2008 Men's Basketball Horizon League Championship Bracket

March 2, 2008

CHICAGO - The Loyola University Chicago (11-18, 6-12 Horizon) men's basketball team has earned the No. 8 seed and will face No. 5 seed Milwaukee (14-15, 9-9 Horizon) in a first-round game in the Horizon League Championship on Tuesday, March 4 at 7 p.m. Central at U.S. Cellular Arena in Milwaukee. On Friday, March 7, the winner of the Loyola-Milwaukee game will face the winner of the No. 4 UIC vs. No. 9 Youngstown State contest, at 7 p.m. Central at Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.

Loyola is undefeated in first-round games in League Tournament play since the new format was adopted for the 2002-03 season. This marks just the second time the Ramblers are playing an opening-round contest on the road, as they rolled past Wright State, 76-59 in 2004.

For the first time since that 2004 campaign, Loyola will be the No. 8 seed in the tournament and it has racked up a 1-5 all-time record in League tournament play in that slot. Under fourth-year bench boss Jim Whitesell, the Ramblers have compiled a 5-3 record in League tournament competition and advanced to the semifinal round in each of his previous three seasons.

In other first-round action at the 2008 Horizon League Championship, No. 3 seed Wright State (20-9, 12-6 Horizon) will host No. 10 Detroit (7-22, 3-15 Horizon), No. 6 Valparaiso (19-12, 9-9 Horizon) will host No. 7 Green Bay (15-14, 9-9 Horizon) and No. 9 Youngstown State (9-20, 5-13 Horizon) travels to No. 4 UIC (16-14, 9-9 Horizon), with all of those contests being played on March 4 at the site of the higher seed.

Butler captured the No. 1 seed, while Cleveland State earned the No. 2 seed. Both teams will receive byes until the semifinal round, which will be played in Indianapolis on Saturday, March 8. All first round games can be seen live on the Horizon League Network at www.horizonleaguenetwork.tv. Loyola's game at Milwaukee Tuesday night can also be heard live on WYLL (AM 1160).