Loyola at Milwaukee Game Notes

March 3, 2008

#8 Loyola (11-18, 6-12) at #5 Milwaukee (14-15, 9-9)
Date: March 4, 2008
Time: 7:00 p.m. CST
Arena: U.S. Cellular Arena (10,783) - Milwaukee, Wis.
Series: Milwaukee leads, 21-17
Radio: WYLL (AM 1160) - John Fitzgerald (play-by-play)
TV: www.horizonleaguenetwork.tv

Tonight's Game: Loyola looks to avenge its worst Horizon League loss of the season when its travels to Milwaukee for a Horizon League Championship first-round game Tuesday night. The Ramblers dropped a 68-53 decision to the Panthers on Feb. 28 at U.S. Cellular Arena and enter the tournament as the No. 8 seed. Milwaukee, the No. 5 seed, has dropped seven of its last nine contests heading into postseason play.

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 64-57 (.529) 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 342-251 (.577) mark, is 3-7 against Milwaukee, and 5-3 in League Championship play, as Loyola's head coach.

Loyola - Milwaukee - The Series: The League rivals are meeting for the 39th time and the Ramblers trail the series, 21-17. Loyola has prevailed in three of the last four meetings between the teams, and last January halted an 11-game losing skid to Milwaukee. A year ago, thanks to a 66-56 decision, Loyola toppled the Panthers for the first time in Milwaukee since 2002, putting an end to a six-game slide. The teams met last week and the host Panthers coasted to a 68-53 victory despite 14 points and nine boards from Loyola's Milwaukee native, J.R. Blount. Loyola is 7-12 all-time against the Panthers in Milwaukee, including 0-2 in Horizon League Championship action. UWM dispatched Loyola in the semifinal round in both 2005 and 2006.

Great Eight?: Loyola is making its sixth League Championship appearance as the No. 8 seed and is 1-5 all-time in that slot. A No. 8 seed has advanced to the Horizon League Championship title game just once, when Wright State fell to No. 3 Green Bay, 73-59 in 1995. Just four years ago, Loyola was the No. 8 seed and dealt No. 5 Wright State a 76-59 defeat at the Nutter Center in first-round action. Since the League adopted the current tourney format in 2003, the title game has been a match-up of both the No. 1 and No. 2 seeds in all but one year (2005), when top-seeded Milwaukee slipped past No. 3 Detroit, 59-58.

Tournament Tidbits: Since joining the League in 1979-80, Loyola has accumulated a 24-27 (.471) record in League Tournament action, claiming its lone title in 1985. The Ramblers are 9-6 in Horizon League Championship play since the start of the 2002 postseason, advancing to one championship game and three semifinal appearances in that span. For just the second time under the current format, Loyola is playing an opening-round game on the road, the last time resulting in a 76-59 victory at Wright State in 2004. Under the current tournament set-up, the Ramblers have posted a spotless 4-0 ledger in first-round action and have made a trip to the semifinal round for three straight seasons for the first time since 1990-92.

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 102-40 (.718) record over the last four seasons and is the 37th player in Loyola history to score 1,000 points. 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 coming off a 25-point, eight-rebound, six-assist effort at Green Bay on March 1, and is chipping in 19.5 ppg, 8.5 rpg, 5.0 apg and 1.5 spg in Loyola's last pair of outings. Blount, who has scored in double digits in nine of the Ramblers' last 10 road games, is contributing 19.0 ppg, 6.3 rpg, 4.5 apg and 1.8 apg in four games this season versus teams from his native state. Loyola is 19-8 since the start of the 2006-07 campaign when he records a positive assist-to-turnover ratio and is 7-3 this year when he shoots better than 45 percent from the field. A career 12.2 ppg scorer in League Championship play, Blount is averaging 15.6 ppg, 5.4 rpg and 3.2 apg in five career games at U.S. Cellular Arena.

Polka Mania: Bruising 6-foot-7 forward Andy Polka has not succumbed to the proverbial sophomore jinx after establishing himself as one of the premier rebounders in the Horizon League a year ago. The 2006 Mr. Basketball in the state of Wisconsin, Polka is contributing 10.5 ppg and 7.3 rpg in four career meetings with Milwaukee. One of only two Ramblers to have started every game this season, Polka registered 11 points and five rebounds at Milwaukee last Thursday night. Polka, who is the leading rebounder among Horizon League sophomores with 6.7 rpg, is on pace to finish as one of the top 10 rebounders in Loyola history and needs 77 boards to join Loyola's 500-Rebound Club. Last season, he recorded 7.5 ppg, 11.0 rpg and 2.0 apg in a pair of Horizon League Championship contests. The burly forward is putting up 12.0 ppg and 6.5 rpg, while shooting 59 percent (10 for 17) from the field in two career games at Milwaukee's U.S. Cellular Arena. Over the last two games, he owns six assists and only one turnover.

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 also hit a three-pointer at the buzzer to lift Loyola to a 69-68 victory over Youngstown State on Jan. 31. Robinson is averaging 10.9 ppg, 2.9 rpg, 2.8 apg and 1.0 spg in the last nine games, and in 22 starts he is tallying 10.2 ppg, 3.5 rpg and 0.8 bpg. The senior, who scored 18 points in a victory over Milwaukee on Dec. 8, has handed out 19 assists to only 10 turnovers in the last seven games.

