Jan. 6, 2007

Recap | Box Score

Post-Game Quotes
Loyola vs. UW-Milwaukee
Jan. 6, 2007

Loyola Head coach Jim Whitesell

Opening Statement
"It was a really good basketball game. If you were a fan, I think you enjoyed watching it because there was a lot of scoring. UW-Milwaukee really came out and shot the ball well and ran their offense and got after us. I told our guys at halftime, `This is a really good game. This is what basketball is about.' Majak (Kou) had two big plays for us in transition against the press down the sideline which gave us a little breathing room and then we got a couple of stops. We're happy to win and fortunate to win. We played a team that's playing very well right now."

On Blake Schilb
"He shot around this morning. We talked at pre-game and he said it feels good. I asked if he could catch and if he could take getting hit on it then go for it. If not, then don't play. He didn't have a lot of reps or a lot of contact going into this game so Tracy (Robinson) got more reps in practice. Obviously, I was happy to see him back on the floor. He made a difference for us. I thought he did a nice job overall and I thought he did a nice job against their press. I thought he did a nice job with some length-of-the-floor passes which helped us take the burden off our half-court offense."

On Loyola offense
"With Blake (Schilb) hurt, we were forced into getting a lot more inside touches to Polka and Young. I think that's carried over a little bit because early in the game we went to Leon and Andy and got them some touches. We shot a good percentage then got a lot more balance. Offense wasn't our problem. It was more an issue of us being able to stop them. I like our balanced scoring with five guys in double-figures and the ball moved pretty well."

On free throw shooting
"When we've won our games, we've been a good team on the line. Part of that is due to J.R. (Blount) and Majak (Kou) getting to the basket and creating some fouls for you. When you get offensive rebounds, you'll get a couple of second or third shots and you'll get fouled because they're hard to defend."

Loyola guard J.R. Blount

On defeating UW-Milwaukee
"It's great. They were all over me last summer at tournaments so I heard a lot about it. It's definitely a good win but it's just another game in the Horizon League. We have to go to Wright State now and try to get another win."

Loyola forward Leon Young

On UW-Milwaukee's post play
"They had some double teams early and then they backed off a little bit so we just had to attack that. We have to take what's given to us. Against either a zone or man defense, you have to adjust. You have to do whatever it takes to put the ball in the basket."

Loyola guard Blake Schilb

On defeating UW-Milwaukee
"It feels great to finally beat UW-Milwaukee. I haven't beaten them my whole career at Loyola so to finally get that first win here at home in front of our fans feels good."

On playing through injury
"There wasn't any pain. I went through warm-ups and Coach Whitesell said to let him know if there's any pain. There wasn't so I told him I could play. I said, `Coach, I'm going. It's not an option right now.'"