Chicago State is 1 win away--The Chicago Tribune
WOMEN'S COLLEGE BASKETBALL--The Chicago Tribune
Western Ill. 57 vs. Valpo40 Stephanie Lovingood's 16 pts led WIU (23-5) to its 1st Mid-Con tournament title game since 1994-95.
Oakland 66 vs. IUPUI54 Jayme Wilson had 15 pts, 9 rebs for Oakland (14-15), which will meet WIU in Mid-Con final Tuesday.
Chicago St. 1 win away from NCAAs--The Chicago Sun-Times
College Basketball Roundup--The Daily Southtown
MID-CONTINENT TOURNAMENT Western Illinois 57, Valparaiso 40
TULSA, Okla. — Top-seeded Western Illinois (23-5) advanced to today's championship game as Stephanie Lovingood totaled 16 points (8-of-11 shooting) and seven rebounds. Zane Teilane added 11 points, seven rebounds, three assists and a pair of blocked shots.
WIU will play No. 6 seed Oakland (Mich.), which upset No. 2 seed Indiana-Purdue-Indianapolis 66-54. Oakland is 14-15.
Fourth-seeded Valparaiso (16-13) was led by Tamra Braun (10 points, 12 rebounds).
HOOPS ROUNDUP: Oakland women reach Mid-Continent final--The Detroit Free Press
Oakland women prevail--The Detroit News
Oakland women need win to go dancing--The Oakland Press
Comeback victory over IUPUI puts Golden Grizzlies in Mid-Continent title game
By DUSTIN FRUCCI Special to The Oakland Press
TULSA, Okla. — The two previous times the Oakland University women’s basketball team played IUPUI in the Mid-Continent Conference tournament, in 2001 and 2002, the Golden Grizzlies went on to play in the title game.
You can make it three now, after No. 6 seed OU defeated No. 2 seed IUPUI, 66-54, on Monday to advance to the final of the league tournament.
OU will play Western Illinois at 1:30 p.m. today for the Mid-Con tournament championship and a berth in the NCAA tournament.
“It was a war,” OU coach Beckie Francis said. “They beat us twice during the regular season, and we knew we would have to play as well defensively as we did against Oral Roberts to have a chance. Fortunately, the team responded.”
OU held IUPUI to just 19 second-half points and ended the game on an 18-3 run.
Senior Anne Hafeli led OU with 19 points, going 6-for-14 from behind the 3-point line.
“We’re in a real good position right now, and we’re playing with a lot of confidence,” Hafeli said. “We’ve got one more game to go, and that’s what were focused on.”
OU trailed 51-48 with 7:04 left before a layup by junior Nicole Piggott started the game-ending run. OU (14-15) took the lead and extended it to 58-51 behind two 3-pointers by Hafeli.
IUPUI pulled within four on a basket and free throw by freshman Jernisha Cann, but OU senior Jayme Wilson quickly answered with a 15-foot jump shot, and freshman April Kidd picked up a loose ball and converted a layup to push the lead back to eight.
OU went 4-for-6 from the freethrow line in the final 1:05 to get the win.
Cann led IUPUI (17-11) with 15 points and 16 rebounds. Kia Hayes also had 15 points.
Piggott finished with 16 points, and Wilson had 15 for OU.
OU now faces a Western Illinois team that went 13-3 in the Mid-Con during the regular season. The teams split their two regular-season meetings, with each team winning on its home court.
“We have had as much success this year against them as anyone,” Francis said. “We are going to make them worry about us and just play our game.”
Francis and her team are drawing inspiration from what OU’s men’s team did last year.
“They showed us that it doesn’t matter what seed you are, the tournament is a new beginning for everyone,” Piggott said. “We look at what they did and know that we can do the same thing.”
Oakland 66,
IUPUI 54
The game:
Anne Hafeli scored a gamehigh 19 points, and No. 6 seed OU closed out on an 18-3 run. Up next: OU vs. Western Illinois, Mid-Con tourney title game, 1:30 p.m. today, Comcast Local
Everyone back for OU next season--The Oakland Press
By DUSTIN FRUCCI Special to The Oakland Press
TULSA, Okla. — Head coach Greg Kampe knew the expectations were going to be high for his Oakland University men’s basketball team this season. An NCAA tournament berth followed by a good recruiting class put OU in the spotlight more than the program had ever been.
So when OU lost to IUPUI in the first round of the Mid-Continent Conference tournament Saturday, Kampe didn’t make excuses. He immediately began to look to next year and what he and his coaching staff need to do to get more out of his group of “misfit” players.
