(1) Oakland 76, (2) IUPUI 64

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SIOUX FALLS, SD - Derick Nelson erupted for 36 points as Oakland University defeated IUPUI 76-62 in the championship game of the 2010 Summit League men's basketball tournament Tuesday night at the Sioux Falls Arena.

Oakland earned the league's automatic berth in the NCAA tournament with its 11^th straight victory. OU is now 26-8, setting a school single season record for victories. It's the second Summit League tourney title for Oakland, which also won the crown in 2005. Oakland was also the league's regular-season champion but had split its two games with IUPUI.

Nelson's point total is the second highest in tourney history, two points shy of the record set by Wright State's Bill Edwards in 1993. And the 6-5 senior set the tourney record with 15 field goals, on 23 attempts.

Nelson triggered a first-half Oakland run which had the Golden Grizzlies recover from some cold early shooting to go on a 20-5 run which gave them a 33-25 lead after trailing 20-13.  Nelson scored 11 consecutive points in that run. Oakland scored just one point in the first five minutes before Nelson's layup gave the Grizzlies their first field goal.

OU led 35-27 at the half. After IUPUI scored back-to-back baskets to open the half, OU had a 11-0 run, with Nelson hitting three baskets, including a trey, and Keith Benson getting the other two.

Benson scored just eight points in the game but had 17 rebounds for the second straight game and blocked six shots.  He finished the tournament 47 boards.

Larry Wright was the only other player in double figures for OU, with 16 points.

Alex Young scored 19, Robert Glenn 18 and Leroy Nobles 14 for IUPUI, which is 24-10 for the season.           

Oakland shot 46.2 percent for the game (30-of-65) and had a 43-26 rebounding advantage. IUPUI shot 46.3 percent (25-of-54).  Billy Pettiford led IUPUI with seven rebounds. 

Summit League All-Tournament Team
Keith Benson, Oakland
Robert Glenn, IUPUI
Johnathon Jones, Oakland
Derick Nelson, Oakland (MVP)
Alex Young, IUPUI