Dec. 16, 2011

Loyola/Nebraska Omaha Game Notes in PDF Format

Nebraska Omaha (7-3) at Loyola (4-5)
Sunday, December 18, 2011
Chicago, Ill. - Gentile Arena
In-game updates via Twitter: @LoyolaRamblers

Quick Hits
- After another close loss, Loyola looks to get back on the winning track when the Ramblers wrap up their three-game homestand with a Sunday matinee against Nebraska Omaha at Gentile Arena
- Today is the first meeting between the two teams with Nebraska Omaha beginning its transitional period to Division I athletics
- The Mavericks are just the second different team from the state of Nebraska that Loyola has faced in its history. The Ramblers and fellow Jesuit school Creighton have played four times but not since 1987
- Loyola suffered another close loss last time out, falling to Northwestern, 72-67. The Ramblers have dropped five of their last six games after racing out to a 3-0 start
- The Ramblers placed four scorers in double figures against the Wildcats, led by Monica Albano's 19 points off the bench. It marks the second time this season that LU has had four players reach double figures in scoring (San Francisco, Nov. 26)
- Led by Albano's five three-pointers, Loyola drilled a school record 14 treys in the loss to Northwestern. The Ramblers are third in the country in three-point field goal percentage (42.4%) in the most recent statistical release
- Nebraska Omaha is in the process of transitioning to Division I athletics. The Mavericks have been accepted by the Summit League and will begin competition there during the 2012-13 season

Close But No Cigar (Or Win)
After racing out to a 3-0 start and blitzing its first three opponents by an average of 32 points per game, Loyola has found itself on the short end of extremely close games over the last three weeks. The Ramblers five losses have come by a combined total of 32 points (6.4 ppg), including setbacks of five (DePaul), three (La Salle) and five (Northwestern) points over their last three outings.

Long Live The King
After sitting out last season to fulfill the NCAA residency requirement, Patrice King has dazzled in her first month as a Rambler. King played two seasons at Ball State, making 11 starts and averaging 5.9 ppg in 63 games, before heading back to a city that she once called home. She played three years of high school basketball at Marian Catholic on Chicago's southside before moving to St. Louis, Mo. for her final season, where she was runner-up for Miss Basketball in the state of Missouri. Below are some of her season highlights.

- Scored in double figures in 8 of Loyola's first 9 games, including four games of over 20 pts (career high 26 points at DePaul)
- Averaging 19.8 ppg over last five games
- Recorded at least one steal in all 9 games and has two or more steals in 7 contests

Dead On From Deep
Loyola's three-point shooting prowess has been well documented as the Ramblers have made a school record 214 treys in each of the past two seasons. This season, Loyola is going for quality over quantity with terrific results. Entering play today, the Ramblers are third in the country in three-point field goal percentage, hitting 42.4% as a team to join some select company at the top of the chart.

Team 3FGM-A 3FG%
1. Vanderbilt 67-152 44.1
2. Illinois St 65-151 43.0
3. Loyola 56-132 42.4
4. Tennessee 60-144 41.6
5. Missouri 65-158 41.1

Efficient And Effective
Despite battling injury lately, Monica Albano has been terrific for the Ramblers through the first month of the season. Forced to be a high volume shooter last season, Albano has developed into an extremely efficient offensive player this year. Over her last five games, the Park Ridge native has scored 89 points (17.8 ppg) on just 53 field goal attempts, and she lit up Northwestern for 19 points of 7-of-11 shooting (5-6 3FGs) last Saturday. For the season, Albano is averaging 14.8 ppg while shooting 52% from the floor.

See The 3, Be The 3
Loyola put on one of the top outside shooting displays in program history, setting a new single-game school record by burying 14 three-pointers in its loss to Northwestern. More impressively, the Ramblers finished the game at 58% (14 for 24) from behind the arc as six different players made at least one trey. Monica Albano and Lisa Samplawski led the way, combining to go 9-for-12 (75%).

Samplawski Stands Out As Stand In
While Loyola certainly missed Monica Albano during her three-game, injury-related absence, senior Lisa Samplawski stepped up to try and fill some of the void. Making her first three starts of the season, Samplawski averaged 13.0 ppg - knocking down 9 of 17 (.529) three-pointers - and posted a season-high 19 points against Akron. She has continued her solid run of play in the two games since Albano's return, finishing with eight points, six rebounds and four assists against La Salle and 12 points last Saturday against Northwestern. Samplawski sits second in the Horizon League in three-pointers made per game (2.13 3FGM) while leading the League and ranking 10th nationally in three-point field goal percentage (17-34, 50%).