Loyola at Detroit Game Notes

Feb. 15, 2008

Loyola (9-15, 5-9) at Detroit (6-18, 2-12)
Date: February 16, 2008
Time: 4:35 p.m. EST
Arena: Calihan Hall (8,295) - Detroit, Mich.
Series: Loyola leads 70-45
Radio: WYLL (AM 1160) - Tom Wuestenfeld (play-by-play)
TV: www.horizonleaguenetwork.tv

Today's Game: Loyola closes out a two-game, weekend road trip by facing Detroit Saturday afternoon. The Ramblers are looking to shake off a hard-fought 55-51 loss at Wright State Thursday night. Three of Loyola's last four losses have come by five points or less, with the last pair coming by a total of nine points. The Ramblers have prevailed in two of their last three games played on Saturdays.

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 62-54 (.534) 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 340-248 (.578) mark, is 5-3 versus Detroit as Loyola's head coach.

Loyola - Detroit - The Series: Loyola has never faced a team more in its storied history than it has Detroit, as the Jesuit schools are meeting for the 116th time in a series that dates back to 1923. The Ramblers, who own a 70-45 edge in the long-standing series, have claimed the last five meetings overall and last season snapped a 13-game losing skid to the Titans at Calihan Hall with a 70-64 victory in Detroit, for their first win at Calihan since 1992. Four of the last six meetings between the teams in the Motor City have been decided by seven points or less. Last month in Chicago, Loyola received 35 points from its bench, including 19 from Leon Young, en route to a 71-65 victory. J.R. Blount scored a team-high 23 points for the Ramblers, while Jon Goode poured in a game-high 30 points for the Titans, who shot 55 percent from the field.

Deja Vu All Over Again: Three years ago, in Jim Whitesell's first season at Loyola in 2004-05, Loyola dropped lost at Butler to fall to 6-15 overall, but bounced back to pick up a big win at Wright State in its next outing. That win over Wright State kick-started a 7-2 finish to the season and set the foundation for a 19-win campaign in 2005-06. Could the same type of finish be on the horizon for the Ramblers in 2007-08? On Jan. 24, Loyola came up on the short end of a 63-50 decision at No. 15 Butler, but showed its resiliency by winning three straight games before dropping a 60-55 decision to UIC last Saturday evening and a tough 55-51 contest at Wright State on Thursday night.

The More We Score...: When Loyola's offense is productive, good things follow as the team is averaging 72.6 ppg in its nine victories. On the flip side, the Ramblers are mustering only 55.3 ppg in their losses this season.

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 100-37 (.730) 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 averaging 17.0 ppg, 2.8 rpg and 2.0 apg, while shooting 44 percent (26 for 59) from the field, including 33 percent (7 for 21) from long distance, in the last four road outings. Blount has averaged 16.2 ppg, 3.2 rpg and 3.6 apg in five career meetings with Detroit and in his last game against the Titans a month ago, equaled a season high with 23 points. Loyola is 18-6 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 14 of the last 15 regular-season League tilts. Blount is averaging 16.0 ppg, 3.2 rpg and 2.5 apg in League road games this season and has scored in double figures in six consecutive games away from home. In two games versus teams from Michigan this season, Blount is putting up 22.0 ppg, 3.0 rpg and 3.0 apg, while shooting 47 percent (14 for 30) from the field. The junior guard has dished out nine assists to only two turnovers, in two career appearances at Calihan Hall.

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 10.0 ppg, 6.7 rpg, 3.0 apg and 0.7 spg in the Ramblers' last three road outings. One of only two Ramblers to have started every game this season, Polka is accounting for 9.2 ppg and 7.3 rpg in League road affairs. The Ramblers are 10-6 in Polka's career when he scores in double digits. Polka, who is the leading rebounder among Horizon League sophomores with 6.4 rpg, is on pace to finish as one of the top 10 rebounders in Loyola history. Although he attempted only one three-point field goal a year ago, Polka has hit 5 of his last 13 (38 percent) tries from long range on the road. Last month, he accounted for eight points three assists, a pair of steals, a block and a rebound in a 71-65 victory over Detroit in Chicago.

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 putting up 14.0 ppg, 2.5 rpg, 2.3 apg, 0.8 bpg and 1.8 spg in the last four outings. The senior, who has started the last seven contests, is averaging 9.0 ppg and 3.5 rpg, while shooting 64 percent (7 for 11) in two games versus teams from Michigan this season.

