Oakland University’s Erik Kangas entered Thursday night’s annual Three-Point shooting championship as probably the least recognized contestant to the majority of viewers across the country.  But by the end of the night, he had raised a lot of eyebrows and made a lot of shots en route to a second place finish in the event.

In front of a crowd of local supporters at The Palace of Auburn Hills, Kangas lost in the third and final round to Miami’s Jack McClinton.  Kangas’ hot streak ended at an inopportune moment as he finished the final round with 16 points.  McClinton recorded 22 points in victory.

Kangas, a senior guard, scored 23 points in the opening round, which was good for second place in the field of eight shooters.  He scored 19 points in the second round to advance to the finals.

This was the first time in the history of the event that an OU student took part in the competition. 

Kangas gained national recognition this season for his 3-point shooting proficiency.  During the season, he set the single-season Summit Conference record for shots made from beyond the arc, converting 135 times.  He is also the school record-holder for career 3-pointers made.