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SCHUMACHER NAMED 1ST TEAM ALL-AMERICAN HOPF TABBED HONORABLE MENTION ALL-AMERICAN Oakland City University’s Nathan Schumacher, a 6’6” junior from Evansville, Indiana, has been named to the National Christian College Athletic Association (NCCAA) Division I Men’s Basketball First Team All-American for 2008-09, Schumacher led the NCCAA Division I and the NCAA Division II in
“MIGHTY OAKS” PLACE THREE ON ALL-REGION Three members of the Oakland City University Men’s Basketball Program have been named to the 2008-09 National Christian College Athletic Association (NCCAA) Mideast All-Region Basketball Team, according to NCCAA Men’s Mideast Region Basketball Chair Mark Harden.
Mighty Oaks End Regular Season on High Note OCU won its last regularly scheduled game of the season over Temple Baptist, by a score of 92-73 in the Johnson Center on Saturday. The Mighty Oaks placed five players in double figures, led by Cody Dunn with 22 counters. Brandon Hopf popped for 18, Craig Parks added 17, Nathan Schumacher 14 and Evan Hutchinson scored 10 points. Schumacher continued his domination of the backboards by grabbing 16 caroms and Hutchinson handed out nine assists in the win. The Mighty Oaks will now have time to prepare for the upcoming NCCAA National Tournament, which they host, on March 19-21. (boxscore)
SIUE Wins Easily Over OCU The Mighty Oaks traveled to Edwardsville Tuesday evening, only to be handled easily by the home team. OCU fell behind 53-34 at half and never threatened thereafter. The Cougars held the Mighty Oaks to 5-22 from behind the arc and forced the visitors into 25 turnovers on the night. On the plus side, Brandon Hopf poured in 24 points, Zach Adams hit on 15 markers and five assists, while Nathan Schumacher scored 10 points and grabbed 10 rebounds. The Mighty Oaks are home on Saturday with a 3:00 p.m. tipoff against Temple Baptist. (boxscore) Mighty Oaks Win on Road OCU avenged an earlier season home loss to Urbana, by winning on the road over the Blue Knights 81-74. Nathan Schumacher grabbed a season high 25 rebounds and put in 20 counters to lead the winners. Brandon Hopf led all scorers with 23 points and Craig Parks added 22 markers. OCU held Urbana to 36% shooting from the field and won the rebound match-up by 45-38. The Mighty Oaks continue to struggle at the charity stripe, hitting only 14-24 for 58%. OCU Falls Short in Thriller The Mighty Oaks lost an tough one to Quincy in the Johnson Center Tuesday evening by a score of 83-79. In a very evenly matched game, it came down to the last few possessions for Quincy to secure the victory. Nathan Schumacher had a stellar performance with 22 points and 15 rebounds, while Brandon Hopf was right on his heels knocking down 20 counters and grabbing eight missed shots. Craig Parks hits some big shots down the stretch and finished with 14 counters and Evan Hutchinson popped for a dozen points and handed out seven assists. Poor foul shooting was the nemesis for OCU, who could only hit on 10 of 18 attempts for 58.8%. The Mighty Oaks travel to Ohio to face Urbana on Saturday. (boxscore)
Mighty Oaks Win Easily OCU's five starters scored in double figures Saturday as the Mighty Oaks raced passed Ohio State-Marion by a score of 104-62 in the Johnson Center. Nate Schumacher's 18 points and 15 rebounds in 24 minutes led the way for the hosts. Brandon Hopf netted 18 points and six boards, Evan Hutchinson 17 counters and six assists, Zach Adams a dozen markers and Cody Dunn chipped in 11 points. OCU outrebounded OSU-M by a margin of 62-29 and sank 56.4% of their field goal attempts on the day. The Mighty Oaks take on Knoxville College on Tuesday in the Johnson Center. Tip is at 8:00 p.m. (boxscore) *****OCU vs SIU-Edwardsville Postponed***** OCU Snaps Skid with Balanced Attack The Mighty Oaks placed four starters in double figures to hold on for an 85-73 victory over Temple Baptist on Saturday in the Johnson Center. Led by the trio of Cody Dunn, Nathan Schumacher and Brandon Hopf with 18 counters apiece and Evan Hutchinson with 16 markers, OCU kept the visiting Rams at arm's length most of the contest. Schumacher had another great day on the boards, pulling down a dozen missed shots to lead all players, plus he handed out eight assists for a well rounded effort. Evan Hutchinson doled out seven assists on the day in 40 minutes of playing time. OCU heads to Edwardsville, Illinois, on Tuesday to face NCAA Division I SIU-E. (boxscore)