Only The Young Can Say: One of the top free-throw shooters in the Horizon League with a career .805 (264 for 328) accuracy rate from the charity stripe, Leon Young has buried 38 of his last 42 (.905) attempts and earlier this season drained 19 straight freebies. Young, who has already dealt a career-best 17 assists this season, needs 44 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 led the team in scoring despite coming off the bench in each of the last two games. Young, who has missed eight games this season, is contributing 13.0 ppg, 4.0 rpg and 1.8 apg in his last four appearances. Over the last two games, he has connected on 69 percent (9 for 13) of his shots from the field. Young tallied 19 points and eight caroms off the bench versus Detroit on Jan. 17.

Getting It Done With Defense: Stingy defense has been the main reason Loyola has won seven of its last 10 games in the month of February dating back to last season. In those 10 outings, the Ramblers have yielded only 56.0 ppg and allowed 70 or more points just once.

Flourishing In February: One thing Loyola has been known for over the last three seasons has been a strong finish. In three-plus years at Loyola, Whitesell's clubs have posted a remarkable 18-7 (.720) record in the month of February. Included in that run is a pair of four-game winning streaks and a six-game winning streak.

Ten Spot: Whitesell needs one more win to become 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 24 games, Blount leads the Ramblers with 15.1 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. Through games of Feb. 14, Blount ranks 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 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. Each of the Ramblers' last three victories, however, has come when the team has scored fewer than 70 points.

Start Him Up: Blount enters tonight's game having been a member of Loyola's starting five in 60 consecutive contests.

Helping Hands: Loyola is 6-2 this season when it has posted a positive assist-to-turnover ratio. Over the last two seasons, the Ramblers are 16-3 (.889) when recording more assists than turnovers, with the only losses coming to Butler last year and to UIC and Wright State the last two games.

Maybe It Is How You Start: Since the start of the 2005-06 season, Loyola has amassed a 44-8 (.846) record in games in which it has held the lead at halftime.

Care Takers: Over the last half dozen contests, Loyola has averaged only 10.3 turnovers per game, including a mere 7.5 in the last two games, both losses. A six-turnover effort versus UIC last Saturday was the program's lowest since the Ramblers committed only four miscues in a victory over Lake Forest on Dec. 17, 2005. In the first 17 games of the season, Loyola averaged 13.6 turnovers per outing.

Here Comes The Boom: Darrin "Boomer" Williams has re-emerged as an offensive weapon the last three games, contributing 7.0 ppg to go with 4.5 rpg and 0.8 bpg. In Horizon League action, the junior forward is tallying 4.9 ppg and 3.0 rpg, while sinking 60 percent (30 for 50) of his shots from the field. After averaging 1.9 ppg and 1.1 rpg in the first 11 games of the season, Williams has registered 5.4 ppg and 3.8 rpg over the last 13 contests. On the road in League play, the Detroit native is chipping in 6.7 ppg, 3.5 rpg and 0.8 bpg, and connecting on 61 percent (17 for 28) of his shots from the field.

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 (1,678), Mike Schachtner of Green Bay (1,213), Jon Goode of Detroit (1,193), J'Nathan Bullock of Cleveland State (1,130) and Josh Mayo of UIC (1,098). Blount currently ranks tied for 30th on Loyola's all-time scoring chart with 1,046 points and needs 28 points to tie Earl Brown (1996-2000) for 29th place.

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".

Gotta Get Back In Time: Yesterday marked the 50th anniversary of a landmark moment in Loyola basketball history. On Feb. 15, 1958, Art McZier hit a shot at the buzzer to lift Loyola to a 57-56 victory over 12th-ranked University of Kentucky at the Chicago Stadium. McZier finished the game with 13 points. Kentucky went on to win the NCAA title later that season.

Not Without A Hitch: Head athletic trainer Dr. Tom Hitcho has worked 887 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 413 Rambler victories. In his 31st year at Loyola, Hitcho was inducted into the Loyola Athletics Hall of Fame in February 2006.

Road Warriors: Under Whitesell's guidance, the Ramblers have posted a very impressive 10-4 (.714) record in road contests in the month of February. In 2004-05, Loyola went 4-1 in February road tilts, and was a perfect 4-0 a season ago. Loyola ventures into today's game at Detroit having won five of its last six road games in the month of February. It had a five-game winning streak halted with a 55-51 setback at Wright State Thursday night.

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.).