Jan. 4, 2009

Loyola vs. Green Bay Game Notes

LOYOLA (8-6, 0-2) vs. GREEN BAY (10-4, 3-0)
Date: Monday, Jan. 5, 2009
Time: 7 p.m. CT
Location: Chicago, Ill.
Stadium: Gentile Center (5,200)
Series with Green Bay: Green Bay leads, 18-13
Television: Horizon League Network
www.horizonleaguenetwork.tv
Radio: WLUW (88.7 FM)
John Fitzgerald - Play-by-Play
Dave Klusendorf - Color Analyst

RAMBLERS/PHOENIX PREVIEW
Loyola closes out a four-game homestand and will be looking for its first Horizon League victory of the season when it plays to host Green Bay Monday evening. The Ramblers dropped an 80-66 decision to Milwaukee on Saturday, while the Phoenix earned a 66-61 victory at UIC.

SERIES NOTES
Loyola and Green Bay are meeting for the 32nd time in a series that dates back to 1995. After faltering in 11 of the first 13 meetings between the teams, Loyola has rebounded to claim 11 of the last 18 contests. Last season, Green Bay swept the season series, winning 69-63 in the League opener at the Gentile Center and 71-66 in overtime at the Resch Center in the regular-season finale. Close games have been nothing new in the series as 12 of the last 17 encounters between the Ramblers and Phoenix have been decided by seven points or less or gone into overtime. On March 1, 2008, in Green Bay, Ross Forman tallied career highs of 28 points and 15 rebounds and J.R. Blount chipped in 25 points, but it wasn't enough as Mike Schachtner netted 27 points to lead the Phoenix to a 71-66 victory in overtime. Last season in Chicago, Blount recorded a team-best 17 points, but Schachtner's 20-point performance and the strength of 50 percent shooting from the field, helped Green Bay to a 69-63 victory. Loyola is 8-6 all-time, and has prevailed in six of the last eight, versus Green Bay in games played in the Windy City.

RANDOM RAMBLER RUMBLINGS
J.R. Blount is the first Rambler since Eric Dolezal (1990-93) to average 10.0 ppg or better in each of his first three seasons at Loyola...the Ramblers are 6-2 this season when a freshman is part of the starting lineup...Loyola's 88-53 win over Alcorn State on Dec. 30 was its largest margin of victory over a NCAA Division I foe since a 100-58 decision versus Cleveland State on Feb. 17, 1996...Loyola scored 89 points versus SIU-Edwardsville without the aid of a three-pointer, which is believed to be the most points scored by a Rambler squad without a trey since the advent of the three-point line...the Ramblers are 15-22 under head coach Jim Whitesell in the month of January...six of Loyola's next eight games will be played on the road...Loyola's last five losses have come by an average of 20.8 ppg.

MILWAUKEE'S BEST
A Preseason Second Team All-Horizon League pick, senior J.R. Blount enters Monday's game against Green Bay ranked 15th on Loyola's career scoring list with 1,375 points and last season became the 37th player in school annals to reach the 1,000-career-points plateau. A clutch performer, Blount is tallying 17.2 ppg, 4.8 rpg, 4.6 apg and 2.2 spg in his last five outings. Loyola is 7-3 this season when he scores 10 or more points, and in his team's wins this year, is accounting for 16.3 ppg, while dishing out 39 assists and committing only 22 turnovers. Over the last two years, as Blount has gone, so has the Ramblers. Since the start of the 2007-08 campaign, Loyola is 1-8 when the Milwaukee native fails to score in double figures and 13-4 when he shoots better than 45 percent from the field. In seven home games this season, Blount is accounting for 19.0 ppg, 4.4 rpg, 4.3 apg and is shooting 47 percent (45 for 96) from the field. He has scored in double figures in 11 of 12 career games versus teams from his native state of Wisconsin. Blount started the 2008-09 season with a bang, scoring a career-best 42 points in Loyola's Nov. 14 tilt versus Rockhurst. The 42 points are the most ever by a Rambler in a season opener and also tied former LU star David Bailey's Gentile Center record for points in a single contest.

