Follow the Summit League Tournament: Day One Blog

11:38 p.m. – Despite today’s loss, the Oakland University women’s team will still play in the NIT if Oral Roberts wins the Summit League women’s tournament.

11:08 p.m. – So much for the upset, IUPUI leads 64-56 now with about 2 minutes to play. Robert Glenn has been dominant.

10:54 p.m. – Kampe regarding Drew Maynard’s injury: “I would not expect him to play (in the tournament). He can not run. I’ve got the best trainer in the world, and if anybody can get him ready, Tom (Ford) can. But it was a third degree ankle sprain on Wednesday and he’s been on crutches … We’re going about our business as if he’s not going to play.”

10:52 p.m. – Second-seeded IUPUI is in a much closer than expected opening round game, leading just 51-50 over Western Illinois midway through the second half.

8:53 p.m. – OU wins 85-70.  Game story will follow shortly.

8:45 p.m. – 3:45 to play, Golden Grizzlies up 85-63. Nelson has 12 second half points since his first half injury.

8:35 p.m. – Ledrick Eackles dunk brings the crowd to its feet.  OU up 79-61 with under seven minutes to play.

8:22 p.m. – Benson continues to knock down his free throw attempts and Derick Nelson looks like his old self with a couple of base line drives.  61-44 Oakland with 13:26 to play in the game.

8:17 p.m. – Keith Benson continues to show off his jump shot range (for scouts?) with a deep 2-pointer to make it 52-38 Oakland with 15:59 remaining.

8:12 p.m. – Nelson with a basket to push Oakland’s lead to a game-high 14 points. 50-36

8:07 p.m. – Second half is underway. UMKC commits and offensive foul to begin the second frame.

Also, Derick Nelson has returned to the Golden Grizzlies lineup.

7:58 p.m. – Halftime stats: Oakland shot 53.8 percent from behind the arc in the first half. Benson has 10 points and 12 rebounds, along with one emphatic block thus far. Wright also has 10 points, tying him for the team-lead at the break.

7:51 p.m. – A putback basket and subsequent free throw by Keith Benson gives Oakland a 10 point lead going into halftime. 45-35 Grizzlies

7:48 p.m. – Oakland is dominating the offensive glass, but isn’t converting second and third opportunity chances. 42-34 Grizzlies lead.

7:44 p.m. – 39-33 OU with 3.10 to play 1st half. Wright just hit another 3-pointer.

7:38 p.m. – Derick Nelson is no longer on the OU bench, and was holding ice to his face in the early-going after being hit in what appeared to be the nose.  OU leads 34-28 with 5 minutes to play in the half.

7:33 p.m. – 28-23 Oakland leads. UMKC has scored the last eight points.

7:25 p.m. – The Grizzlies of 6-of-7 from 3-point range to start the game.  28-17 OU, 9:43 to play 1st half.

7:20 p.m. – Oakland with an early 20-10 lead at the 12:13 mark of the opening half. Blake Cushingberry and Johnathon Jones each have a pair of 3-pointers.

7:10 p.m. – Derick Nelson takes a forearm to the face and was taken out of the game. Currently has a bag of ice on his nose.

7:08 p.m. – Men’s game underway – No. 1 Oakland vs. No. 8 UMKC

6:55 p.m. – Women’s game story:  https://oaklandpostonline.com/2010/03/06/sports/golden-grizzlies-womens-team-stunned-by-western-illinois/

5:30 p.m. – Final score:  68-57.  The second-seeded Golden Grizzlies women’s basketball team fell to Western Illinois in the opening round of the Summit League tournament.

5:17 p.m. – With 1:28 remaining, OU still trails 63-57. Western Illinois is closing in on a major upset.

5:11 p.m. – Bethany Watterworth corrals a loose ball, drives the lane with a layup, and draws a foul.  Oakland trails 57-52 with 3:55 to play.

5:07 p.m. – 55-48 WIU following a 3-pointer by Sharise Calhoun.  5:56 remaining

5:00 p.m. – The Grizzlies trail 53-43 with 7:49 remaining. Western Illinois has hit on eight 3-pointers, while OU is shooting just 32 percent from the floor.

4:54 p.m. – Oakland trails 47-43 with 10 minutes remaining. Jeltema has been held scoreless in the second half.

4:34 p.m. – Sharise Calhoun hits the first two shots of the second half to put Oakland up 36-31 with 18:15 remaining in the game.

4:15 p.m. – The OU women’s team leads 32-31 at halftime in the opening round matchup against Western Illinois.  The team took the lead on a Melissa Jeltema layup from directly under the basket. Jeltema has scored 14 of Oakland’s 1st half points. Sharise Calhoun has chipped in seven thus far.

3:58 p.m. – Oakland takes the lead, 22-21, on a pair of Victoria Lipscomb free throws with 7:56 remaining in the first half.

3:52 p.m. – Midway through the first half, WIU leads Oakland 19-15.  Jeltema has a team-high six points thus far. OU began the game on an 8-0 run, but allowed WIU right back into it.

3:35 p.m. – The Golden Grizzlies women’s team has tipped off against Western Illinois.  Melissa Jeltema began the game with a 3-pointer on Oakland’s first possession.

3:10 p.m. – The Oral Roberts women’s team defeated Southern Utah 97-81 in the first game of the week in Sioux Falls. All five Golden Eagles starters reached double-digit points, with Jordan Pyle leading the way with 26.

The Golden Eagles are the favorites to win the women’s bracket. ORU defeated Oakland twice this season, most recently on Feb. 6. That was OU’s last loss on the season.

2:00 p.m. – Drew Maynard will not play in at least today’s opening round game of the men’s tournament. Blake Cushingberry will be inserted int the starting lineup in place of Maynard. More details on the injury will be posted as they become available.

The men’s team’s first game begins at 7 p.m. et. Stay tuned for a full game story upon completion.

1:55 p.m. – The first game of the women’s tournament is under way with No. 1 seed Oral Roberts taking on No. 8 Southern Utah. ORU holds a 48-33 lead at halftime.

The Golden Grizzlies women’s game will tip off at 3:30 p.m. et in a matchup with No. 7 Western Illinois