Ben Braun returned to Southeast Michigan Tuesday night, leading his Rice Owls men's basketball team into the O'rena where they faced Oakland U in a postseason clash in the CIT quarterfinals.

Back in the 80s and 90s, Braun turned Eastern Michigan into a genuine mid-major power, leading the Eagles to four league titles, a spot in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tourney in 1991 and an upset of nationally-renowned Duke in the first round of the Big Dance in 1996. Before the 1997 season, he left for the Pac 10 and Cal, where he stayed until 2008, becoming one of the Golden Bears all-time leaders in wins on the bench.

The Golden Grizz might have defeated Braun's Owls on Tuesday night, 77-70, but make no mistake about it Braun has made about as serious an impact on the area hoops scene as one could in his time roaming the sidelines.

While on the bench at EMU (11 years in all), he coached a pair of local prep studs in Marcus Kennedy (Troy) and Theron Wilson (RO Dondero). An athletic and aggressive post prowler, Kennedy was the captain of his 1991 Sweet 16 squad and an NBA Draft Pick of the Portland Trailblazers.

Wilson, a rangy and agile power forward, was the starting power forward on Braun's 1996 MAC title team that sent the Dukies home packing early some 16 years ago last week.

Braun has over 570 career victories and remains EMU's all-time winningest head coach. When he was at Cal, he took Cal to the Sweet 16 and numerous appearances in the NCAA Tourney.

Burney has no question in his mind that his boy DOUBLE B will have the Rice cage crew back in the Big Dance sooner rather than later and the Owls as significant mid-major contenders in no time, equaling the success he's had everywhere he's been.