LEAGUE OF HIS OWN
Through games of Jan. 3, Blount ranked second in the Horizon League with 15.9 ppg and third with 4.2 apg. The senior guard is the only player to rank in the top five among League leaders in both categories.

WANNA BE STARTING SOMETHING
Blount enters Monday's game versus Green Bay riding a string of 81 consecutive starting assignments. So far this season, Blount and Darrin Williams are the only Ramblers to have started all 14 contests.

BENCH BOOST
A major factor in Loyola's offensive resurgence in the last couple of games has been the production of its bench. Over the last four games, Loyola's reserves have produced 35.5 ppg (142 total points), after accounting for only 12.2 ppg (122 total points) in the first 10 outings of the year. At least one Rambler has come off the pine to record 10 or more points in each of the last five games for the first time since Feb. 9-23, 2008, a string of five consecutive contests. During a recent four-game winning streak, Loyola's bench has outscored that of its opponents, 129-91. Loyola reserves came in to contribute a season-best 45 points against Alcorn State on Dec. 30 as Marcus Thomas (14) and Geoff McCammon (10) scored in double figures off the bench.

HOME IS WHERE THE WINS ARE
Loyola has won eight of its last 11 games at the Gentile Center dating back to last season. Under Whitesell, the Ramblers have compiled a 45-21 (.682) record at the Gentile Center. Since the start of the 2005-06 season, Loyola is 22-4 (.846) versus non-Horizon League opponents at home.

CLOSE ENCOUNTERS
After going 5-6 last season in contests decided by five points or less, the Ramblers are 4-0 in such games so far this season. Under the direction of Jim Whitesell, Loyola has accumulated a 22-17 (.564) record in game determined by five points or less. Four of the Ramblers' first five wins of the 2008-09 campaign were by five points or less, but they have won their last three contests by an average of 23.0 points.

THAT 70s SHOW
Seventy points has been the benchmark for success when it comes to the Ramblers' offense the last few seasons. A year ago, Loyola went 7-0 when totaling at least 70 points. In fact, dating back to the 2006-07 season, Loyola has won 16 of its last 18 contests when it reaches the 70-point plateau, and is 4-1 when doing so this year. Conversely, when the Ramblers surrender 70 or more points this season, they are 0-6.

JUSTIN'S TIME
Senior guard Justin Cerasoli has scored in double digits in nine of the Ramblers' last 13 contests, and in two Horizon League contests this year, is tallying a team-best 17.5 ppg, while shooting 50 percent (14 for 28) from the field and 58 percent (7 for 12) from triple territory. The 6-foot-5 transfer from the University of Mississippi has connected on 28 of his last 31 (.903) attempts from the foul line, including each of the last 16, dating back to last season. A Chicago native, Cerasoli owns a respectable 2.4 assist-to-turnover ratio in the last three outings, as he is dishing out 4.0 apg in that span. In Loyola's last four home games against League foes, Cerasoli is notching 12.0 ppg and 4.3 rpg.

LISTEN UP ALL YOU POLKAMANIACS
After ranking third in the Horizon League with 7.2 rpg as a rookie in 2006-07, forward Andy Polka hauled in 6.7 rpg last winter to place sixth in the conference. The Oshkosh, Wis., native enters Monday's game against Green Bay needing two more caroms to become the 27th player in Loyola history to reach the 500-rebound level for his career. In a Dec. 2 victory over William & Mary, the 6-foot-7 forward snared a season-high 11 boards as he ran his total of double-digit-rebound games to 12 for his career. In nine starts this season, the 6-foot-7 forward is contributing 7.9 ppg and 6.0 rpg, and in four appearances at the Gentile Center this year has provided 7.3 ppg and 5.3 rpg. Polka, who has scored in double figures on three occasions this season, has converted 3 of his last 6 (.600) tries from three-point range. Following a three-game shooting slump in which he hit only 7 of 22 (.318) shots from the field, Polka has bounced back to drain 13 of his last 26 (.500) attempts over his last five contests. Polka is sidelined after suffering a severe ankle sprain in the first half of the UMKC game on Dec. 13 and he saw his string of consecutive games played snapped at 73 when he sat out the Northern Illinois game on Dec. 20. In two career home appearances versus Green Bay, he has averaged 10.0 ppg and 8.0 rpg, while shooting 54 percent (7 for 13) from the field.

