Loyola at Butler Game Notes

Jan. 21, 2008

Loyola (6-12, 2-6) vs. #15 Butler (17-2, 6-2)
Date: January 24, 2008
Time: 7:00 p.m. EST
Arena: Hinkle Fieldhouse (10,114) - Indianapolis, Ind.
Series: Butler leads, 44-29
Radio: WYLL (AM 1160) - John Fitzgerald (play-by-play)
TV: www.horizonleaguenetwork.tv

Tonight's Game: Loyola looks to bounce back from a gut-wrenching 53-52 loss to Wright State last Saturday when it hits the road to face No. 15 Butler Thursday night. The Bulldogs have won nine of their last ten contests, while the Ramblers have dropped seven of their last nine games. Loyola, which emerged victorious the last time it played at Hinkle Fieldhouse, is also seeking its first road win since a 72-65 victory at Eastern Illinois on Nov. 13.

Head Coach Jim Whitesell: Turning programs around is nothing new to Jim Whitesell and he has performed one of his best works in just three short seasons at Loyola. Now in his fourth season as the bench boss in Rogers Park, the Iowa Falls, Iowa native has guided the Ramblers to a 59-51 (.536) overall record. His 53 wins in his first three seasons at Loyola were the most by a Rambler head coach in his first three years since Tom Haggerty won 69 contests from 1945-48. Last year, Whitesell piloted Loyola to a 21-win season, its best showing since 1985. Whitesell comes from a family with numerous Hollywood ties. His brother Patrick is a high-profile agent in Hollywood, while brother, John, is a producer/director. Two other brothers, Sean and Chris, write for TV shows, including Cold Case and daytime soap operas. Whitesell, who owns a career 337-245 (.579) mark, is 2-6 against Butler as Loyola's head coach.

Loyola - Butler - The Series: Long-standing rivals, Loyola and Butler are meeting for the 74th time in a series that dates back to 1928. The Bulldogs have prevailed in 17 of the last 21 meetings between the teams, though five of the last 12 encounters have gone into overtime. Last season, the clubs split the regular-season series with the road team emerging victorious on each occasion. Butler slipped past Loyola with a 67-66, overtime decision in the semifinal round of the Horizon League Championship in Dayton, Ohio last March. The three meetings between the teams a year ago were decided by a combined total of nine points. Loyola's 75-71 victory at Hinkle Fieldhouse last February was its first over the Bulldogs in that historic venue since 1989. In the first meeting between the teams this season on Jan. 7, Matt Howard scored 19 points to lead Butler to a 66-55 decision over Loyola at the Gentile Center. J.R. Blount registered a team-high 16 points to pace the Ramblers, while Andy Polka chipped in 14 points. Loyola is 10-23 all-time in games played on Butler's home floor.

Heaven On Seventy: Seventy points has been the benchmark for success when it comes to the Ramblers' offense this season, as they are 6-0 when scoring at least 70 points. In fact, dating back to last year, Loyola has won its last 10, and 11 of its last 12, contests when it reaches the 70-point plateau.

Polling Place: Loyola has compiled a 32-108 all-time record against opponents ranked in the Associated Press Top 25 poll, and is 0-1 this season with the lone loss coming at the hands of then-No. 14 Butler, 66-55 just over two weeks ago. A year ago, the Ramblers went 1-3 against ranked foes, with none of those losses coming by more than 12 points. Loyola dropped an 87-75 decision to then-No. 7 and eventual NCAA Runner-Up, Ohio State in November and lost a pair of overtime contests to Butler. On Feb. 22 last season, the Ramblers picked up their first victory over a ranked foe since 1986 when they claimed a 75-71 decision at No. 15 Butler. Under Whitesell, Loyola is 1-5 against teams ranked in the AP Top 25.

Milwaukee's Best: If you had to describe junior J.R. Blount in one word, there is no question it would be "winner". The gritty 6-foot-1 guard has compiled a staggering 97-34 (.740) record over the last four seasons and needs 34 points to become the 37th member of Loyola's 1,000-Point Club. A Preseason Second Team All-Horizon League selection, Blount is the first Rambler since Chris Williams (1998-2000) to average double figures in both his true freshman and sophomore seasons. The Milwaukee native is putting up 19.0 ppg, 4.0 rpg and 1.3 apg in the last three contests. Over the Ramblers' last three games away from home, Blount has posted 17.0 ppg and shot 42 percent (20 for 48) from the field, including 43 percent (6 for 14) from triple territory, after going for 8.3 ppg on 19 percent (7 for 37) shooting from the field, including 0 for 10 from long range, in the previous three road outings. After hitting only nine triples in the first 15 games of the year, Blount has connected on nine three-balls in the last three outings alone. Loyola is 15-6 since the start of the 2006-07 campaign when he records a positive assist-to-turnover ratio and he has scored in double digits in 11 straight home games dating back to last season. In League play this season, Blount is tallying 17.3 ppg and 2.8 apg and has dished out 22 assists to only 20 turnovers.

