Summit League Red Line Upset Possibilities In 2010-11

At the mid-major level of college basketball, there are many factors that go into constructing a non-conference schedule. The topic itself is far too detailed for a single post here, so let's just look at a specific area: those games against major conference schools. These major programs need games, primarily those which can be played at home, and the simplest way to achieve this is by "paying" mid-majors to visit them. Such matches are often called guarantee games because the big school pays the little school for what amounts to a guaranteed win. Some mid-major programs attempt to avoid these games for various reasons, while others flock to the opportunity so they can collect a big payday to help support any number of expenses incurred throughout the season. After all, the loss probably wouldn't amount to much for the little school because most schools at this level rely solely on the conference games to get into the post-season.

On the other hand, if David plays Goliath and wins, the loss is considered a big deal for Goliath. When this happens - using the parlance of mid-majordom's wisest voice - we call it a Red Line Upset. In the 2009-10 season, such upsets occurred in 157 of 909 games played for a resulting Red Line percentage of 17.3%. For those wondering, the Red Line is based on money, separating those conferences with large coffers from those often working with the bare bones. It includes the typical power-six leagues as well as the Mountain West (and up until 10-11, Conference USA). The Summit League hasn't done much in the way of contributing to a higher Red Line win percentage in recent years, though Oral Roberts did have a number of upsets during the 2009-10 season. Oakland has been shutout by schools above the Red Line in the last year, with its last win coming against Oregon in the beginning of the 2008-09 season.

With the dawn of a new season, there exists a number of opportunities for teams from The Summit League to increase their role in upping the upset percentages. For those interested in following along, we've put together this list which presents all of the games where teams from this league will face those above the Red Line:

November 12 Centenary @ Memphis North Dakota State @ Oregon Oakland @ West Virginia November 14 South Dakota State @ Iowa November 18 Western Illinois @ Missouri November 20 IPFW @ Cincinnati Western Illinois @ Wyoming November 21 IUPUI vs. San Diego State (neutral court) Oakland @ Purdue November 24 Centenary @ LSU North Dakota State @ Minnesota November 27 Oral Roberts @ Utah November 30 Oral Roberts @ Texas Tech December 8 Oakland @ Illinois December 9 IUPUI @ Ohio State

December 11 Oakland vs. Michigan State (neutral court) Oral Roberts @ Oklahoma December 14 Oakland @ Tennessee December 16 Oral Roberts @ Missouri December 18 Centenary @ Marquette Oakland @ Michigan Southern Utah @ UNLV December 20 Centenary @ Wyoming December 21 IPFW @ Purdue Oral Roberts vs. Miami (neutral court) December 23 UMKC @ Kansas State Oakland @ Ohio State South Dakota State @ Minnesota January 5 UMKC @ Kansas

Total Opportunities (29): Centenary (4), IPFW (2), IUPUI (2), UMKC (2), NDSU (2), Oakland (7), Oral Roberts (5), SDSU (2), SUU (1), WIU (2)

In total, The Summit League will have 29 chances to pull a Red Line upset. Out of this total, 26 will be played on the road where winning will be incredibly difficult. Oral Roberts and IUPUI each have games against a team above the Red Line at multiple-team events on neutral courts. Oakland gets Michigan State at The Palace of Auburn Hills, which counts as a home game for the Golden Grizzlies despite the fact that MSU alumni and fans will far outnumber those of OU.

After UMKC's game with Kansas on January 5, we will revisit this list to see how the conference fared against teams above the Red Line. In the meantime, how many of these games do you see The Summit League winning? Which game intrigues you most as a potential Red Line upset?

Five Interesting Off-Season Developments For Summit League Basketball

We break from our posts on individual coaches and players for a look back at five interesting off-season developments pertaining to basketball in The Summit League. While each program had its own interesting news stories this summer, we found the following five to be among the most interesting. Some of the items discussed may have a big impact on the 2010-11 season while others might tackle a more long-term issue. This list is far from exhaustive, but hopefully it's compelling enough to get fans excited about some of the Summit's developing storylines.

