Loyola vs. Detroit Game Notes

Jan. 15, 2008

Loyola (5-11, 1-5) vs. Detroit (4-12, 0-6)
Date: January 17, 2008
Time: 7:00 p.m. CST
Arena: Gentile Center (5,200) - Chicago, Ill.
Series: Loyola leads, 69-45
Radio: WYLL (AM 1160) - John Fitzgerald (play-by-play); Dave Klusendorf (expert analyst)
TV: Lakeshore Public Television - Joe Arredondo (play-by-play); Todd Medland (color analyst)

Tonight's Game: Loyola opens up a two-game weekend homestand when its hosts Detroit Thursday night. After suffering a gut-wrenching double-overtime loss at UIC last Saturday, the Ramblers are looking to win their fourth home game in their last five outings at the Gentile Center. Tonight's contest begins a stretch in which Loyola will play five of its next seven games at home.

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 58-50 (.537) 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 336-244 (.579) mark, is 4-3 against 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 115th time in a series that dates back to 1923. The Ramblers, who own a 69-45 edge in the long-standing series, have claimed the last four meetings overall and have prevailed in six of the last seven encounters at the Gentile Center. A year ago, Loyola swept the regular-season series by capturing its first win at Calihan Hall in Detroit by a 70-64 count, before it picked up a 71-61 decision in Chicago. In the meeting in Chicago last February, the Ramblers built a 40-34 halftime cushion and held on for the win, thanks in large part, to a game-high 20 points from J.R. Blount. Loyola shot a blistering 54 percent (25 for 46) from the field in that contest.

Snapping The Shooting Slump: After converting only 25 percent (59 for 237) of their three-point attempts through the first 14 games of the season, the Ramblers are showing signs of breaking out of that prolonged slump by hitting 38 percent (9 for 24) of their tries from beyond the arc in the last two contests. J.R. Blount has hit 4 of his last 9 (44 percent) triple tries, after converting only 9 of his first 49 (18 percent) attempts this season. In its last two games at the Gentile Center, Loyola has averaged 72.0 ppg and shot 44 percent (50 for 113) from the field.

Not Afraid To Work Overtime: Loyola has already played three overtime games this season, its most since also playing three extra-session contests in 2003-04. Under Jim Whitesell the Ramblers are 4-4 in overtime tilts. Last Saturday's game at UIC marked the first time Loyola has played a double-overtime game since Jan. 14, 2001, when it stumbled in a 94-93 nail biter versus Milwaukee at the Gentile Center.

Heaven On Seventy: Seventy points has been the benchmark for success when it comes to the Ramblers' offense this season, as they are 5-0 when scoring at least 70 points. In fact, dating back to last year, Loyola has won its last nine and 10 of its last 11 contests when it reaches the 70-point plateau.

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 96-33 (.738) record over the last four seasons and needs 68 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 scored a season-high 23 points at UIC on Jan. 12 and his four triples in that game was his most since Feb. 7, 2007. 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 nine straight home games dating back to last season. In League play this season, Blount is tallying 17.3 ppg and 3.2 apg and has dished out 19 assists to only 14 turnovers. Against Detroit, he has recorded 14.5 ppg, 3.0 rpg and 4.0 apg in four career contests. Over the last pair of games, Blount is registering 19.5 ppg and is shooting 44 percent (4 for 9) from three-point range.

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 five 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 10.4 ppg, 7.4 rpg and 2.6 apg in Loyola's wins this year, compared to 7.1 ppg, 6.1 rpg and 1.4 apg in its defeats. The Ramblers are 9-4 in Polka's career when he scores in double digits. Polka, who is averaging 10.4 ppg, 7.4 rpg, 1.2 apg and shooting 56 percent (20 for 36) from the field in the last five games, is one pace to finish as one of the top 10 rebounders in Loyola history. A year ago, Polka got off to a fast start in January, averaging 9.3 ppg and 7.5 rpg in the first four games of the month, is contributing 13.3 ppg and 6.7 rpg in his last three contests at The Joe.

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 13.3 ppg, 4.3 rpg and 1.7 bpg in Loyola's last three home games. The senior, who poured in a career-high 19 points at Youngstown State on Jan. 5, is contributing 11.0 ppg, 3.7 rpg and 1.3 spg in the last three outings.