“I probably should have done some things differently during this season, but it just never seemed like we could find a consistent lineup to maintain momentum from one game to another,” Kampe said. “In the offseason, we have to work on getting players into their natural positions.”
One of the players out of position most of the year was junior Calvin Wooten. The second-team all-Mid-Con selection had to score for OU to be competitive, but he also had to worry about running the team as he spent most of the season at point guard.
The importance of Wooten’s scoring was highlighted in a five-day span in late January. Wooten scored only 12 points in a 75-66 loss to Centenary on Jan. 21. Kampe called his team’s performance “the worst home loss ever for an OU team.” Wooten followed it up by scoring 40 points in a 95-89 win over Valparaiso on Jan. 26, OU’s first win over Valpo in 17 tries.
“He’s definitely a two guard, and we have to get him in that position,” Kampe said. “We need some of our younger guys to step up and take over that point guard role.”
A player many thought would do just that was freshman Keith MacKenzie, a highly touted recruit out of Warren DeLaSalle. MacKenzie played in every game this season, but not to the point where Kampe could move Wooten and let the rookie run the team.
“Some of that’s my fault,” Kampe said. “I should have probably gotten him in a little more this year and let him gain more experience.”
Though OU won the fewest games (11) of any team coached by Kampe, he doesn’t consider the season to be a complete disaster.
“We finally got over Valpo, and players got some invaluable experience,” Kampe said. “Our starting five that stepped out onto the court at the (Mid-Con) tournament had never played a game in the tournament, so they will learn from that experience.”
Kampe is excited to see his team’s chemistry develop during the summer.
“We need time where the team can play together over a long period,” Kampe said. “Over the season, we had a couple of consistent guys and a lot of players that had the occasional good game. That’s a result of guys not knowing each other and not knowing what their roles are.”
Kampe said if his team is going to compete for a Mid-Con championship next year, it has to learn to defend the three-point line and make free throws. OU spent the majority of this season near the bottom of the league in freethrow shooting and opponent 3-point percentage.
In conference play, OU allowed teams to make at least 10 3-pointers 10 times. Oral Roberts made 18 in a 90-53 thrashing of OU in February.
“That’s way too much,” Kampe said. “That’s on both players and coaches, and we have to turn that around.”
Though OU was inexperienced in some areas this year, it will be stocked with seniors next winter. Four potential starters could be among that group, and the experience will only raise expectations.
“We know that last year’s tournament run set the bar high, but I honestly don’t know if they were realistic expectations, considering how much we lost from that team,” Kampe said. “Regardless, we always want expectations to be high at OU, because good programs take them on.”
MEN’S ROUNDUP--The Oakland Press
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Mid-Continent
Oral Roberts 77, Valparaiso 58 — At Tulsa, Okla., Caleb Green had 23 points and powered a second-half surge that enabled Oral Roberts to pull away from Valparaiso in a tournament semifi nal. The top-seeded Golden Eagles (20-11) will play Chicago State for the championship. Valpo is 17-12.
Associated Press
No. 6 OU women vs. No. 1 W. Illinois--The Oakland Press
— DUSTIN FRUCCI
When: 1:30 p.m. today
Where: John Q. Hammons Arena, Tulsa, Okla.
TV: Comcast Local
Records: Oakland 14-15; Western Illinois 23-5
Overview: Oakland will look to win the Mid-Con tournament championship for the second consecutive time under head coach Beckie Francis. OU won the tournament in Francis’ last year coaching in 2002. She returned this season. … OU lost at Western Illinois, 74-65, in overtime on Jan. 14, but earned the season split with a 66-57 win over the Westerwinds on Jan. 30 in Rochester. … OU will be playing its third game in as many days. … The only other team to make the title game as a No. 6 seed or lower was Oakland in 2003, when it lost to Valparaiso.
Up next: The winner will play in the NCAA tournament.
IUPUI suffers 2nd disappointing loss to Chicago State--The Indy Star
Frustrating season ends for WIUThe Macomb Journal
MEN’S BASKETBALL: Crusaders can’t keep momentum in Mid-Con tourney--The Post-Tribune
March 7, 2006
By Justin Breen / Post-Tribune deputy sports editor
TULSA, Okla. — In a Mid-Continent Conference Tournament semifinal version of “Survivor,” Oral Roberts outwitted, outlasted and then outplayed Valparaiso on its way to a 77-58 victory.
