Seattle U Men's Hoops: Redhawks lose to Oakland, 77-68

Oakland University decided to go small on Charles Garcia, and that helped result in Seattle University coming up short for the first time this season at home.

The visiting Golden Grizzlies, picked to win the Summit League title this year, handed the Redhawks their first defeat in four KeyArena games this year, 77-68, in front of 2,243.

Garcia, who came into the game averaging 25 points — fifth in the country — was held to a season-low five. He hit just one field goal before fouling out with 3:52 remaining. The 6-foot-9 junior, increasingly viewed as a possible first-round NBA draft pick this year should he come out, was 1 of 6 from the floor in 20 minutes. His previous low was 12 points.

Oakland, located in Rochester, Mich., usually used a smaller player to guard Garcia, then doubled him with a bigger player when he got the ball, often 6-11 center Keith Benson, another possible first-round pick.

"Everyone we saw tried to go big [on Garcia]," said Oakland coach Greg Kampe. "What we wanted to do was post our little guy up and then double him with our shot blocker and not let him take a big [defender] out on the perimeter and shake him and go by and create fouls. We thought our little guys could stay in front of him."

Garcia, who came in having taken 51 more free throws than any player in the country, was only 3 of 5 from the foul line.

Redhawks coach Cameron Dollar lauded Oakland's defense, but also said, "I don't know if [Garcia] was in there that much to where he was really a consistent problem for them because he was in foul trouble."

Indeed, Garcia played only 12 minutes in the first half after getting two fouls, then picked up his third on a double technical with 17:01 remaining. Garcia went to the bench for a while, then picked up his fourth foul with 13:57 left.

He scored his only field goal with 5:15 left to give the Redhawks their biggest lead, 65-60. But Oakland responded with a 7-0 run. Benson's layin with 1:16 left put Oakland ahead for good, 69-67, and he made the defensive play of the game when he swooped across the lane and used his long arms to block a layin by Aaron Broussard with 52 seconds left.

Oakland (6-5) then put the game away at the line.

The Redhawks (6-6) shot only 33.8 percent overall and were 3 of 18 on three-point attempts. Seattle was also outrebounded 57-39, with Oakland's Benson grabbing 16 along with his 16 points and five blocks.

"They guarded, they rebounded, they won," Dollar said. "Pretty simple."

OAKLAND, MICH. (6-5)
min		fgm-a	ftm-a	or-t	a	pf	pts
Nelson	10	1-5	1-2	1-1	1	0	3
Hudson	28	2-4	0-0	2-4	1	2	4
Benson	36	7-18	2-2	7-16	1	4	16
Wright	36	6-13	7-7	2-6	2	3	21
Jones	40	2-9	6-6	1-8	3	1	10
Eackles	14	3-5	2-2	1-1	1	5	8
Valentine	1	0-0	0-0	0-0	0	2	0
Cushingbrry	20	0-3	5-6	0-3	1	1	5
Maynard	15	5-11	0-0	1-10	1	3	10
	200	26-68	23-25	19-57	11	21	77

Percentages: FG .382, FT .920. Three-point goals: 2-13, .154 (Wright 2-4, Eackles 0-1, Jones 0-2, Maynard 0-3, Cushingberry 0-3). Team rebounds: 8. Blocked shots: 5 (Benson 5). Turnovers: 19 (Benson 5, Jones 4, Cushingberry 3, Maynard 2, Wright 2, Eackles, Nelson, Hudson). Steals: 8 (Jones 3, Maynard 3, Cushingberry, Nelson). Technical fouls: Jones.

SEATTLE (6-6)
min		fgm-a	ftm-a	or-t	a	pf	pts
Broussard	25	5-14	0-0	3-4	0	3	10
Garcia	20	1-6	3-5	2-7	1	5	5
Gilmore	8	1-2	0-0	1-1	0	0	2
Boxley	31	2-6	2-2	2-4	0	3	6
Burrell	37	6-14	2-3	0-3	5	1	14
Lever	15	0-3	2-2	1-2	0	3	2
Olson	1	0-0	1-2	0-0	0	0	1
Gweth	32	4-15	4-4	1-4	2	3	14
Harris	13	0-0	1-2	0-2	0	1	1
Jones	18	6-14	0-0	1-3	1	1	13
	200	25-74	15-20	16-39	9	20	68

Percentages: FG .338, FT .750. Three-point goals: 3-18, .167 (Gweth 2-7, Jones 1-4, Lever 0-1, Garcia 0-1, Broussard 0-2, Boxley 0-3). Team rebounds: 9. Blocked shots: 6 (Gweth 2, Jones, Garcia, Boxley, Gilmore). Turnovers: 13 (Garcia 4, Gweth 3, Jones 2, Boxley 2, Burrell 2). Steals: 10 (Boxley 4, Harris 2, Lever 2, Broussard, Gweth). Technical fouls: Garcia.

Oakland, Mich.	37	40	—	77
Seattle	33	35	—	68

Attendance: 2,243. Officials: Scott Harris, Scott Brown, Fred Trotter.