Loyola (Chi)

Horizon League First Round: Predictions & Poll

Greg Mengelt — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 07:37:46 -0800

The higher seed hosts Horizon League first round games. The top 2 seeds (Cleveland St & Valpo) have a bye.

#8 Wright State (13-18, 7-11) at #5 Butler (18-13, 11-7)

7 p.m. Regular-season meetings: Jan. 6 – Butler 63-62*; Feb. 2 – Butler 64-53. RPI: Butler 117; Wright State 212. Analysis: The Horizon doesn’t want to see Butler start rolling. Line: Butler -11. Pick: Butler 68, Wright State 49.

#10 Loyola (7-22, 1-17) at #3 Detroit (18-13, 11-7)

7 p.m. Regular-season meetings: Dec. 31 – Detroit 65-54*; Jan. 25 – Detroit 67-52. RPI: Detroit 148; Loyola 306. Analysis: The Titans have as much talent as anyone in the Horizon. They’ll play like it, at least for one round. Line: Detroit -14. Pick: Detroit 78, Loyola 53.

#7 Green Bay (15-14, 10-8) at #6 Youngstown State (15-10, 10-8)

7:05 p.m. Regular-season meetings: Jan. 22 – Youngstown 77-47; Feb. 14 – Green Bay 71-65. RPI: Youngstown 173, Green Bay 143. Analysis: The two teams have identical records, but the Penguins have the better team. Line: Youngstown State -2. Pick: Youngstown State 72, Green Bay 57.

#9 Illinois-Chicago (7-22, 1-17) at #4 Milwaukee (19-12, 11-7)

8 p.m. Regular-season meetings: Dec. 3 – Milwaukee 73-71 (OT); Feb. 23 – Milwaukee 72-61*. RPI: Milwaukee 119, Illinois-Chicago 296. Analysis: After losing 4 of 5 from Jan. 28-Feb. 12, the Panthers are rolling again with four straight wins. Line: Milwaukee -14. Pick: Milwaukee 75, Illinois-Chicago 54.

*Road win

College Hoops Wednesday: Your Commentary

Raphielle Johnson — Wed, 01 Dec 2010 00:51:56 -0800

Wednesday is the final day of the ACC/Big Ten Challenge, and with a 4-2 lead following Tuesday's action all the Big Ten needs in order to win the competition for a second consecutive season is two victories. Will one of those two wins come at Cameron Indoor Stadium? That's the question that the Michigan State Spartans hope to answer in the affirmative in the marquee game of the event. Tom Izzo's team won two of three at the Maui Invitational (losing to eventual champion Connecticut), returning home to beat Tennessee Tech with an effort that left the coach less than pleased. Can Kalin Lucas and company ramp up their performance to the level needed to leave Cameron with a win? The experience is there for Michigan State, given the presence of tested vets such as Lucas, Durrell Summers, Draymond Green and Delvon Roe just to name four players.

But to go into Duke's home building and leave with a win is something that rarely happens (they've won 80 straight). What will Michigan State need to do in order to win? Most importantly they'll need to be more efficient offensively than they have been through six games. 23.1% of their possessions end in a turnover, a number that has to be a concern since Spartan opponents have a turnover rate of 21.5%. Duke, who has already taken care of Marquette and Kansas State, forces turnovers on 24% of their opponents' possessions. That's where Michigan State cannot afford to hand over scoring opportunities, because when considering the number of offensive weapons the Blue Devils have things can go downhill in a hurry if you're not careful. Five Duke players average at least 11 points per game with seniors Nolan Smith and Kyle Singler leading the way, and as a team they shoot over 50% from the field and 44% from three.

Michigan State opponents on the season shoot 35.6% from beyond the arc and the Spartans will need to be at their best on perimeter closeouts if they're to avoid a blitzkrieg in Durham. While it sounds strange, especially considering the pedigree of freshman point guard Kyrie Irving, Michigan State may be best served making Duke beat them one-on-one offensively. Add in some solid contributors in the frontcourt (Mason Plumlee chief among them) and two more dead-eye shooters in Seth Curry and Andre Dawkins, and Duke has a multitude of weapons to stretch the Michigan State defense with. In most statistical categories the Blue Devils have been the better team, which shouldn't come as a surprise. But if there's anyone on the schedule who would have a chance at leaving Cameron with a win it would be Michigan State given their experience and the desire to improve on their play of late.