#1. The Depletion of the Gentlemen

Folks familiar with The Summit League probably saw this one coming from a mile away. Entering its last year in Division I play before moving to Division III, the Centenary program experienced high rates of personnel turnover this off-season. From last year, only five scholarship players return, and the coaching staff has been completely depleted. The team's head coach, Greg Gary, left the program for an assistant gig at Duquesne. His replacement is 31-year-old Adam Walsh. At the time of this post, Walsh has just one paid assistant coach, another man entering his first year with Centenary (the team also has listed a "Volunteer Assistant" on its coaching staff). Needless to say, the Gentlemen are looking more like a gentleman these days. As a result of the depletion of its personnel, Centenary will likely struggle through much of 2010-11. We feel for the Gents but also hope that their oncoming plight serves as a reminder to Summit League fans to appreciate what you have with your given program. It could always be worse.

#2. The NBA Comes Knocking On Keith Benson's Door

As an Oakland blog, we've spent a bit of time this off-season talking about Keith Benson's NBA prospects. For a while, it looked like he was a sure early entrant into this year's draft, but a lingering thumb injury prevented him from participating in information-gathering workouts. As a result, Benson decided to stick with OU for one more season. While the Oakland program was happy to have the Summit League Player of the Year back, there is no doubt this news came much to the chagrin of opposing conference coaches. Benson will look to dominate again in 2010-11, not only to lead his team to a championship but also to raise the eyebrows of the NBA scouts that are sure to follow him. This off-season there has been more ink and pixels dedicated to Benson than perhaps any other Summit League player in history. He's been listed on every pre-season "top players" list out there, profiled by a number of national publications, and highlighted as a top senior and top center by all of the major NBA Draft prediction websites. Though Benson may have to wait another year to realize his dream, there is no doubt that his presence here has brought the conference a lot of attention this off-season.

#3. Interest in North Dakota Heats Up

While The Summit League's interest in the University of North Dakota has been assumed for a while now, the conference has just recently stepped up its pursuit of the school. Conference officials will conduct a site visit with UND in the coming weeks, which serves as an indication that the program is close to receiving an invitation to join the league. It makes perfect sense: NDSU and SDSU have been members for a few years now, and next season the University of South Dakota will take the spot of Centenary to give the conference its tenth member. Solely adding UND probably wouldn't make much sense since it would leave The Summit League with 11 members, but with news that the Big Sky could experience some changes in the coming months, some are predicting that Southern Utah could finally receive an invite to the Big Sky, a conference that makes much more sense geographically for the Thunderbirds. This is a story in its early stages of development but definitely one worth following as the season gets underway.

#4. Summit League Football?

Just like in the BCS leagues, many of the conference realignment scenarios that could play out in these smaller leagues is very dependent on football. Not surprisingly, the situation involving North Dakota also has a football component to it. At present, the President's Council for The Summit League has initiated a football feasibility study for the conference, which could involve any of the schools in the league that field a football team but play in other conferences. This won't have a huge affect on the coming basketball season, but because decisions could involve the addition or subtraction of certain schools, we thought it was worth mentioning here. If football is your thing, I highly recommend reading this detailed article from CollegeSportsInfo.com. It does a great job of breaking down the various aspects of how football could affect The Summit League.

#5. The Bison Basketball Statement

Just over a week ago, North Dakota State University announced its plans for a complete renovation of its basketball facility. The Bison Sports Arena, where the team currently plays, will be reborn as the Sanford Health Athletic Center, or as fans are already calling it, the SHAC. Despite the catchy acronym, this place will be far from a shack. Early renderings paint it as a premiere athletics facility, with the basketball area as its shining centerpiece. The arena will hold approximately 5,700 fans and will feature brand new strength and conditioning centers, locker rooms, and practice basketball courts. There's no doubt that this development will give NDSU a distinct recruiting edge despite its northernly location while bringing it to the highest level of facilities in The Summit League. While this story may not have resonated much with fans outside of the Dakotas, Summit League enthusiasts should take note of it. The Bison mean business.