Caleb Green’s unstoppable performance stopped the Crusaders dead in their tracks. The Mid-Con player of the year showed why he deserved the honor for the second straight season with a game-high 23 points and seven rebounds.
The fourth-seeded Crusaders (17-12) failed to reach the Mid-Con championship game in consecutive seasons for the first time since 1993-94.
Oral Roberts advanced to its second straight final, and the No. 1 seed Golden Eagles (20-11) are questing for their first Mid-Con tournament title.
“We know we’ve got to win tomorrow,” said Green, mentioning last season’s devastating 61-60 loss to Oakland in the finals. “It’s like we’re on a mission right now.”
Valpo still hasn’t beaten ORU in Tulsa as the Crusaders dropped to 0-11 all-time against the Golden Eagles in Oklahoma.
“This is our hometown. We want to represent the city and the state of Oklahoma,” said ORU guard Jonathan Bluitt, who had 17 points and four assists.
The emotion showed for Valpo coach Homer Drew with 2:35 remaining, when he was issued a technical foul for arguing a charging call on Ron Howard. It was Drew’s first technical since the opening game of the season at IPFW and only his third in the last two seasons.
“It was very frustrating because we were better than most people had a chance to see,” Drew said.
Dan Oppland ended an outstanding career with an 18-point, five-rebound showing. Mohamed Kone played one of his best games of the season, scoring 18 points and hauling in a game-best 12 rebounds.
But the rest of the Crusaders combined to shoot 9-of-30, and the Golden Eagles had too many weapons at their disposal.
“All the credit goes to ORU,” Howard said. “They did a great job defensively.”
Larry Owens, Ken Tutt and Bluitt comprised a lethal trifecta with 45 total points. The damage was more than enough to send the Crusaders home, while the Golden Eagles’ rabid student fans chanted “We’re going to the ship!”
In a thrilling, fast-paced opening half, Oral Roberts made 12 of its first 17 shots to build a 28-14 lead. But the Golden Eagles cooled off, and Valpo responded, cutting the deficit to 35-30 at the break.
Valpo pulled within 41-37 in the first four minutes of the second half, but Oral Roberts answered with a 13-4 run that carried them to the triumph.
“In the second half, at the midway point, I thought we really buckled down,” ORU coach Scott Sutton said. “Tonight was about as well as we played all year.”
Said Valpo senior Seth Colclasure: “It was a game of runs. You’ve got to credit their defense.”
Valpo loses six seniors — Colclasure, Oppland, Kone, Howard, Jim Hooper and Ali Berdiel.
Drew said it was an honor to coach them.
“I’m just very proud what they’ve done for Valparaiso University,” Drew said.
Contact Justin Breen at 648-3122 or jbreen@post-trib.com
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL: Western Illinois ends Crusader hopes--The Post-Tribune
March 7, 2006
By Justin Breen / Post-Tribune deputy sports editor
TULSA, Okla. — Valparaiso shot itself in the foot with bad shooting during Monday’s 57-40 loss to Western Illinois in the Women’s Mid-Continent Conference Tournament semifinals at John Q. Hammons Arena.
The fourth-seeded Crusaders (16-13) watched their NCAA Tournament dream evaporate, mainly due to an awful day from the field.
Valpo made only 13-of-53 (24.5 percent) of its shots, and top-seeded Western (23-5) used a 14-0 run to begin the second half on a momentum-seizing run. The Westerwinds, who have won four straight regular season titles but had lost in their four previous trips to the semifinal round as either a No. 1 or 2 seed, would not be denied Monday.
They will vie for the first tournament championship since 1995 today at 12:30 p.m.
“Everybody talks about how Western Illinois has never been (to the finals),” Western coach Leslie Crane said. “It’s something we wanted to do, but it’s not something that breaks our program.”
Stephanie Lovingood factored the most, scoring 16 points on 8-of-11 shooting.
Lovingood also was a key factor in holding VU junior Betsy Rietema to three points.
Conference player of the year Zane Teilane added 11 points and seven rebounds, while freshman Sarah Miller had 12 points.
“We are really blessed to be here,” Teilane said.
The defeat marked the end of the line for VU seniors Jamie Gutowski (eight points, seven rebounds), Mayella Kuikhoven (four points) and Lauren Bechtold (five points).
After the final buzzer, Bechtold searched for a teammate to hug, and found one in freshman guard Agnieszka Kulaga.
She cried in the frosh’s arms, almost symbolically passing the torch to the next generation of Crusaders.
“I wouldn’t want to finish with 13 other girls,” Bechtold said. “(The experience) was incredible. It’s hard to finish.”