That matchup follows a huge tilt in Blacksburg between Purdue and Virginia Tech, with the home team needing a marquee non-conference victory while the visitors are looking to bounce back from a disappointing loss in their last outing. The Boilermakers shot just 30.2% from the field in the loss to Richmond on Saturday night, and the play of E'Twaun Moore will go a long way in determining how good Matt Painter's team can be without Robbie Hummel (Moore shot 4 for 17 on Saturday). Virginia Tech is coming into the game with a similar request of their number two scorer: Dorenzo Hudson missed all seven of his field goal attempts in their loss to UNLV in the 76 Classic final and point blank neither team can consistently navigate such poor performances from players of their importance.

Other games to keep an eye on include Saint Mary's visiting San Diego State in a matchup of two of the better teams on the West Coast, two Mountain West/Missouri Valley matchups (UNLV/Illinois State and BYU/Creighton), Richmond visiting Old Dominion in a matchup of two teams who could be at-large candidates come March and NC State visiting Wisconsin. For a conference game, keep an eye on Butler's trip to Loyola (IL) as they'll once again be without starting point guard Ronald Nored (concussion symptoms). With the Ramblers returning the top six players in their rotation from a season ago (all five starters) they definitely have a chance of getting off to a 1-0 start in the Horizon League at the expense of the Bulldogs.

Top 25
9:30 PM (6) Michigan State at (1) Duke (ESPN)
9:15 PM Duquesne vs. (3) Pittsburgh* (ESPNU)
8:00 PM Arkansas State at (15) Memphis
7:00 PM (16) Florida at UCF (ESPN3)
7:30 PM (18) Purdue at Virginia Tech (ESPN)
10:30 PM Saint Mary's at (19) San Diego State (The Mtn.)
8:00 PM Lamar at (20) Texas (ESPN3)
8:05 PM (23) UNLV at Illinois State
8:05 PM (25) Brigham Young at Creighton

NCAA Division I Games
7:00 PM Virginia Commonwealth at South Florida (ESPN3)
7:00 PM Florida International at Louisville (ESPN3)
7:00 PM Fordham at Harvard
7:00 PM Western Michigan at Towson
7:00 PM Charlotte at East Carolina
7:00 PM Xavier at Miami (OH)
7:00 PM Elon at Furman
7:00 PM Dartmouth at Vermont
7:00 PM American University at West Virginia (ESPN3)
7:00 PM Richmond at Old Dominion
7:00 PM Susquehanna University at Lafayette
7:00 PM Buffalo at Army
7:00 PM Florida Christian College at Bethune-Cookman
7:00 PM Columbia at Bucknell
7:00 PM Temple at Central Michigan
7:00 PM Wright State at Cincinnati
7:00 PM East Tennessee State at Dayton
7:00 PM Akron at Detroit
7:00 PM Saint Joseph's at Drexel
7:00 PM George Washington at George Mason
7:00 PM James Madison at Longwood
7:00 PM Washington Adventist at North Carolina Central
7:00 PM Northeastern at Providence
7:00 PM Massachusetts at Quinnipiac
7:00 PM Delaware State at South Carolina
7:00 PM Wagner at St. John's
7:00 PM Lehigh at Stony Brook
7:00 PM SIU-Edwardsville at Tennessee Tech
7:00 PM Howard at William & Mary
7:15 PM Indiana at Boston College (ESPNU)
7:15 PM North Carolina State at Wisconsin (ESPN2)
7:30 PM N.J.I.T. at Rutgers
8:00 PM Jacksonville State at UAB
8:00 PM Oklahoma at Arkansas (ESPN3)
8:00 PM Drake at Colorado State
8:00 PM Jackson State at Nebraska
8:00 PM Central Arkansas at Oklahoma State
8:00 PM Wyoming at South Dakota
8:00 PM Arizona at Rice
8:00 PM St. Edwards at Texas A&M-CC
8:00 PM Southern Methodist at Louisiana Tech
8:00 PM Butler at Loyola (IL) (ESPN3)
8:00 PM Louisiana-Lafayette at McNeese State
8:00 PM Iowa State at Northern Iowa (ESPN3)
8:00 PM St. Thomas (TX) at Sam Houston State
8:00 PM Alcorn State at Southern Miss
8:00 PM Prairie View A&M at TCU
8:05 PM New Mexico at Southern Illinois
8:05 PM Arkansas-Little Rock at Missouri State
8:05 PM Chicago State at Wichita State
8:30 PM South Alabama at Alabama
8:45 PM Dillard at Southeastern Louisiana
9:00 PM Western Kentucky at Vanderbilt (ESPN3)
9:00 PM Utah State at Denver
9:15 PM Maryland at Penn State (ESPN2)
10:00 PM Hawaii at Cal Poly
10:00 PM Utah Valley at Oregon State
10:00 PM UC Irvine at San Diego
10:00 PM Holy Names at San Francisco
10:00 PM Loyola Marymount at UC Santa Barbara
10:05 PM Seattle at Portland State
10:30 PM UC Davis at California
10:30 PM Pepperdine at Pacific