Mighty Oaks Come Up Short to UAH Alabama-Huntsville, shook off a nice game ending run by OCU to hold on for a 66-58 victory in the Johnson Center Tuesday evening. The Mighty Oaks pulled within a few points late in the game, but their dismal 47% performance from the charity stripe sealed their fate. Nate Schumacher put in 40 minutes of playing time with 14 points and 8 rebounds to show for the effort. Brandon Hopf 13 markers and Evans Hutchinson put in 10 counters on the evening. OCU is back in action on Saturday when Temple Baptist visits the Johnson Center. (boxscore)
Hobbling OCU Loses to Urbana at Home The Mighty Oaks, playing without starting guard Evan Hutchinson, lost to a talented squad from Urbana 72-64 in the Johnson Center on Saturday. Hutchinson, who is 6th in the NCAA in assists per game is nursing a groin injury, to add to the season long injury woes OCU has faced all season. Using a six man deep lineup, Mike Sandifar saw his Mighty Oaks struggle from the field and the charity stripe all afternoon. Brandon Hopf led OCU with 23 points on a cool eight for 18 from the field. Hopf also grabbed 10 rebounds in the game. Nate Schumacher added 17 points and ripped down 16 rebounds in the loss. OCU will host Alabama-Huntsville on Tuesday with tip-off slated for 7pm. (boxscore)
Mighty Oaks Cruise Over Lincoln Christian Brandon Hopf poured in 30 points and Nathan Schumacher netted 17 and grabbed 17 rebounds as OCU pulled away from Lincoln Christian 97-63 in the Johnson Center on Saturday. Chris Sandifar came off the bench to pop for 17 points on five of six from behind the arc and score 11 points and handed out six assists in the win. The OCU defense held Lincoln Christian to 32% shooting from the field, which included a lowly 15% from behind the arc. The Mighty Oaks are back in action on Saturday when they host Urbana. Tip is at 3pm. (Boxscore) OCU Wins in Overtime OCU slipped by a very tough Central Christian squad in overtime in the Johnson Center Tuesday evening by a score of 94-88. The Mighty Oaks overcame a combined 69 points by the Saints' Terry Jones (35 points) and De'Ronte' Polite (34 markers). Brandon Hopf led the charge for OCU with 29 points and nine rebounds. Nathan Schumacher was right behind Hopf with 21 counters and 9 boards. Evan Hutchinson's 19 points and Zach Adams' 17 markers rounded out the Mighty Oaks in double figures. OCU is back in action on Saturday when Lincoln Christian stops by the Johnson Center for a 3pm tip. Alabama-Huntsville Outlasts OCU The Mighty Oaks fell behind 51-27 at the break in Huntsville, Alabama and couldn't catch up with Alabama-Huntsville despite 54 point second half effort to lose 89-81 Saturday evening. OCU put all five starters in double figures in the loss, including a team high 19 points from sophomore Hunter Elliott. Evan Hutchinson added 15 counters and eight assists, Brandon Hopf tossed in 15 counters, Zach Adams put in 14 markers and Nathan Schumacher popped for 11 points and nabbed a dozen rebounds. UAH out rebounded the Mighty Oaks 39-31 and shot 53.2% from the field for the game. OCU struggled from the charity stripe hitting on only seven of their 14 attempts for an even 50%. OCU returns to the Johnson Center on Tuesday to face Central Christian. Tip-off is at 8pm. (Boxscore)
Mighty Oaks Fall on Road to UMSL OCU couldn't hold a nine point lead five minutes into the second half to lose to UMSL in St. Louis on Tuesday evening. Despite a 37-30 rebounding edge, the Mighty Oaks gave up 46 points to the Tritons in the final stanza. It was OCU's second loss in as many nights away from home. Brandon Hopf scored 16 points, Nathan Schumacher had 15 counters and 13 rebounds, Hunter Elliott added a dozen markers and Evan Hutchinson handed out 12 assists in the loss. OCU heads to Huntsville, Alabama to face UA-Huntsville on January 3rd. (Boxscore)
Austin Peay Ends OCU Win Streak The Mighty Oaks' five game win streak ended in decisive fashion, as Austin Peay ran past OCU easily 97-61 in Clarksville, Tennessee Monday night. The Govs jumped out to a 50-23 lead at intermission and OCU could never muster a run to challenge. Brandon Hopf led the Mighty Oaks with 17 points and Nathan Schumacher added 15 counters. OCU stays on the road to face UMSL in St. Louis, Missouri on Tuesday evening. Mighty Oaks Win a Close One The OCU men's basketball team came from behind and later fought off a furious rally to defeat Ohio University - Chillicothe by a score of 87-83 in the Johnson Center on Saturday. A very poor free-throw shooting effort kept the game very close as the Mighty Oaks were way below respectable from the line, hitting only 15 or 31 free shots. A gritty 27 point, 16 rebound performance from junior Nate Schumacher and some clutch three point shooting