Mid-Continent Quarterfinals Recap

(1) Valparaiso 73, (8) Oakland 64
The number thirteen proved to live up to its cursed history as Oakland lost yet again to Valparaiso. Valpo advances to the Mid-Con semifinals for the 12th consecutive season.

Oakland’s Mike Helms and his foul slash attitude problem left a scoring gap that the Grizz could not overcome. Helms picked up his third personal foul with 2:07 left in the first half, which was immediately followed by a technical foul giving him four personals.

Helms returned with 15 minutes to go in the contest and cut Oakland’s deficit to 44-38. Valpo responded with an 11-0 run and would not look back. .

Dan Oppland led the Crusaders with 19 points, while Rawle Marshall had 20 for the Golden Grizzlies. Helms, the conference’s leading scorer and second on the all-time Mid-Con list finished his college career with 16 points.

Valpo faces UMKC in the semifinals at 6 p.m. Monday night.

(5) UMKC 86, (4) Oral Roberts 73
Oral Roberts’ Infant Eagles surprise run in the Mid-Con is over. Thanks to Mr. Mid-Con’s All-Time Leading Scorer Michael Watson’s 14 first half points the Kangaroos look a 13 point halftime lead.

Watson responded to every Oral Roberts’ threat. The last time the Golden Eagles cut the margin to single digits at 8:02 Watson hit a jumper and the Roos led by double-digits the rest of the game.

Ken Tutt and Josh Atkinson led the Eagles with 20 while Caleb Green added his 15th double-double of the season.

Watson finished with a game high of 30 points and also had six assists.

Host UMKC faces Valpo tomorrow.

(2) IUPUI 74, (7) Southern Utah 60
IUPUI makes its case for a repeat NCAA tournament appearance after defeating Southern Utah. The Jag’s advance to the second round of the tournament for the fourth straight season.

Compliments of Jason Baker’s outside shooting SU was only down by four at halftime.

But a 9-2 run sparked by Player of the Year Odell Bradley followed by a late 13-0 run again sparked by Bradley and Matt Crenshaw put the game out of reach for Southern Utah.

Bradley led the Jags with 18 points while David Palmer ended his SU career with a 19 point showing.

(6) Chicago State 70, (3) Centenary 54
Team Surprise took the magic away from The Wizard and the Gents and advanced for the first time in the Mid-Con tournament.

Centenary could only manage two leads in the game and they were at 2-0 and at 4-2. The Gents did not have an answer to the tough play of Craig Franklin who led all scores with 18 points. X-factor froshy Jeleel Ankindele added four rejections.

The Wiz, Andrew Wisniewski could only contribute 8 points in his career swan song.