Forgotten Legends: College Basketball Q&A Series

Jon Teitel — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 08:59:50 -0700

College basketball is a game of history, exemplified by the stars of yesterday who set the bar for today's student athletes. Jon Teitel looks back at some of the forgotten (and not so forgotten) college basketball legends who made our game what it is today. Some of these names might bring back great memories, while others will mean nothing to you, but each of the player's below made an important mark on college basketball history.

Enjoy Jon Teitel's interviews with the following college basketball legends:

Taylor Coppenrath

Vermont - Led UVA to 3 NCAA Tournaments (including win over Syracuse). Averaged 25.1 ppg in 2005.

Ron Cox

Eastern Washington - EWU's All-time leading scorer & rebounder. First-team All-American '77. Third-team All-American '76

Fennis Dembo

Wyoming - Averaged NCAA-Tournament best 27.8 ppg in 1987. Featured on Sports Illustrated cover.

Les Hunter

Loyola-Chicago - Member of 1963 NCAA Champions. 2-time ABA All-Star.

Keith Jennings

ETSU - 2 time Conference Player of the Year. Conference leader in assists & steals. 4-year NBA career.

Cliff Meely

Colorado - 2 time Big 8 Player of the Year. Top 10 NBA pick in 1971. Top 5 in Colorado's point, rebounds, blocks list.

Ricky Pierce

Rice - Owls all-time leading scorer. 1st Round pick in 1981. 15-year NBA career. Won Sixth Man of the Year twice.

Dan Roundfield

Central Michigan - 3-time NBA All-Star. 5-time NBA All-Defensive team. 1975 MAC Player of the Year.

Billy Shepherd

Butler - Bulldogs all-time leading scorer. Averaged 24.1 ppg for career. Played in ABA.

Charles Smith

Pittsburgh - Big East Player of the Year. 2-time All-American. Lengthy NBA career.

Mychal Thompson

Minnesota - #1 Pick in 1978 NBA Draft. Won back to back NBA titles. Gophers all-time leading scorer.

Willie Wise

Drake - Led Bulldogs to lone Final Four trip. Averaged almost ppg in ABA career. Nicknamed "Wonderous"

Also:

Marc "Showbiz" Brown - Siena

Lanard Copeland - Georgia State

Ben Hinson - Charleston Southern

Richard "Doc" Sauers - Albany

Talvin Skinner - UMES

Frank Viera - Quinnipiac

Isaac Fontaine - Washington State

Darren Queenan - Lehigh

Troy Bell - Boston College

Joe Behling - Belmont

Dave Hoppen - Nebraska

Kelly Golob - Northern Arizona

Doug Day - Radford

Steve Barker - Samford

Evan Eschmeyer - Northwestern

Carrick DeHart - UC Santa Barbara

Michael Watson - UMKC

Mike Pegues - Delaware

Jamar Wilson - Albany

Lester Lyons - East Carolina

Charles "Bubba" Wells - Austin Peay

Jaycee Carroll - Utah State

Ernie Calverley - Rhode Island

Wayne Molis - Chicago State/Lewis University

Joe Carrabino - Harvard

Dickie Hemric - Wake Forest

Rick Raivio - Portland

Dwight "Bo" Lamar - UL Lafayette

Ron Cornelius - Pacific

Andy O'Donnell - Loyola (MD)