Rachel Reed capped a solid first half for Western with a layup near the buzzer, which gave the Westerwinds a 22-16 lead at the break. Valpo struggled with its shooting in the first 20 minutes, connecting on just 5-of-25 attempts.
Gutowski was the lone offensive bright spot, with five points on 2-of-2 shooting.
Valpo didn’t score in the second half until Tamra Braun’s layup with 12:08 remaining.
By then, the game’s outcome was virtually decided.
“We get to the second game and always lose. It’s like a curse we have,” Lovingood said. “I knew the importance of this game. We just had to come out hard. Everybody came ready to play.”
Western beat Valpo for the third time this season.
The Crusaders had defeated the Westerwinds in the teams’ only other Mid-Con tourney games, 49-45 in the 2003 semifinals and 80-64 in the 1998 quarterfinals.
“They just set the tone,” Valpo coach Keith Freeman said. “Whenever you play Western, it’s a different type of game.”
Braun had 10 points and 12 rebounds before fouling out with 4:50 remaining.
“We tried our best, but it just wasn’t good enough,” Braun said.
Contact Justin Breen at 648-3122 or jbreen@post-trib.com
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL: McAfee’s career ends abruptly--The Post-Tribune
March 7, 2006
By Justin Breen / Post-Tribune deputy sports editor
TULSA, Okla. — Valparaiso High School graduate Brooke McAfee didn’t expect her college career to come to an end Monday.
But that’s exactly what happened after her IUPUI squad fell 66-54 to Oakland in a Mid-Continent Conference Tournament semifinal. This season, the 6-foot-2 senior led the nation in total blocked shots (137) and blocking average (5.04 bpg) for a second time — the only women’s player in NCAA history to accomplish the feat.
McAfee was one of just four players in Division I history to block at least 400 shots and one of two to average more than 4.0 blocks per game for their careers. In her final game, McAfee scored four points and pulled down two rebounds, with just one block.
“Certainly we’re very pleased with the effort and what McAfee has done for the program,” IUPUI coach Shann Hart said. “Quite frankly we relied on (her blocked shots) this season. She didn’t do that today. She just didn’t have a good night. Without question, we’re going to miss Brooke McAfee.”
The No. 2 seed Jaguars hadn’t been better than a No. 5 seed in their seven previous tournaments. Prior to this season, IUPUI was 1-7 in postseason play. The Jaguars still have yet to reach the championship game. Oakland, seeded sixth, continued its magical ride behind 19 points from Anne Hafeli, who hit two key 3-pointers late in the victory.
The Golden Grizzlies will face No. 1 seed Western Illinois in today’s final at 12:30 p.m. The teams split their season series, with each club winning on its home court.
“I think we’re in a great position,” said Hafeli, who made 6-of-14 3-pointers. “I think we’re really prepared. We’re really clicking.”
Oakland’s men’s team advanced to the NCAA Tournament last season as a No. 7 seed.
The Golden Grizzlies’ women are now one win away from another Cinderella story.
“Everybody comes into this tournament 0-0. The men proved it (could be done) last year,” said Oakland’s Nicole Piggott, who had 16 points. “You could see they wanted it. You’re kind of inspired in a way.”
West Side grad Alicia Booyer did not score for IUPUI.
n SCOUTING TRIP FOR STARS: Sara Hughes felt fortunate to spend a rare day with her father, San Antonio Silver Stars coach Dan Hughes, on Monday. Dan was on-hand to scout some of the players, including Western Illinois’ Zane Teilane, for the WNBA draft. Sara, a Valparaiso volleyball player, rarely sees her father during the WNBA season.
“We’ve had a great time,” said Sara, who is on spring break and flew back to San Antonio after the VU-WIU women’s game. “But I wish we could have stayed and watched the men play.”
n PARRAN LIGHTS IT UP: Chicago State’s small guard Royce Parran scored 24 of his 30 points in the final 8:31 as No. 6 seed Chicago State upset No. 3 seed UMKC 75-66 in Sunday’s last quarterfinal. The Cougars became the sixth straight six seed to prevail in the opening round.
Nate Carter, who played at Horace Mann and graduated from Emerson, scored two points.
JUSTIN BREEN COLUMN: Sudden end at Mid-Con not what seniors had in mind--The Post-Tribune
March 7, 2006
TULSA, Okla.
Last year, Jessica Cook shined as a Western Illinois Westerwind senior.
This year, Cook competes in a recreational league at my girlfriend’s medical school gym, running up and down the court with out-of-shape 20-somethings.
