Orange & Black Attack

Oilers out of the Top 25 poll

By BRIAN LESTER

For the last 55 weeks the University of Findlay men's basketball team has been in the NCAA Division II Top 25 poll.  

On Tuesday, the Oilers fell out of the poll. In fact, they aren't even in the famed "Others Receiving Votes" category, which to a certain extent, surprises me.

I realize UF has a young team and success on a national level isn't expected from the Oilers this year. But to completely write the defending national champs off? I am a little surprised.

Maybe the coaches who vote in the poll have no faith in UF. Or perhaps they are waiting to see if the Oilers can prove they do indeed deserve to be ranked among the Top 25?

Anyone want to weigh in on that one.

In the end, though, it is just a poll. A team can be ranked No. 1 or No. 100 success still isn't guaranteed.

For the Oilers, their only focus is on Ferris State on Thursday night. They want to get back on track and continue their quest for a Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference South Division title.

On a side note, it is interesting that Southern Indiana, which isn't even eligible for the postseason this year, is ranked No. 20. The Screaming Eagles have opened the season with six consecutive wins and appear poised to be one of the top teams in the Great Lakes Valley Conference this year.

How crazy would it be if USI ends up being the best team in the GLVC and Midwest Region this season, and yet, the success wont' lead to a postseason opportunity?

It's your turn to chime in about UF, the GLIAC or any other team in the Midwest Region or nation.

Quick look at Ferris State

By BRIAN LESTER

A big week is ahead for the University of Findlay men's basketball team. The Oilers will take on Ferris State Thursday night at Croy Gymnasium and host rival Grand Valley State on Saturday. Both games are scheduled to tip of at 7:30 p.m.

UF is coming off back-to-back losses for the first time since the 2001-02 campaign and is 0-2 in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference.

But the Oilers are back home and that is always a good thing. UF has won its last 77 regular-season games at home and the last 39 overall at home. No doubt the Bulldogs will come in motivated for the showdown.

FSU is 3-3 overall and 3-0 in the GLIAC. The Oilers will have their hands full and it should be a heck of a game Thursday night.

Here is a quick glance at the Bulldogs. I will blog live from the game Thursday and have more on the game later this week.

Notes on the Ferris State Bulldogs

LAST TIME OUT: Ferris State is coming off an 82-61 win over Tiffin Saturday at Jim Wink Arena. The Bulldogs led 49-28 at halftime. FSU tallied 26 assists and Justin Keean led the way with 16 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists. FSU held a 34-31 edge on the boards.

Josh Young and Jon Yeazel both scored 13 points. Matt DeHart hit for 12 points and Austin Randel scored 11 points.

Quick Glance: The Bulldogs are 3-3 overall and 3-0 in the GLIAC, marking the first time they have started 3-0 in league play since the 2005-06 season when they last reached the NCAA Division II tournament.

FSU is averaging 73.7 points per outing and allow 69.8. FSU is shooting 46.8 percent from the field and 42.4 percent from beyond the arc.

Opponents shooting 43.2 percent from the field and 25.4 percent from 3-point range.

The Bulldogs are grabbing 34.2 rebounds per game and giving up 34.3 boards per game.

FSU has turned the ball over 95 times and has forced 94 turnovers.

The Bulldogs lost to the Oilers 83-60 at Croy and 85-62 at Jim Wink Arena last season. FSU has lost its last 13 games against Oilers during the regular season after winning first three games of series during the 1960s. UF and FSU split two postseason meetings, with UF winning in the Sweet 16 in 2005 (94-73) and FSU winning in the GLIAC semifinals in 2006 (64-62).

FSU'S KEY PLAYERS: Jr. F/C Justin Keenan averaging 17.3 ppg and 5.5 rpg. Sr. G Jon Yeazel is averaging 12 ppg and has tallied 11 steals. He leads team in rebounding with 6.2 per game. Sr. G/F Austin Randel is averaging 11.2 ppg and has tallied 9 steals. Jr. G Darien Gay is averaging 10.8 ppg and has hit team-high 15 treys.