Other Summit League Preview coverage:

- Five Summit League Players To Watch In 2010-11

- Five Summit League Sophomores Looking To Breakout In 2010-11

- Summit League Coaching Storylines For 2010-11

Summit League Coaching Storylines For 2010-11

Here in The Summit League, coaches matter. For the Caliparis, Pitinos, and Coach Ks of the college basketball world, recruits simply line up for invites to their programs. As a result, most of them have players with the talent and ability where true coaching may not as necessary (after all, most of these guys are heading to the NBA where coaching is more about managing egos). In The Summit League, our coaches are the individuals who scour the country for the hidden gems and team-first players who can help make their programs successful. They are the ones who actually do the most coaching, whether on the court or in life (you know, because most of these guys aren't NBA-bound and might use that degree one day). In this conference, every coach is working toward the goal of building a program which competes for NCAA Tournament bids on a consistent basis. While the automatic bid and the constraints that come with being in a geographically-challenged conference like The Summit League bind them all together, each coach has his own unique situation to handle. The following words aim to shine a light on some of the storylines involving the league's leading men heading into the 2010-11 season.

Centenary: Adam Walsh (1st season)

Adam Walsh may have the toughest job in the nation this season. He takes over a team in its last year of Division I play with talent more poised for Division III competition. It will be a long season in Shreveport, and Walsh will have the precious task of keeping his players motivated and encouraged through the many losses they are sure to endure. While wins will be few and far between for the Gents in 2010-11, it should provide Walsh's young men with a unique opportunity to improve themselves against the superior competition. He will learn a lot this year, too, and can take those lessons into the next chapter of Centenary's basketball program where he'll look to build a D-III power.

IPFW: Dane Fife (6th season)

Coach Dane Fife has been just the kind of guy the IPFW program needed as it chartered its path into Division I basketball. Despite the fact he'd probably land a high-profile assistant gig in a heartbeat, Mr. Fife has stuck with the Mastodons for five seasons now, leading the program to its first winning record in 2009-10. The former Indiana University standout has more or less built the IPFW program in its D-I era, aiming to make it yet another solid basketball contender in the Hoosier state. Fife's success hasn't gone unnoticed; over the summer, his name was mentioned as a candidate for a few head coaching openings, most notably at Toledo. While we'll never know how serious such overtures were, there's no doubt that Fife has made himself into a coaching commodity. For now, we'll see if he can lead his team to a second straight winning season. If he can do that, his name will start popping up more often when the Coaching Carousel starts to turn.

IUPUI: Ron Hunter (17th season)

Ron Hunter seems to get the most publicity of any coach in The Summit League, both for incredibly positive things and not so stellar instances. Whether he's walking barefoot or at the center of a race debate, Hunter generally comes across as one of the most likable coaches in the conference. Some fans may disagree with that statement, but I believe it to be true of the 17th year head coach. This season he'll coach star-in-the-making Alex Young, a junior who Hunter will be counting on to lead the Jaguars to a conference championship. For Hunter as an individual, the leading question for 2010-11 is, simply put, what will he do next? Here's to hoping some sideline joking with Oakland's Greg Kampe will ensue when the two meet in their annual series.

UMKC: Matt Brown (4th season)

If Matt Brown's Kangaroo team doesn't make some strides this season, one has to wonder how much longer he'll have to turn the program around. This year marks his fourth in Kansas City, a tenure that has been full of losing both games and players. If there is any coach on the hot-seat in The Summit League, it's surely Brown. For the sake of stability, let's hope UMKC can avoid the kind of dismal season that would lead to Brown's unemployment.

North Dakota State: Saul Phillips (4th season)

As is often the case with any job, sometimes people just get lucky. Saul Phillips took over the NDSU program from Tim Miles just as it was completing the final year in its reclassification process. In his second season and NDSU's first with postseason eligibility, his Bison squad made a memorable run to the NCAA Tournament. While that team had to be coached - a job Phillips did admirably - much of the talent was recruited by Miles. Now entering his fourth season, Phillips has brought in a number of his own recruits and will be working to find continued success in The Summit League. His job is likely as safe as they come, but the Bison fans will be keeping a close eye on the program this year to see if the new and young returning players can continue to develop into legitimate hoopers.

Oakland: Greg Kampe (27th season)

The clear question for Oakland coach Greg Kampe heading into the 2010-11 season is what will he do with his hair? In 2009-10, Kampe rid himself of the curlicues fans had grown fond of in exchange for a fresh buzzcut. The new hairdo was accompanied by much success for the coach's Golden Grizzlies. In a few appearances this summer, OU's leading man was seen sporting the long locks once again, though our expectation is that superstition will set in and he'll be buzzed before the first game of the season. Another possibility is that he'll keep his hair long until after the West Virginia game, if not only to prove he can do the "casually-dressed coach with a full head of hair" look better than the Mountaineer's Bob Huggins.