from fellow junior Chris Sandifar with 16 counters, made the difference in this contest. Junior Evan Hutchinson was in the holiday spirit with 11 assists, with junior Brandon Hopf and freshman Zach Adams adding 13 tallies apiece. The Mighty Oaks were solid underneath and won the battle of the boards, out-rebounding the visitors 43 to 33. OCU is taking a break for the Christmas Holiday to return with another touch match-up, visiting NCAA Division I Austin Peay on December 29th. (boxscore) Mighty Oaks Win Fourth in a Row OCU ran by a very talented Ohio Christian squad by a score of 112-89 in the Johnson Center Monday evening. Once again, led by Brandon Hopf's outstanding play with 34 points and 10 rebounds, The Mighty Oaks kept the visitors at bay for most of the evening. Nathan Schumacher popped for 21 counters and eight caroms, while the guard tandem of Evan Hutchinson and Zach Adams poured in 19 and 18 tallys respectfully. OCU is back in action on Saturday when OU-Chillicothe drops by the Johnson Center for a 3pm tip. (boxscore)
Mighty Oaks Cruise Over OSU-Mansfield Brandon Hopf poured in 24 points and ripped down a dozen rebounds to lead OCU over visiting OSU-Mansfield by a score of 93-46. The Mighty Oaks out-rebounded the visitors by 59 to 39 and held them to 25% shooting from the floor. Sophomore Cody Dunn scored 14 points off the bench, while he was joined in double digits by Evan Hutchinson and Nathan Schumacher with 13 and 12 counters each. OCU hosts Ohio Christian on Monday in the Johnson Center. Tip-off is at 8pm. (boxscore)
OCU Routs Concordia 86-36 The Mighty Oaks made it two in a row with a 50 point drubbing of the visiting Preachers. Brandon Hopf continued his roll with 27 points and 17 rebounds. Four other Oaks were in double figures, Evan Hutchinson had 14, Craig Parks 12, Hunter Elliott 11 and Nathan Schumacher 10 points. Chris Sandifar handed out eight assists and had eight steals. The OCU defense held Concordia to 21.4% shooting from the field. The Mighty Oaks host OSU-Mansfield on December 13th. Tip-off is scheduled for 3pm. (boxscore) OCU Nabs First Win of Season Behind Brandon Hopf's 32 points, the Mighty Oaks knocked off Logan College in St. Louis Tuesday night. Hopf hit on 15 of 22 attempts from the field and snatched 10 rebounds on the evening. Junior Craig Parks went six for nine from behind the arc to score 18 counters. Nathan Schumacher led all players with 15 rebounds and Evan Hutchinson doled out nine assists. OCU stands at 1-5 on the season. Logan fell to 3-3. The Mighty Oaks face Concordia (MO) on Saturday December 6th. (boxscore) Mighty Oaks Fall Hard in Home Opener It was a game, for about five minutes, and then the visiting Wilmington Quakers dictated the action the rest of the way to defeat OCU 110-86. The visitors forced the home team into 28 turnovers by forcing a quick pace and manhandling the Mighty Oak backcourt. Wilmington were led by the dominant post play of Brandon Rogers, who popped for 29 points and snagged nine rebounds. Long range bomber RJ Brown added 25 counters and nabbed seven steals. OCU were, once again, led by junior Brandon Hopf with 29 counters and nine caroms. Fellow juniors Nathan Schumacher and Craig Parks added 25 and 17 points apiece. Schumacher whipped down nine rebounds. The Mighty Oaks will try to get into the win column on Tuesday when they travel to St. Louis to face Logan. (boxscore) Hawaii-Hilo Defeats Mighty Oaks OCU continued to skid with their fourth straight loss by a score of 104-82 at the hands of Hawaii-Hilo. The Vulcans took advantage of some hot shooting to finish the game hitting on 59.7% of their shots from the field. Hawaii-Hilo put five players in double figures, led by Jay Demaestri with 18 points. Junior Brandon Hopf had a great game for The Mighty Oaks with 31 points and nine rebounds. Juniors Craig Parks and Chris Sandifar added 19 and 12 counters each. The Mighty Oaks will be back from Hawaii to host Wilmington College on November 30 at the Johnson Center. Tip-off will be at 2pm. Men Fall to Winona State in Hawaii The Mighty Oaks stayed close to ninth ranked Winona State for the first half, but turned the ball over 16 times in the second half to lose 112-75. OCU was behind by just 11 points at the break, but the high powered Warriors poured in 61 points in the second half to easily pull away. The Mighty Oaks put four players in double figures on the evening. Juniors Craig Parks and Brandon Hopf each popped for 18 counters, while junior Nathan Schumacher and sophomore Hunter Elliott accounted for 13 points each. OCU plays Hawaii-Hilo Monday, November 24th in Laie, Hawaii.
