Brumagin made a pair of free throws to give UMKC its first lead, 77-76, with just 1:11 remaining in the game, Oakland called a timeout. Kangas, who was 2-for-10 from behind the arc, was called upon one last time and he found the bottom of the net on a big 3-pointer to give the Golden Grizzlies the lead again, 79-77, with just 52 ticks on the clock.

"I was thinking every shot feels good and I'm going to make it sooner than later," said Kangas. "Coach was calling out my name so I knew that I had to knock it down."

The Kangaroos misfired at the other end on a 3-pointer and missed the tip in which allowed Kangas to grab the rebound and give the ball to junior Johnathon Jones who in turn was followed and sank both free throws. Jones finished the game with 12 points and six assists, while freshman Matt Samuels added a career-high 10 points for the Grizzlies.

UMKC's Brumagin scored a game-high 29 points, 19 of those coming in the first half, and grabbed 10 boards for a double-double. Spencer Johnson had a double-double for the Roos with 20 points and 13 rebounds.

Oakland had just nine turnovers in the game, while UMKC shot 39 treys, making 14 of them. OU was also outrebounded by the Kangaroos, 44-36.

Kampe becomes the 33rd active Division I coach to reach 400 wins, joining Tennessee's Bruce Pearl, who reached the plateau last night, and other greats like North Carolina's Roy Williams and Duke's Mike Krzyzewski to name a few.

"I've gone to ougrizzlies.com quit a bit and I had noticed that he got 399, so it was just good to get it on this road trip and get it out of the way," said redshirt senior Dan Waterstradt who ended the game with six points and five rebounds off the bench. "We were just thinking about UMKC and just trying to get after it."

The Golden Grizzlies will host Toledo in their home opener in the Athletics Center O'Rena on Sunday afternoon at 1 p.m. The game will air on OU's flagship station WDTW (1310 AM) and can also be followed on www.ougrizzlies.com.