Wille Jackson - Centenary

Jerry Sloan - Evansville

Donell Taylor - UAB

Butch Lee - Marquette

Jon Teitel's Interview Series: Loyola-Chicago Legend Les "Big Game" Hunter

Jon Teitel — Thu, 22 Apr 2010 20:50:11 -0700

Butler's run to the national title game early this month wasn't the first time that a member of the (now) Horizon League made a run on the game's biggest stage. The 1963 Loyola (Chicago) Ramblers were trendsetters long before we dealt with terms such as "BCS" and "mid-major". George Ireland's team was the first with a predominantly African-American starting lineup to win a national title, ending Cincinnati's reign in 1963. One of the stars for Loyola was Les "Big Game" Hunter, who CHN writer Jon Teitel interviewed a short time back.

Jon Teitel: How did you get the nickname "Big Game"?

Les Hunter: It started in the ABA, when Mel Daniels and Sam Smith started calling me that.

JT: Your Pearl High School basketball team won 54 straight games, led by yourself and future Loyola teammate Vic Rouse. How were you and Rouse able to dominate in high school, and why did you both decided to attend Loyola?

LH: We were fortunate to be on the best high school team in the country, bar none. Vic was born and raised in Nashville, later moved to East St. Louis, then transferred back to Nashville for high school in order to be in a safer neighborhood. Our school had a great history of success, as it won 22 black state titles over a 30-year span. Integration had not started yet, so all of the southern black schools came together for a national black basketball tournament (which we won 3 times in my 4 years of high school). We had 2-3 other guys who were really good, including Ronny Lawson (who went to UCLA and set a bunch of freshman records that were later broken by Kareem).

However, Ronny got caught up in a scandal in 1961 when he failed to report an attempt by a gambler to bribe him, and he ended up quitting school. When Loyola coach George Ireland (who in 1961 became the 1st coach of a major college program to start 5 African-American players) was originally recruiting Ronny, he saw that Vic and I were tall, so he decided to recruit us as well. I was actually planning to join Ronny at UCLA, but Vic and I decided to stay together and remain a good nucleus. I graduated high school at 6'4", but I grew 3 inches the following summer. Vic hurt his leg during senior year and several schools shied away from him, but I had relatives in Chicago and Vic's dad was still in East St. Louis, so we ended up together at Loyola.

JT: What are your memories of the 1962 NIT (you beat Temple in the quarterfinals, lost to eventual champion Dayton in the semifinals, and then beat Duquesne in the 3rd place game)?

LH: The significance of the NIT was that Coach Ireland really cost us the title. He had recruited Jerry Harkness (who became a 2-time All-American) and other New York players via a pipeline from New York set up by a playground coach named Walter November, who steered a lot of his players to certain schools. Ireland wanted to impress Mr. November, so he started 1 of November's guys named Ronny Miller at forward, despite the fact that Miller was only 6'2". Dayton had 6'10" Bill Chmielewski (who was name NIT MVP that year) and 6'6" Garry Roggenburk, so they just blew us out. Even though I had a good game, I ended up fouling out, and we were out of it after the 1st 5 minutes.

JT: In 1963 Loyola was the highest-scoring team in the nation (91.8 PPG), but after losing Pablo Robertson and Billy Smith to academic ineligibility, you and the other 4 starters became known as the 5 "Iron Men" because Coach Ireland rarely took you out. How were you able to score so many points without any help from the bench, and was there any point in the season when everyone just seemed exhausted?

LH: Pablo and Billy missed their eligibility by a tenth of a percentage point. We were in excellent shape, and we pressed all game every game. Harkness was a champion middle-distance runner at De Witt Clinton High School in the Bronx, and we were quicker than most other teams.