Polka Mania: Bruising 6-foot-7 forward Andy Polka has picked up where he left off last season when he established himself as one of the premier rebounders in the Horizon League. The 2006 Mr. Basketball in the state of Wisconsin, Polka has scored in double digits in three of Loyola's last seven games, after accomplishing the feat three times in the first 11 outings of the season. One of only two Ramblers to have started every game this season, Polka has contributed 10.0 ppg, 6.3 rpg and 2.7 apg in Loyola's wins this year, compared to 7.1 ppg, 6.4 rpg and 1.3 apg in its defeats. The Ramblers are 9-5 in Polka's career when he scores in double digits. Polka, who is accounting for 8.3 ppg, 8.0 rpg and 2.0 apg in three League road games this year, is on pace to finish as one of the top 10 rebounders in Loyola history. A threat from three-point range, Polka has buried 5 of his last 10 (50 percent) tries from beyond the arc, and is registering 9.0 ppg and 7.0 rpg in the last four games.

Mister Robinson's Neighborhood: Tracy Robinson has developed a knack for coming up big late in games to lift Loyola to victories. Two years ago, he converted a pair of crucial free throws in the waning seconds to seal a win at UIC. He scored 14 of his career-best 16 points in the second half Nov. 13 to lead Loyola to a 72-65 victory at Eastern Illinois and laid in the game-tying basket just before the final buzzer to force overtime in a Dec. 8 win versus Milwaukee. A year ago, Robinson buried five free throws in the final minute to seal a 75-71 win at No. 15 Butler. The versatile 6-foot-7 forward is accounting for 10.5 ppg and 3.5 rpg in Loyola's last four road games. The senior, who poured in a career-high 19 points at Youngstown State on Jan. 5, is contributing 10.7 ppg and 3.9 rpg in 11 starting nods this season.

Only The Young Can Say: One of the top free-throw shooters in the Horizon League with a career .803 (257 for 320) accuracy rate from the charity stripe, Leon Young has buried 31 of his last 34 (.912) attempts and recently drained 19 straight freebies. Young, who has already dealt a career-best 15 assists this season, needs 50 rebounds to become the 28th member of Loyola's 500-Rebound Club. Loyola is 4-1 in Young's career when he registers 20 or more points. He came off the bench to record 19 points and eight rebounds in last Thursday's win versus Detroit. Young, who missed four games over the semester break while battling pneumonia, is contributing 12.8 ppg and 5.8 rpg in his last four road games. His 19-point performance off the bench versus Detroit was the best by a Rambler reserve since Young himself kicked in 23 points of f the pine at Youngstown State on Feb. 25, 2006.

Cerasoli Contributes: Junior guard Justin Cerasoli, a transfer from the University of Mississippi, has made an immediate impact, scoring in double figures in seven of his first nine games of the season. Cerasoli, who is averaging 14.0 ppg and shooting 52 percent (11 for 21) from the field in the last two games, has hit a triple in four straight contests. A high school teammate of current Illinois star Shaun Pruitt, the 6-foot-5 guard has hit 7 of his last 12 (58 percent) field goal attempts, including 4 of his last 5 (80 percent) from long range.

Finishing With A Flourish: One thing Loyola has been known for over the last three seasons has been a strong finish. In three years at Loyola, Whitesell's clubs have posted a remarkable 17-5 (.773) record in the month of February. Included in that run is a pair of four-game winning streaks and a six-game winning streak.

Leon's Numbers Are Getting Larger: In his last four appearances away from home, Young is putting up 12.8 ppg and 5.8 rpg, while shooting 50 percent (14 for 28) from the field. The Long Beach, Calif., native has accounted for 16.4 ppg and 8.2 rpg in the Ramblers' wins this year, compared to 9.7 ppg and 5.2 rpg in their losses.