Oral Roberts: Scott Sutton (12th season):

For a guy who comes from a family that's in the news a lot, Scott Sutton is a rather boring dude. I mean that respectfully, of course. His teams are always solid, to the point where ORU is a perpetual top-three team in The Summit League. Because of his success with the Golden Eagles, his name comes up every now and then as a "hot" candidate for a bigger gig elsewhere, yet every time one thinks he might consider leaving, he stays put in Tulsa. As a college basketball fan, it's tough to have many qualms with Sutton. He's just solid. Expect more of the same in 2010-11.

South Dakota State: Scott Nagy (16th season)

Scott Nagy seems to me a very loyal man who probably has as much of an impact on his players off the court as he does on it. Nagy enters his 16th season as the coach of South Dakota State with expectations to make some noise in The Summit League for the second straight season. Early on, there were folks who questioned Nagy's ability to coach and recruit at a Division I level, but I believe he has proven his ability to do both. His recruiting class this year is very strong and will look to take SDSU to the next level over the next few years. This season will be about how Nagy handles the higher expectations and integrates new players who might have more talent than some of the experienced veterans.

Southern Utah: Roger Reid (4th season)

The fact that the expectations at Southern Utah are probably quite tame probably helps Roger Reid overall. Entering his fourth season, he hasn't exactly led the Thunderbirds to the kind of success that warrants job security, yet you can hardly blame the coach alone. SUU is such a bad fit for the conference in its current form that it'd be incredibly difficult for anyone to lead the program to the promised land of college hoops. A program like SUU needs a guy who has no coaching ego, someone who truly wishes to help guide the team through the long seasons of losing in order to set a foundation on which to achieve success in the future. My gut tells me Reid is a man of such character, though at some point soon he'll have to field a team competitive enough to make it into the conference tournament, at the very least.

Western Illinois: Jim Molinari (3rd season)

I'm a firm believer that Jim Molinari has the Western Illinois program on the rise. The Leathernecks have such a sad basketball history (truly, it will make you weep), so credit Molinari for having the guts to go to Macomb, Illinois, of all places, to help build a winner. He still has a lot of time left before the hawks start circling. This season, a winning record would be outstanding for Molinari. While WIU might be a year away from reaching that goal, it's certainly something to hope for.

Five Summit League Sophomores Looking To Break Out In 2010-11

The premiere talent in The Summit League is mostly concentrated in the league's upperclassman this season. There will be a bevy of juniors and seniors hoping to lead their teams to the championship while earning All-League individuals honors in the process. Some of them appeared on our "Top Five Players To Watch" list earlier in our conference preview series, but that list was more about the excitement that comes from watching a particular player than pure production. The truth is, if you are a fan of this league, then you know who the heavy hitters are heading into 2010-11. While we're anticipating big things from Keith Benson, Dominique Morrison, Alex Young, Michael Tveidt, and others, there are also a number of underclassmen who will be looking to break-out this year in hopes of earning an expanding role once their older teammates run out of eligibility. In compiling this list, I took into account all those players who will be sophomores this season and based the choice on what they accomplished last year, how their team will utilize them this year, and how they fit into the team's plans for the future. In addition, players were considered based on the all-encompassing "eye-test."

Damen Bell-Holter - Sophomore Forward, Oral Roberts

The 6'9", 240 pound Bell-Holter was Oral Roberts' only reliable big man off the bench last season, a role most would say he filled well considering he was just a freshman. While he averaged 4.6 points and 3.2 rebounds per game, he started to hit his stride during The Summit League tournament. Prior to his two matches in Sioux Falls, I had not paid much attention to DBH, if not only because Kevin Ford was Oral Roberts' go-to big man. But Ford got into some foul trouble in the tournament, and Bell-Holter was called upon to be a difference maker in the paint. He finished with 15 rebounds between the two games (his highest two-game total of the season) along with some modest scoring output. I came away impressed with his poise in those high-stress games. He'll need to carry over that confidence into this season as his role will likely expand to the point that he'll probably start for the Golden Eagles. He's got a big body and skills to make an impact this season. In fact, he might be the league's best sophomore this year.

