Jan. 13, 2009

Loyola vs. No. 17/18 Butler Game Notes

LOYOLA (10-7, 2-3) vs. #17/18 BUTLER (14-1, 5-0)
Date: Thursday, Jan. 15, 2009
Time: 7 p.m. CT
Location: Chicago, Ill.
Stadium: Gentile Center (5,200)
Series with Butler: Butler leads, 45-29
Television: Lakeshore Public Television;
Horizon League Network
www.horizonleaguenetwork.tv;
ESPN Full Court; ESPN360.com
Radio: WLUW (88.7 FM)
John Fitzgerald - Play-by-Play
Dave Klusendorf - Expert Analyst

RAMBLERS/BULLDOGS PREVIEW
Two of the hottest teams in the Horizon League tangle Thursday night when No. 17/18 Butler visits Loyola. The Ramblers have prevailed in eight of their last 11 outings, while the Bulldogs have won six straight since suffering their only loss of the year, at Ohio State, on Dec. 13. Loyola, which has won six of its last seven home games, is looking for its first win over a ranked foe since topping then-No. 15 Butler, 75-71 at Hinkle Fieldhouse, Feb. 22, 2007.

SERIES NOTES
Loyola and Butler are meeting for the 75th time in a series that dates back to 1928. The Bulldogs own a 45-29 advantage in the series and have captured nine of the last 11 meetings, including each of the last three. Of the last 13 encounters between the teams, five have gone into overtime and six have been decided by seven points or less. Last season, the Bulldogs swept the season series, winning 66-55 in Chicago and 63-50 at historic Hinkle Fieldhouse. In last year's game at the Gentile Center, Butler built an eight-point halftime lead and earned the victory behind the strength of nine three-point field goals and 19 total points from Matt Howard. Loyola received 16 points from J.R. Blount. This is the sixth time Loyola and Butler are meeting when one of the teams is ranked in the Associated Press Top 25 Poll, with all of those games coming in the last three seasons. The Ramblers are 1-4 all-time against a ranked Bulldog squad.

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 8-3 this season when a freshman is part of the starting lineup...the Ramblers are 17-23 under head coach Jim Whitesell in the month of January...Loyola has not scored 70 or more points on the road against a Horizon League opponent since a 75-71 victory over then-No. 15 Butler on Feb. 22, 2007...in Loyola's last two victories, over Green Bay and Youngstown State, it has held the opposition to 10 percent (3 for 30) shooting from three-point range.

MILWAUKEE'S BEST
A Preseason Second Team All-Horizon League pick, senior J.R. Blount enters Thursday's game versus Butler ranked 14th on Loyola's career scoring list with 1,417 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 16.0 ppg, 4.8 rpg, 3.8 apg and 2.0 spg in his last eight outings, and sank a pair of free throws with 4.6 seconds left to lift Loyola to a 62-60 victory over Green Bay Jan. 5. Loyola is 8-4 this season when he scores 10 or more points, and in his team's wins this year, is accounting for 15.6 ppg, while dishing out 44 assists and committing only 27 turnovers. Over the last two years, as Blount has gone, so has the Ramblers. Since the start of the 2007-08 campaign, Loyola is 2-8 when the Milwaukee native fails to score in double figures and 14-4 when he shoots better than 45 percent from the field. Blount, who needs four more assists to vault himself into the top ten in Loyola history in that category, is registering 18.0 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 3.0 apg and 3.0 spg while shooting 52 percent (15 for 29) from the field in the last two home games. In seven career contests versus ranked foes, Blount is averaging 10.7 ppg, 2.6 rpg and 1.3 apg. 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. 12, Blount ranked second in the Horizon League with 15.5 ppg and third with 3.9 apg. The senior guard is one of only two players (UIC's Josh Mayo is the other) to rank in the top five among League leaders in both categories.

WANNA BE STARTING SOMETHING
Blount enters Thursday's game against Butler riding a string of 84 consecutive starting assignments. So far this season, Blount and Darrin Williams are the only Ramblers to have started all 17 contests.