JT: During a trip to New Orleans that season, you and 3 of your African-American teammates (Harkness/Miller/Rouse) were not allowed to stay in the same hotels or eat in the same restaurants as your white teammates. What effect did that have on your team, and how did you guys deal with the situation?

LH: We used to refer to Coach Ireland as "The Man", but it was a relief to get away from him, as he was a bit of a tyrant. We had fun staying with a family, not having a curfew, etc. Since we were young, we did not really understand why we had to go through all of that, but it really solidified us on the floor against the "Loyola of the South" in New Orleans. Even though we were separated from our white teammates, we really came together as a team on the floor. Coach Ireland had a mean streak, and this was his chance to get back at the all-white teams that had beaten his teams in the past: he just wanted to pour it on.

On the 1963 national title run:

JT: You scored 17 PTS (6-8 FG) in a 111-42 win over Tennessee Tech (the 69-point margin of victory is still a tourney record). Were you just that much better a team than your opponent, or did you guys specifically try to embarrass them?

LH: We were ready to turn it up a notch at tourney time. Tennessee Tech had not played anyone great in the OVC, and we were clicking on all cylinders and jumped out to a big lead. We did not have any subs to play during garbage time: it was hard to even get 10 guys on the court to practice. We probably played the perfect game.

JT: You scored 12 points and had 10 rebounds in a win over Mississippi State (who had never played in the NCAA tourney before because the school refused to compete against teams with African-American players, but coach Babe McCarthy defied both public opinion and a court injunction in order to play the game). How big a deal was it to play against Mississippi State, and what was the reaction like from the general public?

LH: It was a big deal to me and Vic, coming from the south and getting to play against an all-white team. I knew how much better our high school team was compared to the white state champs in Tennessee, and it was great incentive to show that we were better than the white guys and make a statement. A local newspaper editor came to talk at Loyola about how big a game it was, and then he went back and wrote a big article about it, which I remember because nobody wrote big stories back then when a black school won a state title.

JT: You scored 12 points and had 15 rebounds in a win over Illinois. Did you start to get the sense that your team was going to go all the way?

LH: I actually sensed that we would win it all during the regular season. After we started 20-0, I wrote a letter to my girlfriend at the time (now my wife) saying that we were going to win it all. We played doubleheaders at that time, and I got to see Cincinnati play before 1 of our games, and I wrote that we were on a collision course with them and that I thought we could take them.

JT: You scored a game-high 29 points and had 18 rebounds in a win over Duke (Art Heyman had 29 points and was later named tourney MOP despite not even making the title game). How on earth was Heyman named MOP despite not making the title game?

LH: The writers claimed that they had to submit their votes for the all-tourney team with 5 minutes left in the title game, and at that point in the game it looked like Cincinnati would win it, so the writers put three guys from Cincinnati on the all-tourney team. The powers that be wanted it that way because Heyman became the 1st overall pick of the Knicks in the 1963 draft. I also heard rumors that the Jewish media picked Heyman because he was Jewish himself, even though he had a poor shooting night against us (11-30 FG).

JT: You scored 16 points and had 11 rebounds in a two-point overtime win over two-time defending champion and top-ranked Cincinnati to win the NCAA title (your team missed 13 of 14 shots to start the game, and were down by 15 PTS with 14 minutes to play). How were you able to fight all the way back, and what was the feeling like in your locker room afterwards?

LH: It was just crazy in the locker room. We had a horrible shooting night (27.4 FG%), but were able to get back in the game by playing flawless in all other aspects (defense, hustle, etc.). When Cincinnati tried to slow the game down and hold onto the ball, we just kept plugging along. Every game that season featured a stretch where we just had a flurry of points and would outscore teams with a big run, so I kept thinking to myself "When is our run going to come?" As soon as we made our run in the 2nd half, Cincinnati became very flustered.

JT: Harkness made a 15-foot jumper with four seconds left in regulation to send the game into overtime, and Rouse tipped in your own missed jumper with one second left in overtime to win the game. Was it the most exciting game you have ever been a part of, and did you ever think that your team was going to lose?