David Gebru - Sophomore Center, Western Illinois

During the 2009-10 season, David Gebru only played about 13 minutes per game, mostly due to the fact that Western Illinois already had a decent center in James Granstra. Granstra has since left the team, meaning that Mr. Gebru (this has a nice ring to it) will likely have the opportunity to earn the starting center role in just his sophomore season. His numbers were unimpressive last season, especially in the rebounding department where he should have a natural advantage at 6'10" tall. This is likely explained by Gebru's lack of toughness and relatively frail frame. If that doesn't sound like someone you know, then you may not have watched Keith Benson during his freshman season. While Gebru may be world's away from being an NBA prospect, he has the kind of body and potential that make him an interesting case. If his coaches can develop him appropriately, Gebru could have a great career in The Summit League. This year, he needs to show he has made some progress during the off-season, and I think given more minutes, his numbers will surely rise.

Matt Hodgson - Sophomore Center, Southern Utah

Originally, I had wanted to choose Southern Utah's Matt Massey for this feature, as I was a bit more enthused by his play than Matt Hodgson last season. Alas, Massey is a year ahead of Hodgson (a sophomore), though both are very tall, very skinny ballers from Australia. Hodgson is the taller of the two, checking in at 6'11" and 225 pounds. His thin frame makes him an easy target for bigger and more athletic bigs, but fortunately for Matt, those guys are hard to find in The Summit League. Hodgson's numbers should jump up this year (from 6.3 points and 4.8 rebounds), but he's already doing two things very well: shooting and blocking. His 58% field goal percentage is otherworldly, even for a dude just relying on put-backs for a majority of his points. Additionally, he averaged a solid 2.2 blocks per game, meaning he at least knows how to take advantage of his size in that regard. Hodgson may not have the potential of a guy like Gebru, but he certainly fills a big need for Southern Utah. If he can stay out of foul trouble and make some plays, he'll definitely have a solid year for the Thunderbirds.

Kirk Korver - Sophomore Forward, UMKC

The man with the most famous last name in The Summit League: Kirk Korver. In the Great Plains region of the states, the Korver family is basketball royalty. A number of Korver boys have had very successful collegiate careers in this area, most notably brother Kyle who has stuck in the NBA primarily because of his sharp-shooting skills. Kirk Korver can certainly shoot the superhoop, but because he is one of the bigger guys on a relatively small UMKC squad, he's often relegated to the paint where he is usually overmatched. At just 6'7", UMKC still lists him as a "forward/center," which is quite sad given his ability on the perimeter. Korver's role is bound to expand this year, hopefully to the point where he can start to make plays for himself and his teammates. While he won't be the feature guy this season, there is a chance he can get to that point should he stick around in Kansas City. And Korver - the winner of the team's award honoring academic ability, moral character, and leadership - is certainly the kind of guy who Coach Matt Brown wants to hold onto.

Drew Valentine - Sophomore Forward, Oakland

I'm not sure any Oakland fan could predict what Drew Valentine's role will be for the Golden Grizzlies in 2010-11. He's a sort of classic tweener, in that his size suggests he's a guard, yet he plays more like a forward. In limited action last season, Valentine impressed with his ability to be in the right place at the right time. Even though he always seemed to be guarded by bigger guys, Drew found a way to grab a tough offensive rebound or make a difficult lay-up time after time. His overall numbers wouldn't indicate that he's anywhere close to breaking out, yet it's a possibility because there should be more playing time for him this season. He can fill a need at the small forward position provided his defense is solid, or he could end up playing a hybrid guard/forward role in certain scenarios. Whatever the case, Oakland fans know that Valentine plays tough and seems to make the most of his opportunities (as he did during OU's NCAA tourney game against Pittsburgh). This player has an important future with the Golden Grizzlies, and I think we will begin to find out why during his sophomore campaign.

Other Summit League Preview coverage:

- Five Summit League Players To Watch In 2010-11

Five Summit League Players To Watch In 2010-11

This week the Gameplan is glad to be kicking off a series of posts previewing various aspects of The Summit League for the rapidly approaching 2010-11 season. There will be pieces on a number of different topics, beginning today with a look at a few of the conference's players. The following list was derived from a combination of each player's hype, expectations, previous history, and fit with the team. This is not necessarily a list of players to watch because they are projected first teamers or future professionals, but rather a compilation of players that I'm most looking forward to actually watching this season for a number of reasons which are expanded upon below.