BENCH BOOST
A major factor in Loyola's offensive resurgence of late has been the production of its bench. Over the last seven games, Loyola's reserves have produced 28.4 ppg (199 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 seven of the last eight games. 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 nine of its last 12 games at the Gentile Center dating back to last season. Under Whitesell, the Ramblers have compiled a 46-21 (.687) 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 5-0 in such games so far this season, including a thrilling 62-60 victory over Green Bay Jan. 5, sealed when J.R. Blount broke a 60-60 tie with a pair of free throws with 4.6 seconds remaining. Under the direction of Jim Whitesell, Loyola has accumulated a 23-17 (.575) record in game determined by five points or less.

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 0-7.

JUSTIN'S TIME
Senior guard Justin Cerasoli has scored in double digits in 11 of the Ramblers' last 16 contests, and in has connected on 41 of his last 44 (.932) attempts from the foul line, including each of the last 29, dating back to last season. A Chicago native, Cerasoli tallied 15 points versus Green Bay Jan. 5, marking his best output since a 24-point effort at UIC on Dec. 6, 2008. In Horizon League action, the 6-foot-5 transfer from the University of Mississippi is contributing 13.0 ppg, 2.6 rpg, 2.6 apg, 1.0 bpg and 1.8 spg. He struggled with his shot on the team's trip to Ohio last weekend, hitting only 2 of 20 (.100) shots from the field. Cerasoli is recording 13.0 ppg in his last two games at home.

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 Thursday's game against Butler needing two more caroms to become the 28th 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 his last two road appearances has provided 9.0 ppg and 6.5 rpg. Polka, who has scored in double figures on three occasions this season, has converted 3 of his last 6 (.500) 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.

RAMBLERS VERSUS THE RANKED
Loyola is 32-110 all-time against ranked teams, and have won only one of their last 22 contests against such foes. However, that lone win was a 75-71 victory at then-No. 15 Butler, Feb. 22, 2007. Since the Gentile Center opened in November 1996, the Ramblers are 0-3 there versus ranked teams, falling to then-No. 2 and defending NCAA National Champion Michigan State in 2000 (103-71), to then-No. 14 Butler in 2007 (70-66 in OT) and to then-No. 14 Butler in 2008 (66-55). Under Whitesell, Loyola is 1-7 against ranked teams, including a setback at then-No. 11 Purdue earlier this season.

SURE SHOTS
Improved efficiency at the offensive end of the floor has helped fuel Loyola to its last four victories. In those four triumphs, the Ramblers are averaging 76.8 ppg, over 13 points more than their season average, while draining shots at a striking 54 percent (122 for 227) rate. Loyola is connecting on 51 percent (124 for 244) of its field-goal attempts in the last four games at the Gentile Center.

AMAZING ARIC
Known mostly for his defense, junior Aric Van Weelden scored a team and career-best 12 points in last Saturday's win at Youngstown State. The 6-foot-3 guard has helped Loyola to a 6-2 record since moving into the starting lineup for the Dec. 13 contest versus UMKC, by averaging 4.3 ppg, 3.3 rpg and 1.8 apg, while shooting 62 percent (13 for 21) from the field. Arguably the team's best defender, Loyola has allowed only 62.5 ppg, down from 68.4 ppg, since Van Weelden moved into the starting lineup. He entered the Youngstown game with only one three-point field goal on the year, but went 4 for 4 from long range in that game and is now shooting a ridiculous 83 percent (5 for 6) from triple territory, ad 89 percent overall (8 for 9), while contributing 7.0 ppg, 2.3 rpg, 1.7 apg and 1.0 spg in the last three contests.