Oilers still winless in GLIAC after loss to Lakers

By BRIAN LESTER
STAFF WRITER

SAULT STE MARIE, Mich. ----- If the University of Findlay men's basketball team is going to contend for a Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference championship this season, it will have a huge mountain to climb.

The Oilers are in a two-game hole in the conference standings after a 61-55 loss to Lake Superior State Saturday afternoon at Bud Cooper Gymnaisum. It marked the first time UF has lost back-to-back games since the 2001-02 season when it lost to Mercyhurst and Gannon on the road.

UF (3-3, 0-2 GLIAC) had its eight-game win streak against the Lakers snapped and shot 45 percent (22-of-49) from the field on a day when three freshmen were in the lineup in center Rob Marsden, guard Aaron Robinson and forward Jack Smith.

Despite starting three freshmen and despite being more than six hours from home, UF played the veteran Lakers (3-3, 2-0) tough for 40 minutes. What the Oilers couldn't do was capitalize on opportunities down the stretch as they came up short for the second time on this two-game road swing through Michigan.

"I thought it was a very competitive game. Both teams played hard," veteran UF head coach Ron Niekamp said. "We defended well but we had no consistency on the offensive end. It's something we need to find to have success."

But while the loss stings for a UF team that won the NCAA Division II national title in March and is so accustomed to being the most dominant team in the GLIAC during this decade, Niekamp believes there were positives buried under the ashes of defeat.

"I think the first thing is that we did compete the whole game," Niekamp said. "That was a good step for us. We need to do a better job of recognizing situations, but I think as long as you compete and play hard, you will get better."

UF only trailed 26-22 at halftime but the deficit grew to 30-22 two minutes into the second half.

But the Oilers responded, using a quick 6-0 burst to get back into the game.

Smith drained two free throws, Nathan Hyde nailed a jumper and Robinson turned a steal into a layup as the Oilers cut the gap to 30-28 with 17:29 left in the game.

Hyde's jumper put the Oilers in front 36-35 with just over 12 minutes to play but a 3-pointer by the hot-shooting Scott Perkins gave the Lakers the lead for good.

The senior guard picked up where he left against Hillsdale Thursday night when he torched the Chargers for 38 points.

Perkins didn't flirt with 40 as he did against Hillsdale, but his 24-point performance was good enough to help the Lakers beat UF for the first time since 2001-02 when it earned a 92-79 win.

Perkins made 4 treys in the win and helped LSSU gain an early edge in its quest to repeat as GLIAC North Division champions.

UF fell behind by as many as 11 in the second half as it gave up 5 shots from beyond the arc in the final 20 minutes and let opportunities slip from their hands because of turnovers and missed shots.

Still, even with time winding down, the Oilers had a chance to steal a victory.

Robinson drilled a 3-pointer with 21 seconds to play that got UF within 56-53 and Marcus Parker's jumper cut the deficit to 57-55 with 14 seconds remaining. Four straight free throws down the stretch sealed the deal for the Lakers.

"All of the experiences our team has are good," Niekamp said. "We'd like to have more wins, but this is a very tough league. Each situation we are in will benefit us in the long run."

Parker pumped in 13 points to pace the Oilers while Robinson pumped in 9 points and grabbed 6 rebounds against the Lakers.

Sophomore forward Greg Avery and Hyde each clicked for 8 points.

The Lakers only shot 37 percent (18-of-49) from the field but made 16 of their 24 attempts from the free-throw line. Kyle Hunt dropped in 12 points to go along with 8 rebounds and 4 assists while Derek Kinney scored 11 points and grabbed 8 boards.

UF was 8-of-14 from the line and 3-of-11 from beyond the arc. The Oilers turned the ball over 10 times and only forced 8 turnovers. UF won the rebounding battle 36-31.

There were four ties in a close first half of action and UF had its biggest lead at 15-11 when Michael Agunga split two free throws. The Lakers closed the half on a 6-2 run to take a slight lead into halftime.

UF now heads home searching for answers as the growth process continues for the Oilers.

The challenges ahead don't get any easier to hurdle.