Ceola Clark - Junior Guard, Western Illinois

I have slept on this guy long enough. It remains to be seen how much damage Western Illinois can do this year in The Summit League, so there might not be many reasons to watch the team this year other than to see Mr. Clark. This dude will be called upon to pretty much do it all for the Leathernecks in 2010-11, and he's surely capable. In 2009-10, this is what his stat line looked like: 14.2 points, 5.0 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 2.7 assists per game to go along with 47.0% field goal shooting and 40.6% from downtown. His shooting percentage was good enough for third in the conference and second amongst those who played more than 10 minutes per game. This season Ceola will have to shoulder more of the scoring load as his backcourt-mate David Nurse has graduated, but he's definitely up to the challenge. So long as Clark's teammates can knock down some shots to relieve some of the defensive pressure that is bound to follow him, there is no doubt that his numbers could explode during his junior year. If you can convince yourself that his play is enough to get you to watch a Western Illinois game, then you will not be disappointed. Just try to stay focused on Number 23.

Jordan Dykstra - Freshman Forward, South Dakota State

Although South Dakota State's 2009-10 season ended abruptly in the first round of The Summit League tournament, the Jacks had an otherwise impressive campaign. Coach Scott Nagy made the most of what he had, which was mostly a squad full of guards and small forwards. This season he'll welcome freshman Jordan Dykstra to the fold, a 6'8" forward who checks in at 222 pounds. Dykstra may be one of the Jacks' best overall recruits yet as he comes from a team that won back-to-back state championships in Iowa during his junior and senior years. A proven winner on the court and all-star in the classroom (graduated with a 3.9 GPA), Dykstra just seems like the kind of guy who works hard no matter what he's doing. I fully expect him to make an immediate impact for SDSU this season with the potential to develop into a star forward in the conference. He'll surely have some ups-and-downs in his first year, but it'll still be exciting to watch him just to see if he can capitalize on some of his promise.

Ledrick Eackles - Sophomore Guard, Oakland

I attempted to stay away from any Oakland players in this discussion, but in filling out this list, Ledrick Eackles kept coming to mind. As a neutral basketball fan, I love the way Eackles plays (and obviously as an Oakland fan, that love is tripled). Entering his freshman season, Eackles was sort of a mystery to most, hailing from a faraway state and part of a first-year class that wasn't expected to get much playing time. Due to his aggressive defense and emotional play, Eackles quickly earned regular minutes off the bench and was arguably one of the team's best players during the month of January. His minutes dropped off considerably after that, almost to the point that he became a non-factor. And then came the NCAA Tournament game. In an emotionally draining game, Eackles seemed to be the only guy playing with intensity in the second-half for Oakland. I hope he can build on that performance during his sophomore season. He is an incredibly exciting, athletic player capable of getting to the basket and drawing fouls, knocking down the occasional outside shot, and giving opponents fits on the defensive end. If you're watching an Oakland game this year, look out for the dude (hopefully) rocking the flat-top.

Hunter McClintock - Redshirt Freshman Guard, Oral Roberts

This guy joins the Oral Roberts active roster after redshirting during his first year due to a season-ending injury. Heading into 2009-10, the ORU faithful were stoked on this quick guard, no doubt thanks to a series of YouTube videos called "Hunter McClintock Breakin Ankles." There is no way someone watches those videos without getting supremely excited about McClintock. Prior to his injury, many had pegged McClintock as a starter from day one, but after strong performances from the team's backcourt last season, that remains to be seen. While there should be a lot of competition amongst the Golden Eagle guards for playing time in 2010-11, I hope that Hunter spends some significant time on the court. As an Oakland fan, it would be nice if he isn't as strong as he appears on paper (and video), but as a fan of the conference and college basketball in general, it's impossible to root against a guy this smooth. This dude also seems like the perfect candidate for a sick nickname. ORU fans, what say you?