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 6-2 ledger. In eight games this year, the 6-foot-6 Long Beach, Calif., native is contributing 10.5 ppg and a team-best 6.5 rpg, while shooting .556 (30 for 54) from the field. Young, who has converted 78 of his last 92 (.848) tries from the foul line, is averaging 11.5 ppg and 5.5 rpg in his last two home contests. 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 is 167 points shy of the 1,000-point plateau. In Saturday's game at Youngstown State, Young produced 10 points and four rebounds. He has scored in double figures off the bench in five of his eight appearances this season and in two career home games against Butler, is springing for 8.5 ppg and 8.5 rpg, while converting his field-goal attempts at a 67 percent (6 for 9) clip.

AND LEON'S REBOUND TOTALS ARE GETTING LARGER
With the first of his five rebounds in a Jan. 5 game versus Green Bay, Young became the 27th player in school history to haul in 500 or more boards in his career. His career total (515 rebounds) is even more impressive when you consider the fact that he has been sidelined for 26 games, nearly the equivalent of a full season, in his career due to various injuries and ailments. Young is the first player since Blake Schilb (2003-07) to corral over 500 misfires in his career, and is only the third Rambler since the 1998-99 season to do so. He is aiming to become only the 18th player in Loyola history to rack up over 1,000 points and 500 rebounds in his career.

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 seven games, all as a member of the starting rotation, the Cincinnati native is contributing 7.7 ppg, 4.1 rpg and 1.0 apg, while shooting 56 percent (19 for 34) from the field. Gibler, who has connected on 21 of his last 22 (.955) tries from the foul line, is tallying 8.8 ppg and 4.5 rpg, while shooting 65 percent (13 for 20) from the field, in the last four 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 22 of his last 41 (.537) 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 eight contests, as he is hitting shots at a 43 percent (24 for 56) clip, including 43 percent (16 for 37) from long distance. The Indianapolis native began the year by hitting only 12 of his first 56 (.214) shots overall, including 8 of 41 (.195) from three-point range. He has scored in double figures off the bench in three of the last seven outings, including a season-best, 15-point effort at Northern Illinois on Dec. 20. Thomas, who set a Danville Area Community College record with 83 triples a year ago, has helped Loyola to a 5-1 record this season when he drains two or more trifectas, and a 7-1 mark when he scores six or more points. He is contributing 9.3 ppg and 1.7 rpg off the bench, while hitting shots at a 48 percent (10 for 21) rate, including 53 percent (8 for 15) from three-point territory, in his last three games at the Gentile Center. Thomas has hit at least one three-pointer in five straight contests and seven of the last eight.

GETTING IT DONE WITH DEFENSE
In its 10 victories this season, Loyola has surrendered only 56.2 ppg, while putting the clamps down on defense. In those wins, the Ramblers have permitted opponents to shoot a meager .375 (202 for 539) from the field, including .241 (41 for 170) from three-point land, while also forcing a total of 144 turnovers.

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.

MAYBE IT IS HOW YOU START
Since the outset of the 2005-06 season, Loyola has compiled a 56-10 (.848) record in games in which it has held the lead at halftime, including a 9-0 mark this year.

NOT WITHOUT A HITCH
Head athletic trainer Dr. Tom Hitcho has worked 911 consecutive Loyola men's basketball contests heading into Thursday's game versus Butler. 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 427 Rambler victories. In his 32nd year at Loyola, Hitcho was inducted into the Loyola Athletics Hall of Fame in 2006.

RAMBLERS COLLECT SHOES FOR SAMARITAN'S FEET
At both of Loyola's home games this weekend, fans are being asked to donate a brand new pair of shoes, which will be collected for Samaritan's Feet, a a nonprofit organization that distributes the shoes for needy children around the world. Loyola is one of a number of schools participating in the initiative this weekend.

TEN SPOT
With a 68-57 victory at Youngstown State last Saturday, Loyola notched its 10th win of the year. A year ago, the Ramblers did not capture their 10th victory until Feb. 20. Whitesell has guided Loyola to 10 or more wins in each of his first five seasons in Rogers Park and is the first Rambler bench boss since Gene Sullivan (1981-89) to turn the trick. Sullivan reached double figures in wins in each of his nine seasons at Loyola.