That’s the reality of playing college ball. It’s all over before you know it.
The reality-bites thud smacked Valparaiso upperclassmen Jamie Gutowski and Lauren Bechtold after their Mid-Continent Conference Tournament semifinals loss to Western Illinois.
Then came the obligatory tears, slow walks, hands over faces and choked-up voices.
That’s what happens when you put your soul into something most of your life, and then it’s goes poof.
“It’s tough. You go into the locker room and you can’t say 'hey this gives us something to work hard for (the postseason) and remember for next year,’ ” Gutowski said.
Sometimes reality stinks.
VU’s senior men’s players certainly should understand that.
I truly feel bad for Dan Oppland, Ali Berdiel, Seth Colclasure, Mohamed Kone, Ron Howard and Jim Hooper. Maybe some of the departing Crusaders will reach the pros, but they will never have the same bond with teammates they had in college.
As Berdiel said last week, with thoughts of another trip to the NCAAs firmly entrenched in his mind: “It’s going to be hard to find a situation where relationships develop like they did here.”
Tri-captains Oppland, Colclasure and Howard cried heavily after the final buzzer. Colclasure’s eyes were still red while he addressed the media.
Monday’s 77-58 loss to Oral Roberts certainly could be classified as heartbreaking.
“I’m still going to try and enjoy the time I have left with these guys,” Oppland said. “It’s been a great run.”
But facts are facts, and this team did not deserve a conference championship. The only consistent all season was Valpo’s inconsistency.
The bottom line is Valpo’s reign atop the Mid-Con is officially over. This season proved last season was no fluke.
Next season, Valpo’s women should be better. Their talent core — juniors Tamra Braun, Carrie Myers and Betsy Rietema — will be a year older and a year wiser.
“We’re going to be a lot more athletic. We’re going to be a lot bigger in the perimeter spot,” said Valpo coach Keith Freeman, who has Chesterton High School standout Kelly Peller on the way. “There’s some things we will add, and I think that will really help us in the future.”
Hebron’s Bechtold and Andrean’s Gutowski aren’t part of that future. It will take time to sink in, but, hey, that’s life.
The local duo have represented VU and the region with class, dedication and hustle. It’s been four great years for two great people.
Like Freeman said: “If you have daughters that’s who you want them to be like.”
The men’s program reads like a different story. The top five scoring Crusaders are leaving, and frankly, I don’t know who’s going to put the ball in the hole next season. Other Mid-Con teams like IUPUI and ORU — and, dare I say, Chicago State — are far quicker and more athletic, physical and explosive.
Rebuilding isn’t fun, but neither is a reality check.
Sorry, but Valpo was just served one.
Contact Justin Breen at 648-3122 or jbreen@post-trib.com
No shot for Crusaders--The NWI Times
McAfee closes career book--The NWI Times
Tulsa toast--The NWI Times
WIU women have plenty in reserve--The Peoria Journal Star
Westerwinds advance to Mid-Con final--The Spectrum
Chicago St. reaches Mid-Con final--The Spectrum
Sixth-seeded Chicago State upsets #2 IUPUI to earn first-ever berth into the Mid-Con Men's Basketball Championship game--Chicago State Athletics
IUPUI'S SEASON COMES TO AN END WITH HEARTBREAKING 66-54 LOSS TO OAKLAND IN MID-CON TOURNAMENT SEMI-FINALS--IUPUI JAGUAR ATHLETICS
NO DANCE TICKET - IUPUI UPSET BY CHICAGO STATE IN MID-CON SEMIS--IUPUI JAGUAR ATHLETICS
Kangaroos Fall To Valparaiso In Quarterfinals Of Mid-Con Championship--UMKC Kangaroos
Kangaroos Upset By Chicago State In First Round Of Mid-Con Championships--UMKC Kangaroos
Oakland Advances to Title Game With 66-54 Win Over IUPUI--OUGrizzlies.com
Green, Bluitt Lead ORU to Mid-Con Finals--Oral Roberts University Golden Eagles
Western Illinois Tops Valpo in Mid-Con Semis--www.valpo.edu
Crusader Season Ends Monday Night in Tulsa--www.valpo.edu
Top-Seeded Western Illinois Defeats (4) Valparaiso, 57-40, Advances to Mid-Con Championship Game--Western Illinois Athletics
Top-Seed Western Illinois to Face Six-Seed Oakland in Toshiba Mid-Con Women's Basketball Tournament Championship Game--Western Illinois Athletics
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