DIME STORE
Through 14 games this season, Blount has dished out a team-best 59 assists to only 43 turnovers. In fact, in his career, the senior guard has a positive assist-to-turnover ratio and has yet to finish worse than even in those categories. Last year, Blount handed out 82 assists to 82 turnovers, while in 2006-07, he posted 71 helpers and 69 miscues and as a rookie in 2005-06, had 56 assists compared to 52 turnovers. Over the last three contests, Blount is handing out 5.3 apg, and he needs 11 more assists to move into 10th place on Loyola's career list, a spot currently occupied by Keir Rogers (279). As a team, Loyola is averaging 19.3 apg, to only 11.7 turnovers, in the last three contests. In an 88-53 victory versus Alcorn State on Dec. 30, the Ramblers handed out 26 assists, their highest total since going for 26 set-ups in an 84-79 decision over Saint Mary's (Calif.) on Dec. 28, 2000.

HERE COMES THE BOOM
Finally healthy, Darrin "Boomer" Williams is off to a strong start in his final season as a Rambler. After battling knee injuries that limited his playing time early in his career, the Detroit, Mich., native is contributing 8.6 ppg, 5.6 rpg and 1.3 bpg through 14 games this season. The 6-foot-8 forward is averaging 10.4 ppg and 5.6 rpg, while shooting 55 percent (22 for 40) from the field, in the last five home outings. Williams, who has helped Loyola to records of 6-3 when he scores in double figures and 3-0 when he grabs 10 or more rebounds in a game in his career, has only gone to the foul line one time in the last four contests. He was held scoreless for only the second time this year in Loyola's loss to Milwaukee on Jan. 3.

ONLY THE YOUNG CAN SAY
Since returning to the court after missing the first nine games due to a broken hand he suffered in practice, Leon Young has made an immediate impact, helping Loyola to a 4-1 ledger. In five games this year, the 6-foot-6 Long Beach, Calif., native is contributing 11.0 ppg and 7.2 rpg, while shooting .543 (19 for 35) from the field. Young, who has converted 71 of his last 83 (.855) tries from the foul line, is averaging 13.6 ppg and 6.4 rpg, while scoring in double digits in seven of his last nine appearances at home. He recorded his first double-double of the season, and the 10th of his career, with 16 points and 11 boards versus SIU-Edwardsville on Dec. 22. He needs one more rebound to reach the 500 mark for his career and is 196 points shy of the 1,000-point plateau. In Saturday's loss to Milwaukee, Young chipped in 13 points and six rebounds, marking the third time in five contests he has scored in double figures off the bench this year.

GREAT WALT
Since moving into the starting lineup at Northern Illinois on Dec. 20, freshman forward Walt Gibler has been one of the team's most productive players. In the last four games, all as a member of the starting rotation, the Cincinnati native is contributing 10.0 ppg, 5.8 rpg, 1.3 apg and 1.0 spg, while shooting 59 percent (13 for 22) from the field. Gibler, who has connected on his last 20 tries from the foul line, is tallying 11.5 ppg and 6.5 rpg in the last two home games. His 19-point outburst against Alcorn State on Dec. 30 was the best by a Loyola true freshman since Leon Young erupted for 23 points at Youngstown State on Feb. 25, 2006. After starting the year by hitting 2 of his first 9 shots (.222) from the field, Gibler has buried 16 of his last 29 (.552) tries.

