MEN'S BASKETBALL: The T-Birds head to Chicago State Thursday to conclude a three-game road stretch. The Thunderbirds (7-16, 5-5 Mid-Con) saw a four-game win streak come to an end last Thursday at Oral Roberts when the Golden Eagles handed them their worst loss in two seasons, 89-57. SUU then traveled on to Valparaiso, where they had a better effort but still came out on the wrong end of a 76-64 decision. The losses pushed the Thunderbirds back into fifth place in the Mid-Continent Conference standings, behind IUPUI (10-1), Oral Roberts (9-2), UMKC (7-4) and Valparaiso (6-5).
HOOPS ROUNDUP: MSU, Oakland bolster bond with 5-year pact--The Detroit Free Press
MSU-Oakland sign deal--The Detroit News
Michigan State and Oakland have agreed to a deal that will pit their men's basketball programs against each other for the next five years.
Michigan State will play host to three of the five games at the Breslin Center, starting next season, Oakland coach and interim athletic director Greg Kampe announced Tuesday. The games during the 2008-09 and 2010-11 seasons will be hosted by Oakland at The Palace of Auburn Hills, the home of the Detroit Pistons, which is just a few miles from Oakland's O'Rena.
Having two home games with a team such as Michigan State, ranked 12th in this week's Associated Press poll, will be good for fans and for Oakland's recruiting efforts, Kampe said.
"Being able to get this agreement is another step for OU to be a player in the college basketball landscape," Kampe said.
Spartans coach Tom Izzo said: "Greg Kampe has done a great job with the Oakland program as evidenced by their trip to the NCAA Tournament last season."
OU, MSU will meet for next five years--The Oakland Press
By CRYSTAL EVOLA Of The Oakland Press
Oakland University has once again found its way into basketball’s spotlight.
Less than a year after making its fi rst trip to the NCAA tournament, the Golden Grizzlies have reached an agreement to play Michigan State five times beginning with the 2006-07 season.
Oakland will be the home team twice, when the Spartans make trips to The Palace in 2008-09 and 2010-11.
Oakland is expected to be the only school from the state on the Spartans’ schedule in the next four years other than Big Ten rival Michigan. That means the Oakland has something to offer recruits that Mid-American Conference teams don’t.
“This is a huge deal for us,” said Greg Kampe, OU’s men’s basketball coach and interim athletic director.
The Grizzlies will travel to play Michigan State in East Lansing in 2006-07, 2007-08 and 2009-10.
With two games at The Palace, more local fans will get a chance see the teams in action. It’s a major change from the first time MSU played OU on Nov. 17, 1998, when 4,000 people crammed into the Oakland Athletics Center in Rochester for the arena’s inaugural event.
Kampe said his goal is to have at least 20,000 people in the stands.
“This is a really, really great thing for Oakland University,” Kampe said, “and basketball fans in Oakland County to have two home games with a national basketball power, which happens to be from the state of Michigan. It has to be pleasing for our fans, and it will help us in our recruiting. Being able to get this agreement is another step for OU to be a player in the college basketball landscape.”
OU’s first move to compete with the major programs in the state came when it moved from Division II to Division I in 1997-98.
The Grizzlies gained more attention when they beat Michigan at home on Nov. 17, 2000.
Now, OU can boast that incoming freshmen will have a chance to play the 2000 national champions throughout their careers.
“This is the next step,” Kampe said. “If we want to be a big-time player in college basketball, we have to do things like this. … The fact that Michigan State will do this with us helps legitimize where we’re trying to go with our program.”
OU could gain additional attention should the school work out a deal to broadcast The Palace games on FSN Detroit. TV rights in this series are held by the home team.
Financially, OU stands to make more than $250,000, according to a source. The Spartans are believed to make $250,000 for each of their two trips to Auburn Hills. “I’m pretty pleased with this situation,” Kampe said. “This is huge.” MSU holds a 5-0 lead in the all-time series.
Winds back on top in Mid-Con race--The Macomb Journal
Oakland-Michigan State Agree to Five-Year Basketball Deal--OUGrizzlies.com
Thunderbirds Back On Road; Travel to Chicago State--SOUTHERN UTAH THUNDERBIRDS
WYIN 56 to Carry Mid-Con Tournament Semi-Finals Live--www.valpo.edu
Teilane Earns Third Mid-Con Women's Basketball Player of the Week Honor--Western Illinois Athletics
Mid-Con Men’s Basketball Semifinal Games to be Televised Locally--Western Illinois Athletics
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