Oakland's Chris Conway wastes little time picking next school, and it's in the Big Ten

Another Oakland University big man is heading out west.

Chris Conway, who starred alongside Trey Townsend the last two seasons and helped lead Oakland to a stunning NCAA Tournament victory over Kentucky this year, has committed to playing his final season at Washington. He made the announcement on social media over the weekend.

Conway, a 6-foot-9, 221-pound forward from just outside Chicago, acted quick in deciding his future, surprisingly announcing his decision to transfer April 29, and announcing his destination Sunday.

Conway long had been expected to return and finish out his college career at Oakland, where coaches were laying the groundwork for him becoming the go-to guy, with Townsend's departure. But lucrative NIL opportunities emerged, and Conway pounced.

At Washington, which is joining the Big Ten next season, he unites with new head coach Danny Sprinkle, who was hired by the Huskies in March after a successful run leading Utah State.

Conway is the latest blow for Oakland, which saw Townsend transfer to Arizona for his fifth and final college season. The Golden Grizzlies also have lost Blake Lampman, Jack Gohlke and Rocket Watts to graduation, just weeks after they won the Horizon League tournament championship for the first time, and made a spirited run in the NCAA Tournament, falling in the Round of 32 in overtime to N.C. State. Oakland was 24-12.

Conway averaged 10.0 points and 4.1 rebounds this past season, and scored five, nine and eight points in Oakland's three games against Big Ten opponents, Ohio State, Illinois and Michigan State, respectively.

He averaged 4.5 points and 2.7 rebounds during his junior season.

At Washington, he will team up will fellow big men Franck Kepnang and KC Ibekwe.

This past season, Townsend, the Horizon League player of the year and Horizon League tournament MVP, teamed with Conway to form a dynamic inside duo, while Lampman and Gohlke were star shooters from the outside. With Conway's departure, Oakland is losing its top four scorers from last season. The top returning scorer is junior forward DQ Cole, the Pontiac native who averaged 8.7 points.

Oakland head coach Greg Kampe and associate head coach Jeff Smith have been heavy on the recruiting trail over the past month, trying to fill the voids and keep the momentum from the Golden Grizzlies' longest run ever in the NCAA Tournament. The Golden Grizzlies have signed Birmingham Brother Rice guard Warren Marshall and Tennessee State transfer point guard Jaylen Jones, the brother of Oakland forward Isaiah Jones. Oakland also has landed sophomore guards Chang and Jack Hoth, who are twins, and sophomore forward Deng Majak, for three impressive JUCO pickups, as well as guard Malcolm Christie, a sharp-shooter from Canada.

tpaul@detroitnews.com

@tonypaul1984