The Oilers face Ferris State (3-3, 3-0) at 7:30 p.m. Thursday at Croy Gymnasium before hosting rival Grand Valley State (4-2, 2-1) at 7:30 p.m. Saturday.

"This is not going to be an overnight process, but we understand what we have to focus on to get better as a team," Niekamp said. "At this time of the year, I don't think anyone has all of the answers. We just have to look at the positives and continue to make strides."

UF Game Blog: Oilers at Lakers

By BRIAN LESTER

Hello everyone. It's time for another University of Findlay men's basketball game. The Oilers take on Lake Superior State at 3 p.m. today from Bud Cooper Gymnasium. I won't be at the game but I will have a halftime update and a game story that will include quotes.

Pre-Game Notes

The Matchup:

No. 9 UF (3-2, 0-1 GLIAC) at Lake Superior State (2-3, 1-0). 3 p.m. at Bud Cooper Gymnasium in Sault Ste Marie, Mich.

Series:

Oilers lead 13-1. UF won both games last season, beating LSSU 73-55 at Croy Gymnasium and 76-72 at Bud Cooper Gymnasium. Oilers have won eight consecutive games in the series.

Last Time Out:

The Oilers fell 83-69 to Saginaw Valley State on the road Thursday night. The Lakers held off Hillsdale 65-60 at home on Thursday.

UF Star Watch:

Freshman forward Jack Smith has made quite an impression as a rookie. Smith is clicking for 9.2 points per outing and is third on the team in rebounding at 5.2 boards per game. He has thrived off the bench for the Oilers and scored 11 points against the Cardinals Thursday night. Smith is one of the heralded recruits for the Oilers and his potential appears to have no limit. He has shown glimpses of it already, scoring 10 or more points four times and pulling down 5 or more rebounds three times. Smith will need to step up again today for the Oilers to have a shot at a road victory against a dangerous LSSU team.

LSSU Star Watch:

Senior guard Scott Perkins is red-hot at the moment. He dropped 38 points on Hillsdale Thursday night in a 65-60 win and is averaging 21.2 points per outing. The Lakers have a lot of weapons around him but he is the key to their success. Perkins is a big threat from beyond the arc as well. He nailed five treys against the Chargers and has 11 on the season. He averages 4 rebounds per game and has tallied 5 steals.

Noteworthy:

Another road test has arrived for the Oilers, and playing LSSU at home is never easy. Not only is UF up against a strong Lakers squad but it has been on the road since Wednesday and is coming off a loss to the Cardinals.

The Oilers have done a good job in the past of bouncing back from a loss. To do that today, they will have to get off to a strong start and sustain consistency on offense. UF can't have the scoring droughts it had against SVSU. The Oilers also have to find a way to win the battle on the boards and play solid defensively. The Lakers have a talented cast of guards, including sophomore Kyle Hunt, who averages 10.4 ppg, 5.8 rebounds per outing and 4.6 assists per game.

UF had its 34-game conference win streak snapped against the Cardinals and its 17-game conference road win streak ended as well. It is obvious that winning on the road in the league is not going to be easy this year, but the Oilers need to try and get a split on this trip. Coming away with a split on this trip would be an accomplishment and give a young UF team the confidence it needs to steal some road wins this season.

It will be interesting to see how this game plays out as it features the GLIAC North and South Division champions of a year ago. Both teams played in the NCAA Midwest Regional as well. I really think the strong start is key for the Oilers today. They need to take the crowd out of the game quickly and hang onto the momenutm.

Feel free to share your thoughts on the game. I'll have more at halftime.

Game Recap:

SAULT STE MARIE, Mich. ----- If the University of Findlay men's basketball team is going to contend for a Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference championship this season, it will have a huge mountain to climb.

The Oilers are in a two-game hole in the conference standings after a 61-55 loss to Lake Superior State Saturday afternoon at Bud Cooper Gymnaisum. It marked the first time UF has lost back-to-back games since the 2001-02 season when it lost to Mercyhurst and Gannon on the road.

UF (3-3, 0-2 GLIAC) had its eight-game win streak against the Lakers snapped and shot 45 percent (22-of-49) from the field on a day when three freshmen were in the lineup in center Rob Marsden, guard Aaron Robinson and forward Jack Smith.