Only The Young Can Say: One of the top free-throw shooters in the Horizon League with a career .810 (272 for 336) accuracy rate from the charity stripe, Leon Young has buried 46 of his last 50 (.920) attempts, including 15 of the last 16 (.938). Young, who has already dealt a career-best 18 assists this season, needs 38 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 has converted 13 of his last 19 (68 percent) from the field and in eight games off the bench this season, has scored in double digits on four occasions. Young, who has been sidelined for 10 of Loyola's last 18 games for an assortment of ailments, has scored in double digits in seven of his last 12 appearances. In the Ramblers' 11 wins this season, the Long Beach, Calif., native is producing 16.4 ppg and 8.2 rpg. He went for 21 points and a career-best 14 rebounds against Milwaukee on Dec. 8.

Justin's Time: Junior Justin Cerasoli, a transfer from the University of Mississippi, has provided a boost off the bench in the last four outings by contributing 12.0 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 2.3 apg and 1.8 spg, while shooting 50 percent (7 for 14) from three-point range. The Ramblers have posted a 3-2 ledger this season when the 6-foot-5 guard scores in double digits off the bench. Cerasoli, who has converted 19 of his last 22 (86 percent) tries from the foul line, has hit three triples on five occasions this season and is aiming to become the third newcomer in the Whitesell era to average double figures in scoring in his first year in Rogers Park.

Totally Ross-Some: Sophomore Ross Forman enjoyed the finest night of his collegiate career in Saturday's regular-season finale at Green Bay. The transfer from the University of Wyoming posted his first career double-double with career highs of 28 points and 15 rebounds as he connected on 12 of 19 shots from the field, en route to the highest point total by a Rambler since Blake Schilb tossed in 29 points versus Butler on March 3, 2007. Forman's 15 boards are the most by a Loyola player since Paul McMillan snagged 15 caroms on Feb. 12, 2004 against Milwaukee. Forman, who was making his first start since Jan. 31, entered the Green Bay game having scored only 28 total points in his previous nine games and topped the double-digit scoring mark for the first time since pumping in 11 points versus Northern Illinois on Dec. 15. The 6-foot-8 forward has not committed a turnover in his last 150 minutes of action and has drained 14 of his last 23 (61 percent) shots from the field.

Close Calls: Seven of Loyola's 12 Horizon League defeats this season have come by 8 points or less and if you throw out last Thursday night's 68-53 setback at Milwaukee, the Ramblers' last four losses in circuit play have come by a combined total of 17 points.

Ten Spot: Whitesell is the first Loyola bench boss since Gene Sullivan in the early 1980s to win 10 or more games in each of his first four seasons on the Lake Shore Campus.

Blount's Count: Through 29 games, Blount leads the Ramblers with 15.1 ppg and is a cinch 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. Through games of March 1, Blount ranked fifth in the Horizon League in scoring.

Heaven On Seventy: Seventy points has been the benchmark for success when it comes to the Ramblers' offense this season, as they are 7-0 when scoring at least 70 points. In fact, dating back to last year, Loyola has won its last 11, and 12 of its last 13, contests when it reaches the 70-point plateau.

Start Him Up: Blount enters tonight's game having been a member of Loyola's starting five in 65 consecutive contests.

Maybe It Is How You Start: Since the start of the 2005-06 season, Loyola has amassed a 46-9 (.836) record in games in which it has held the lead at halftime.

Care Takers: Over the last 12 contests, Loyola has averaged only 10.5 turnovers per game, including a mere 9.9 in the last seven games. In the first 17 games of the season, Loyola averaged 13.6 turnovers per outing.

Thousand Island: Blount became the 37th player in Loyola history to score 1,000 points when he scored the game-winning basket with four seconds left to help his squad to a 65-63 victory at Valparaiso on Jan. 26. The 6-foot-1 guard is the third Rambler in as many seasons to achieve the feat, joining former teammates Blake Schilb (2004-05) and Majak Kou (2006-07), and he is also one of six current Horizon League players with over 1,000 points - A.J. Graves of Butler (1,749), Mike Schachtner of Green Bay (1,271), Jon Goode of Detroit (1,227), J'Nathan Bullock of Cleveland State (1,190) and Josh Mayo of UIC (1,172). Blount currently ranks 28th on Loyola's all-time scoring chart with 1,123 points.

Smith Passes Away: Loyola is mourning the passing of former men's basketball player Anthony Smith (2002-05), who passed away on Jan. 28 at the age of 24, after a courageous bout with leukemia. The 6-foot-9 forward averaged career bests of 5.3 ppg and 3.7 rpg as a senior in 2004-05. For the remainder of the season, the Ramblers will wear black patches featuring Smith's number "50".

Badger Ballers: Loyola's roster features three Badger State natives in senior Tom Levin (Oshkosh), junior J.R. Blount (Milwaukee) and sophomore Andy Polka (Oshkosh). In addition, first-year assistant coach Lance Randall guided Oshkosh West High School to consecutive state championships in 2006 and 2007.

Double-Digit Delight: Thanks to a 68-61 victory over Valparaiso on Feb. 20, Loyola has reached the 10-win plateau for the fourth straight campaign. The last time the Ramblers posted 10 or more wins in four consecutive seasons was a 16-year stretch from 1974-89, when Loyola averaged 15 wins per year.

Successful Seniors: Loyola's senior class of Cortney Horton, Tom Levin, Tracy Robinson, Dave Telander and Darrin Williams, has notched 64 victories since the start of the 2004-05 season, to become the most successful in terms of wins, since the Class of 1988 piled up 69 wins in its career.

Not Without A Hitch: Head athletic trainer Dr. Tom Hitcho has worked 892 consecutive Loyola men's basketball 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 416 Rambler victories. In his 31st year at Loyola, Hitcho was inducted into the Loyola Athletics Hall of Fame in February 2006.

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.).

Birthday Boy: Center Matt Adler is celebrating his 21st birthday today. The Bay Village, Ohio native is the tallest player on the Ramblers' roster, standing 6-foot-11, but has had his career stalled due to a pair of knee injuries.