OU's Benson, Kampe Earn Summit League Honors

SIOUX FALLS, S.D.  – Senior Keith Benson was named Summit League Player of the Year for the second consecutive season, while Greg Kampe earned his second straight Coach of the Year honor, the school's athletic department announced in a news release.

Benson was also named defensive Player of the Year. A native of Farmington Hills, Benson led the league in rebounds per game (10.2), double-doubles (19) and blocked shots per game (3.8). He ranks second in the country in blocked shots, fifth in double-doubles and 19th in rebounding. Benson is averaging 17.7 points per game and set a new all-time league record with 363 blocked shots. He is the second player in league history to surpass 1,500 points and 1,000 rebounds, standing second in rebounds (1,065) and 13th in points scored (1,823).

Kampe is in his 27th season as head coach and earns his fifth career Summit League Coach of the Year honor. He guided the Golden Grizzlies to their second consecutive regular-season title, matching last-season’s record-setting 17-1 record. OU has won 20 or more games in each of the last three seasons and will be the top seed at the tournament March 5-8. OU is a nation’s best 34-2 in league play over the last two seasons.

Joining Benson on the all-league first team is junior transfer Reggie Hamilton. A native of Chicago, Hamilton finished second in the league with 5.3 assists per game and averaged 16.8 points per game. He stands third in the league with 2.4 3-pointers made per game and scored 18.5 points per game in league play.

Senior Will Hudson was selected to the All-Summit League second team after finishing second in the conference in field goal percentage (.641). He posted a career-high six double-doubles this season and led the league in offensive rebounds with a school record tying 111 this season. He ranks fourth in the league with 7.0 rebounds per game and blocked a career-high 31 shots this year.

Senior Larry Wright was named Sixth Man of the Year and freshman Travis Bader was selected to the All-Newcomer Team for the Golden Grizzlies. Wright, a native of Saginaw, Mich., came off the bench for the second half of the season and finished fifth in the league with 3.1 assists per game. Bader, a native of Okemos, Mich., ranked second in The Summit League with 2.7 treys made per game and ranks 13th nationally in three-point field goal percentage (.454).

Oakland's four accolades were the most won by a single team in Summit League history and the only time since the present award structure was created in 2002-03 that the same team has claimed the Player of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year and Sixth Man of the Year.