UE Outpaces Mighty Oaks in Second Half The Mighty Oaks put up a valiant effort Tuesday night at Roberts Stadium, but went cold in the second half to lose 75-51 against the Purple Aces. After staying tight to trail by eight at the half, OCU shot only 26.9% from the field in the second stanza and could never threaten the hosts. Junior Brandon Hopf led the Mighty Oaks with 14 points and 10 boards. Fellow junior Nathan Schumacher joined Hopf in double figures with 10 counters and picked up 6 rebounds. OCU heads to Hawaii for their next contest, where they play defending NCAA Division II National Champions Winona State on November 22nd. (box score)
OCU Opens Season with Loss at Lipscomb The 2008-09 regular season got off to a less than auspicious start as the Mighty Oaks were mauled by NCAA Division I Lipscomb 121-54 in Nashville on Saturday. The Bisons were paced by a balanced attack that featured seven players scoring in double figures and shooting 61% as a team from the field. The Mighty Oaks were led by juniors Nathan Schumacher and Brandon Hopf with 11 points each, while fellow junior Chris Sandifar popped for 10 counters. It doesn't get any easier for OCU, as they travel to face the Purple Aces of the University of Evansville on Tuesday for another matchup with a Division I foe. Mighty Oaks Lose to Butler in Exhibition The Butler Bulldogs jumped to quick lead and never looked back as they made short work of the Mighty Oaks 91-52, at Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis on Saturday. Shooting a torrid 61.3% from the floor in the first half, the hosts were led by guard Shelvin Mack's 16 points on four of six from behind the arc. OCU was led by junior Craig Parks' 15 counters, while fellow juniors Brandon Hopf and Chris Sandifar both hit for double figures with ten points apiece. Junior Nathan Schumacher pulled down six caroms. The Mighty Oaks face another stiff test among the ranks of NCAA Division I as they travel to Nashville to face Lipscomb on November 15th. Then, they turn around and head down to Evansville to face another DI foe in UE on November 18th.
Mighty Oaks Season Outlook 2008-09 In Coach Mike Sandifar’s 32 seasons on the sidelines as a basketball coach, the 2008-09 hardwood campaign will mark the first time he will face a year with the loss of all five starters and the team’s sixth man from the season before…
It’s a blow to our team with his loss, but more important, it’s a tough way for a student/athlete to face what he thought was going to be his senior year as a collegiate basketball player.
In addition, Evan Hutchinson, a 5’11” point guard out of Scottsburg, Indiana, red-shirted in 2007-08, and there is little question that he will be one of the key elements as the “Mighty Oaks” drive for success in 2008-09.
Hopf can score from inside or out, with the ability to hit the three-point shot if left open from “long distance”, making him very difficult to guard over a 40-minute contest, while Schumacher is a rugged forward who can play on the block or out to 15 feet on the floor. He can also run the floor and will put pressure on opposing frontcourt performers to get back.
The “Mighty Oaks” play Butler University in an exhibition outing on November 8th in Indianapolis, and when the regular season opens a week later, it doesn’t get any easier for the Oakland City University Men, as they travel to Nashville, Tennessee, to take on Lipscomb University (the team beaten on a last second shot by Duke last March), then drive to Evansville on November 18th to tangle with the Purple Aces of the University of Evansville.
“We have some talent, some quickness, some size, some mental toughness, and our players are really good people, as well, but we must find a great chemistry early if we are to compete with the teams on our schedule—if we can do that, we could be a pretty good basketball team by tournament time.”
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