Blount's Count: Through 18 games, Blount leads the Ramblers with 15.7 ppg and is on pace to become the first Loyola player since Eric Dolezal (1990-93) to average 10 or more points in each of his first three seasons on the Lake Shore Campus. The high-scoring junior enters tonight's game at Butler needing only 34 points to become the 37th player in Loyola history to reach the 1,000-point plateau. Should he accomplish the feat this season, he will be the third Rambler in as many seasons to join the exclusive 1,000-Point Club as Blake Schilb (2005-06) and Majak Kou (2006-07) turned the trick in each of the last two seasons, respectively.

Arc Madness: After shooting only 25 percent (62 for 244) from three-point land over the first 15 games of the season, Loyola has begun to find its stroke from long distance in the last three contests. In the last three games, the Ramblers have connected on 34 percent (20 for 59) of their tries from triple territory, with Blount hitting 39 percent (9 for 23) of his trey attempts and Cerasoli burying 80 percent (4 for 5) of his long-distance dial-ups.

That Under 70s Show: Loyola is 42-20 (.677) under Whitesell when allowing fewer than 70 points. Since the start of the 2005-06 campaign, the Ramblers have posted a 32-15 ledger when yielding fewer than 70 points, including a 16-4 mark a year ago, but are 5-8 this season.

Elite Company: With 40 total wins over the 2005-06 and 2006-07 seasons, only Butler recorded more than Loyola among Horizon League institutions.

Start Him Up: Blount enters tonight's game having been a member of Loyola's starting five in 54 consecutive contests.

Helping Hands: Loyola is 5-0 this season when it has posted a positive assist-to-turnover ratio. Over the last two seasons, the Ramblers are 15-1 (.938) when recording more assists than turnovers, with the only loss coming at the hands of then-No. 14 Butler, 70-66, in overtime.

Maybe It Is How You Start: Since the start of the 2005-06 season, Loyola has amassed a 41-7 (.854) record in games in which it has held the lead at halftime.

Bench Bonanza: Over the last pair of contests, Loyola has received some major contributions off the bench, outscoring its opponents' reserves, 59-23. After getting only 21 points from its bench in the previous four games, Loyola's reserves came up big in last Thursday's win over Detroit, out-producing those of the Titans by a whopping 35-5 margin, with Young (19 points), Dave Telander (8 points) and Robinson (7 points) having big games. Over the first 16 games of the season, the Ramblers' bench was outscored 292-185.

Nice Work, Junior: Loyola's top three scorers - J.R. Blount, Leon Young and Justin Cerasoli - are all juniors. That trio of juniors have accounted for a collective 40.4 ppg, a total that accounts for 64 percent of the Ramblers' total offense, and 13.9 rpg. Darrin Williams, who is also a junior, is contributing 3.1 ppg and 2.2 rpg to add to those numbers. Last year's senior class of Blake Schilb, Majak Kou, Brandon Woods and Kye Pattrick averaged a combined 34.5 ppg and 12.7 rpg.

Thrown For A Loss: The Ramblers are looking to halt their losing streak at one game for the first time this season. The previous times Loyola has dropped a contest following a win this year, it has seen losing skids of five, two, and four games.

Not Without A Hitch: Head athletic trainer Dr. Tom Hitcho has worked 881 consecutive Loyola men's basketball regular-season contests. 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 411 Rambler victories. In his 31st year at Loyola, Hitcho was inducted into the Loyola Athletics Hall of Fame in February 2006.

Getting A Handle On Randall: First-year assistant coach Lance Randall is a familiar face to a pair of Ramblers. Senior Tom Levin was coached by Randall's late father, Steve, at Oshkosh West High School. Randall, left his job as an assistant coach at Saint Louis to succeed his father at Oshkosh West following his untimely passing, was the head coach for two seasons for current Loyola sophomore Andy Polka. Randall guided Polka, and his 2005-06 squad, to a perfect 26-0 record and the Wisconsin Division I state title.

Ramblers Sign Four Early: In November, Loyola announced the signing of four recruits, three of whom stand 6-foot-6 or taller, during the NCAA Early Signing Period. Joining the fold for the 2008-09 season are 6-foot-9 forward John Benkoske (Oshkosh, Wis.), 6-foot-7 forward Walt Gibler (Cincinnati, Ohio), 6-foot-6 swing player Jordan Hicks (Rochester, Minn.) and 6-foot-1 guard Courtney Stanley (Philadelphia, Pa.).

Lights, Camera, Action: This season, Loyola will have 10 home games and 12 contests total, broadcast live on Lakeshore Public Television. Lakeshore Public Television, which is available on either channel 17 or 21 on most cable systems in the Chicago area, reaches 3.5 million households and is also available on channel 56 on Dish Network and DirecTV.