Only The Young Can Say: One of the top free-throw shooters in the Horizon League with a career .801 (242 for 302) accuracy rate from the charity stripe, Leon Young has buried his last 16 attempts from the foul line and was a perfect 10 for 10 at UMKC on Dec. 22. Young, who has already dealt a career-best 11 assists this season and missed four games this season with pneumonia, needs 60 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. Over his last five appearances, Young is tallying 14.4 ppg and 7.0 rpg, while connecting on 54 percent (21 for 39) of his field-goal attempts and 83 percent (30 for 36) of his tries from the charity stripe. In League play at the Gentile Center, he is accounting for 14.5 ppg and 10.0 rpg and has posted 18.5 ppg and 10.0 rpg in his last two overall appearances at home. Loyola is 0-5 this season when he fails to score in double digits.

Cerasoli Contributes: Junior guard Justin Cerasoli, a transfer from the University of Mississippi, has made an immediate impact, scoring in double figures in six of his first seven games of the season. Cerasoli, who is averaging 13.7 ppg, 5.3 rpg and 2.3 apg in six starts this year, is averaging 15.7 ppf and 6.7 rpg over the last three contests. A high school teammate of current Illinois star Shaun Pruitt, the 6-foot-5 guard is coming off a career-high, 21-point performance at UIC last weekend. In two games at the Gentile Center this season, Cerasoli is putting up 14.5 ppg, 6.5 rpg, 3.0 apg, and 2.5 spg, while shooting 52 percent (11 for 21) from the field.

That Under 70s Show: Loyola is 42-19 (.689) under Whitesell when allowing fewer than 70 points. Since the start of the 2005-06 campaign, the Ramblers have posted a 32-14 ledger when yielding fewer than 70 points, including a 16-4 mark a year ago, but are 4-7 this season.

Fill My Eyes With That Double-Double Vision: Young has registered a double-double in two his last four appearances and has posted seven of his nine career double-doubles against non-Horizon League competition. In a Dec. 22 loss at UMKC, he pumped in a career-best 24 points and grabbed 13 rebounds, one shy of a career high. The Long Beach, Calif., native has already matched his double-double total from a season ago and the Ramblers are now 7-2 all-time when he reaches double figures in both points and rebounds.

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 52 consecutive contests.

Helping Hands: Loyola is 4-0 this season when it has posted a positive assist-to-turnover ratio. Over the last two seasons, the Ramblers are 14-1 (.933) 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 40-7 (.851) record in games in which it has held the lead at halftime.

Here Comes The Boom: Over the last five outings, the first starts of his career, Darrin "Boomer" Williams has emerged as a force in the paint, averaging 6.8 ppg and 5.2 rpg, while shooting 58 percent (14 for 23) from the field. The junior has committed only five turnovers in 190 minutes of action this season and has converted 21 of his last 33 (64 percent) attempts from the field. In is last four League games, Williams is tallying 6.8 ppg and 3.5 rpg. Finally healthy after battling knee injuries most of his career, Williams entered a Jan. 3 game at Cleveland State with 42 career points, but poured in a career-high 21 points and grabbed eight rebounds against the Vikings. Prior to his 21-point outburst at Cleveland State, Williams had only scored eight points away from the Gentile Center in his career.

In Need Of Some Scoring In Reserve: Through the first 16 outings of the season, the Ramblers' bench has outscored that of its opponent on three occasions, but has failed to produce at least 10 points 10 times. Over the last four contests, Loyola's reserves have managed only 21 total points. For the year, the Ramblers' bench has been outscored 292-185.

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.

Numbers Game: There is an old adage that numbers don't lie and the figures tell the story of Loyola's wins and losses this season. In five wins, the Ramblers are shooting 43 percent from the field and have dished out 70 assists to 66 turnovers. Rambler opponents are connecting on 42 percent of their tries from the field and 25 percent from three-point range in those five victories. In Loyola's losses, the team is hitting only 39 percent from the field and has handed out 88 assists to 154 turnovers. Opponents have shot 47 percent from the field and 42 percent from long distance in the Ramblers' 11 setbacks.

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 40.7 ppg, a total which accounts for 65 percent of the Ramblers' total offense, and 14.6 rpg. Darrin Williams, who is also a junior, is contributing 3.4 ppg and 2.4 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.

Not Without A Hitch: Head athletic trainer Dr. Tom Hitcho has worked 879 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 410 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.