Senior point guard Marcus Parker pumped in 13 points to pace the Oilers while Robinson pumped in 9 points and grabbed 6 rebounds against the Lakers (3-3, 2-0).

Sophomore forward Greg Avery and junior guard Nathan Hyde each clicked for 8 points.

The Lakers led 26-22 at halftime and never trailed again after Scott Perkins drained a 3-pointer to put LSSU ahead 38-36 with just over 12 minutes to play.

The Lakers made 5 treys in the second half and Perkins pumped in 24 points two days after dropping 38 on Hillsdale in a 65-60 win. Kyle Hunt scored 12 points to go along with 8 rebounds and 4 assists.

The Lakers only shot 37 percent (18-of-49) from the field but made 16 of their 24 attempts from the free-throw line.

UF was 8-of-14 from the line and 3-of-11 from beyond the arc. The Oilers turned the ball over 10 times and only forced 8 LSSU turnovers. UF won the rebounding battle 36-31.

Halftime Update: It is halftime at Bud Cooper Gymnasium and the University of Findlay trails 26-22 at the break. Greg Avery scored 8 points in the opening half and Marcus Parker pumped in 7. UF shot 38.4 percent (9-of-24) from the field and is winning the rebound battle 19-17.

LSSU is shooting 40 percent (10-of-25) from the floor and has made three 3-pointers. Derek Kinney has scored 9 points and Scott Perkins has dropped in 8 points. Both teams have turned the ball over 5 times and UF has gotten 11 points from its bench.

Update: The Oilers will start three freshmen today as Aaron Robinson, Jack Smith and Rob Marsden will all start for UF today. A fairly young lineup to say the least but perhaps it is the adjustment the Oilers need to get back on track.

UF Women's Recap: LSSU 61, UF 50.

The University of Findlay women's basketball team lost its first game of the season, falling 61-50 to Lake Superior State at Bud Cooper Gymnasium Saturday afternoon.

The Oilers shot just 27 percent (15-of-55 from the field) and was 3-of-20 from beyond the arc as they failed to keep pace with the Lakers in this Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference encounter.

Laura Bardall scored 18 points but was the only player in double figures for the Oilers (5-1, 1-1 GLIAC), who come away with a split on this two-game road swing through Michigan.

Audra Mihalic, who came into the game averaging 15.2 points per outing, finished with only 7 points.

The Lakers (2-2, 1-1) shot 44 percent (21-of-48) from the field and used a balanced attack to knock the Oilers from the ranks of the unbeatens. LSSU had four players in double figures. Maria Blazejewski led the way with 14 points and Ronlea Peterson pumped in 12 points.

Emily Joseph and Shelle Rochon each scored 10 points. The Lakers scored 22 points off of turnovers and out-rebounded the Oilers 37-33.

Four GVSU players suspended for national semifinal

By BRIAN LESTER

Well, I was about to write on here how Grand Valley State's football team was on the verge of playing for its fifth NCAA Division II national championship of the decade, which would be another feather in the hat for the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference.

The Lakers are playing Carson-Newman at 3:30 p.m. today in a national semifinal that will be televised live on ESPN.

But the news of the day isn't on the game. It's about the fact that four GVSU players have been suspended indefinitely for violation of team rules. You can read about it in a story by Greg Johnson that ran in the Grand Rapids Press. The school has already said that the four players will not play next week either in the national final if the Lakers do advance.

The two most notable players suspended are junior tailback James Berezik, GVSU's all-time leading rusher, and starting defensive tackle Andre Thomas, who has 47 tackles on the year. Thomas is a sophomore.

Defensive tackle Ryan Wheat and linebacker Blair Hollis, both sophomores, have been suspended as well.

It amazes me that athletes would break a rule during the week of a big game. They have let down the team and the GLIAC. I'd like to know what you think about the situation?

I'll post both national semifinal scores after the game today. The other semifinal pits California (Pa.) against Northwest Missouri.

National Semifinal Scores:

Grand Valley 41, Carson-Newman 27

Northwest Missouri 56, California 31