Alex Young - Junior Forward, IUPUI

Even though Alex Young had hefty averages last year, no one would argue that Robert Glenn was the focal point of IUPUI last season. With the departure of Glenn, Mr. Young will get his opportunity to be the number one guy for the Jaguars in 2010-11. My first encounter with the junior was when he visited Oakland during his freshman season. He jacked up seven three-pointers and connected on only one of them, and he had four turnovers and zero assists. Even though he had a poor shooting night and was out-of-control at times, I could see the promise. I remember thinking that Coach Ron Hunter may have found a replacement for the venerable George Hill, but that was before Robert Glenn started to dominate. So Young had to wait a little bit longer, but he still has two years left in Indianapolis and should make a lot of noise in The Summit League. This guy could seriously average close to a double-double this year if he picks up some of the rebounding lost from the graduation of Glenn and Billy Pettiford. He will be very exciting to watch throughout the season and will be a big reason why the Jaguars will contend in the upper-echelon of the conference this season.

The Roster: Now And Later

Over the course of the off-season, the Oakland University men's basketball received verbal commitments from two players. Matt Poches, a 6'4" guard from Hartland, announced his decision to come to Oakland in April, while the 6'6" Dante Williams of Ann Arbor gave his word in August. When paired with the arrival of Michigan transfer Laval Lucas-Perry, these additions bring the Golden Grizzlies roster to 13 scholarship players for the 2011-12 season. While it's always possible for players to transfer, get kicked off the team, or lose a scholarship, we're operating with the knowledge we have at present. With that said, the following table displays what the roster looks like from this year through the eligibility limits of the team's freshest recruits.

Oakland will have a fairly large senior class in 2011-12, which means that the next year will be an essential recruiting year for the coaching staff. They'll have five open scholarships to work with for the 2012-13 season and needs at nearly every position, most notably on the wing. Hopefully the program's recent momentum on the court will further spill over into its recruitment efforts. Whatever happens with recruiting, we'll be keeping this table updated to reflect any additions or subtractions.

Keeping Tabs On: Johnathon Jones, Derick Nelson, & Dan Waterstradt

With the end of September comes the beginning of the season for many of Europe's basketball leagues. Three players who have suited up for the Golden Grizzlies within the past two years will be playing for overseas teams this year. In an attempt to highlight these former players, we've provided some basic information that should help the curious Oakland fan keep tabs on these players - Johnathon Jones, Derick Nelson, and Dan Waterstradt - in 2010-11.

Johnathon Jones

Country: Slovakia

Team: MBK Rieker Komarno

JJ will be leading the point guard position for Komarno this season. In fact, the team has already played one game, a win in which the former Oakland point guard played 40 minutes while dishing out 7 assists. While Jones was wearing the number 10 in this video of him knocking down a three-pointer, his official photo (shown above) advertises him with the familiar #23. To follow JJ's stats throughout the season, click here. The Slovakian Eurobasket page is also a great resource for actual words that are sure to be written about Komarno this season by writer Tomas Kottra, the man responsible for keeping us in the loop here at the Gameplan (and also much of this neat digital content).

Update: Check out this site to see some highlights of one of JJ's recent games. His team lost by one point in the final seconds, and at the 1:18 mark of the video you can actually see Jones taking the final desperation shot to try and win the game. Something about that shot brings back memories of his shot against NDSU after Ben Woodside's dagger. Sigh.

Derick Nelson

Country: Finland

Team: Kouvot Kouvola

Nelson's team has already played two games this season, and there's no doubt the former Oakland forward had a bigger impact in the first. He played 30 minutes, scoring 12 points and grabbing 8 boards for his squad. Coverage of his league is a bit more difficult to track down (at least in English), but if you want to keep up with Derick's stats, be sure to check out his Eurobasket page periodically throughout the season.

Dan Waterstradt

Country: Romania

Team: CS Municipal Bucuresti

Waterstradt appears to have spent time with two different teams in Romania last season, but he will return to Bucuresti this year, which is the same team that he was with at the end of 2009-10. Dan posted some strong averages with the club last season, so hopefully he will continue to provide results in Romania to further his professional career. There are a few highlight videos featuring the former Oakland center, but the one below takes the cake. Good to see the international game has given Waterstradt the ability to take the outside shot at-will.

We wish these guys the best of luck as they begin or continue their journeys as professional basketball players. It must surely get tough living in a foreign country away from family and friends, but hopefully these guys are using it as an opportunity to grow both as basketball players and individuals. After all, getting paid to play ball is not such a bad first gig straight out of college.