From staff reports
Oakland senior center Keith Benson (6-foot-11, 230 pounds) has been named to the 2010-11 Naismith Preseason Watch List, announced by the Atlanta Tipoff Club on Tuesday. The Naismith Trophy is given to the men’s college basketball player of the year.
Benson, a native of Farmington Hills, who went to Birmingham Detroit Country Day), has the Golden Grizzlies off to a 1-1 start this season. He posted his 30th double-double against West Virginia (Nov. 12) with a game-high 22 points and 15 rebounds. Despite early foul trouble that limited him to just 19 minutes, Benson scored 10 points in the second half and finished with six rebounds and three blocked shots.
Benson has moved into 11th all-time in Summit League history in rebounds (760) and continues to rank second all-time in blocked shots (249).
Benson led the Golden Grizzlies to their most successful season with 26 wins and a league-record 17-1 mark in 2009-10. Oakland went on to the NCAA tournament, as Benson averaged a double-double at the Summit League Tournament (13.0 ppg, 15.7 rpg). Oakland fell to No. 18 Pittsburgh in the first round of the NCAA tournament, 89-66, but Benson finished with 28 points and nine rebounds.