ON THE MARCUS
After getting off to a slow start shooting the ball, junior Marcus Thomas appears to have found his stroke over the last four contests, as he is hitting shots at a 47 percent (14 for 30) clip, including 50 percent (10 for 20) from long distance. The Indianapolis native began the year by hitting only 14 of his first 59 (.237) shots overall, including 9 of 43 (.209) from three-point range. He has scored in double figures off the bench in two of the last four outings, including a 14-point effort in a Dec. 30 victory over Alcorn State. Thomas, who set a Danville Area Community College record with 83 triples a year ago, has helped Loyola to a 4-1 record this season when he drains two or more trifectas, and a 6-1 mark when he scores six or more points. He is contributing 11.5 ppg off the bench, while hitting shots at a 53 percent (8 for 15) rate, including 64 percent (7 for 11) from three-point territory, in the last two home games.

GETTING IT DONE WITH DEFENSE
In its eight victories this season, Loyola has surrendered only 55.6 ppg, while putting the clamps down on defense. In those wins, the Ramblers have permitted opponents to shoot a meager .366 (159 for 435) from the field, including .271 (38 for 140) from three-point land, while also forcing a total of 121 turnovers.

CONFERENCE CONUNDRUM
In two Horizon League games this season, Loyola is yielding 81.5 ppg as opponents are shooting a whopping 53 percent (21 for 40) from beyond the arc. In non-League contests, the Ramblers have allowed only 63.3 ppg and foes have connected on only 34 percent of their long-distance attempts.

NEIGHBORS FROM THE NORTH
Loyola's roster features four Wisconsin natives - senior J.R. Blount (Milwaukee), junior Andy Polka (Oshkosh) and freshmen John Benkoske (Oshkosh) and Tom Neary (Brookfield). Last season, Blount lit up Green Bay to the tune of 21.0 ppg, 6.5 rpg, 5.0 apg and 1.5 spg in two games. In his last encounter with the Phoenix last March, Blount tallied 25 points, eight rebounds, six assists and two steals.

SIGNED, SEALED, DELIVERED
In November, Loyola announced the signing of Ben Averkamp (Germantown, Wis./Germantown) and Gabriel Kindred (Oakland, Calif./Worcester Academy, Mass.) to National Letters of Intent. A 6-foot-7 forward, Averkamp averaged 16.4 ppg, 8.3 rpg, 5.0 bpg and 3.0 apg last season for Germantown High School en route to Associated Press Second Team All-State honors. Kindred, a 6-foot-1 guard, tallied 10.0 ppg, 4.0 apg and 2.0 spg at Worcester Academy in Worcester, Mass., and is regarded as one of the top players in his prep league.

LIVING IN THE EIGHTIES
Over the last three games, Loyola's offense has been a force to be reckoned with as it has averaged 81.0 ppg, while shooting a blistering 50 percent (98 for 196) from the field. The Ramblers, who tallied only 61.4 ppg in their first 11 contests of the year, have scored 80 or more points in two of the last three games.

MAYBE IT IS HOW YOU START
Since the outset of the 2005-06 season, Loyola has compiled a 54-10 (.844) record in games in which it has held the lead at halftime, including a 7-0 mark this year.

NOT WITHOUT A HITCH
Head athletic trainer Dr. Tom Hitcho has worked 908 consecutive Loyola men's basketball contests heading into Monday's game against Green Bay. Since joining the staff for the 1977-78 campaign, "Hitch," as he is affectionately known to those on campus, has not missed a single game and has witnessed 425 Rambler victories. In his 32nd year at Loyola, Hitcho was inducted into the Loyola Athletics Hall of Fame in 2006.

UP NEXT
Loyola will play its first road game since Dec. 20 when it travels to Cleveland State on Thursday, Jan. 8. In fact, Thursday's game in Cleveland will be the Ramblers' first contest outside the state of Illinois since a Nov. 25 game at St. John's in Queens, N.Y.