Usually when a much smaller school goes on the road to take on the likes of Oklahoma they just hope to get out of town without being embarrassed. But that wasn't the case for Stephen F. Austin's men's basketball team, which upended host Oklahoma 66-62 Saturday night.

Matt Kingsley, a 6-foot-9 center from Cypress Creek, poured in 16 points along with six rebounds and two assists. He was named Southland Conference Player of the Week.

“To be able to pull off an upset like that is unreal, it is just kind of hard to describe,” he said. “I didn’t go into the game trying to put up a lot of numbers I just wanted to go in there and play my game.”

Kingsley played one season of varsity basketball at Cy Creek and averaged 18.3 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 3.1 blocked shots per game and was voted team MVP. His career high at Cy Creek was 26 points; he earned all-district honors as a senior.

In 2005-06, as a freshman, he tallied 18 points and 10 rebounds against Paul Quinn College for his first career double-double.

“I have had to really work hard to get were I am at now,” Kingsley said. “I used to have my doubts about playing at this level.”

Then as a sophomore Kingsley blossomed even further. He averaged over 12 points per game scoring in double figures 19 times for the Lumberjacks. In many ways it was a break out year. Not only did he score in double figures 19 times, he posted a career-high with 30 points in a game, did not miss a free throw in three straight games, and was an Honorable Mention All-SLC selection.

Now as a junior he has helped his team get out to its best start in 26 years, he leads the Southland Conference in scoring with an 18.6 average, and has scored in double digits in each of his team's (7-1) eight games.

“We are really out to a good start this year,” Kingsley said. “We have been playing some really good defense.”

All of his hard work has not gone unnoticed.

Monday, he was selected as the Southland Conference Basketball Player of the Week after averaging 13.0 points and 5.5 rebounds per game for the week. This was his second SLC Player of the Week award; he won the other in January 2007.

“Winning this was really a surprise to me,” Kingsley said. “With the help of my coaches and teammates I can really do some good things. ...

“I believe we have the potential to win the conference. Never listen to the doubters.”

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