LH: I always felt positive and expected us to make a run, and then Cincinnati missed a crucial FT late in regulation. I remember thinking how the ebb and flow of that game was crazy. At the end of OT I hurried up a shot that I thought was going in, but Rouse was there like he always was. I think he would have set the school all-time rebounding record if he had remained healthy.

JT: It was the first title game to feature a majority of starters who were African-American. How big a deal was that, and what was the reaction like from the general public?

LH: All of black Chicago was rooting us on. We generated a lot of interest, as we were a bunch of tall black guys on a campus that was 99% white. It started during our freshman year when we started beating the varsity. Our crowds got bigger and bigger, so we ended up moving from Alumni Gym to Chicago Stadium. We served as a source of pride for black fans that got to see black players on the court. A lot of hopes rode on our shoulders. DePaul had not started winning a lot of games yet, but ironically we mostly hung around with DePaul players, and we would go to each other's games.

JT: You were the only Loyola player named to the all-tourney team. Were you surprised that none of your teammates made the all-tourney team, and how did your own selection compare to winning the title?

LH: Winning the title was much more important, but I regret not being named tourney MVP, because that is a little immortality that I would have been able to share with my kids and talk about with my friends. I did not think about it for almost 25 years, but now that I see how big that college basketball has become, and to know that my name could have been in that little group, it would have been nice, but I do not dwell on it.

JT: In 1964 you set a school record with 427 rebounds in a season. How were you able to still compete at a high level after winning it all the year before without getting complacent?

LH: I developed a little bit more over the summer, and I was relied on more because Harkness graduated. A lot of the offense was geared around my play, and I knew that I would have to rebound in order for us to win. We still had some quickness, but we lost a lot of endurance with Harkness gone. I think that if we had Robertson (who later played for the Harlem Globetrotters) or Smith eligible, we would have beaten UCLA and won it all that year, but we had not groomed anyone to replace Harkness.

On the 1964 NCAA Tournament:

JT: You scored 13 points and had a school tournament record 22 rebounds in a win over Murray St. Did you make a concerted effort to focus on rebounding, or were you just bigger than everyone else?

LH: When you look at my pro career, I always had better stats in the playoffs than in the regular season. You have to bring your "A" game if you want to win it all.

JT: You scored 25 points (11-18 FG) in a four-point loss to Michigan (Cazzie Russell had 21 points) after they switched to a zone defense at halftime. How stunned were you to lose after winning it all the previous season, and could you tell at the time that Cazzie Russell was going to become a star?

LH: I already knew Cazzie from high school in Chicago: I think he won the high school state title the same night in 1963 that we won the NCAA title. The game was even closer than the score indicated, as it was tied up late, but we got called for a travel and a double-dribble that I thought were bad calls.

JT: You scored 27 points and had 18 rebounds in a nine-point win over Kentucky. Did you consider your run in the tourney to be a success (due to your individual stats) or a failure (due to not winning it all)?

LH: I considered it a failure because we did not win it all. Dating back to high school, Vic and I had won every tourney we ever played in (besides the 1962 NIT). I was all about winning tournaments (regional, interregional, state, national, etc.): we won multiple national high school titles, and I was used to winning.

JT: You finished your college career with an average of 18.9 PPG and 13.3 RPG in eight NCAA Tournament games (7-1 record). Do you consider yourself 1 of the best players in NCAA tourney history, and how were you able to play at such a high level when it counted the most?

LH: I thought that I was a good tourney player, and I did a lot of things that did not show up in the box score. I was a really good leaper with good timing, so I blocked a lot of shots. Points and rebounds do not always tell the whole story of how good a player you are.

JT: You are 1 of only 2 players in Loyola history with 1,000 points and 1,000 rebounds (along with LaRue Martin). Did you realize at the time how prolific a player you were?

LH: I thought I was pretty good, and I had a real good senior season. I never played well in front of New York crowds for some reason. I played well against tall guys who were slower than me, but some of the shorter/quicker guys gave me trouble.

JT:. In the summer of 1964 you were drafted 9th overall by Detroit (1 spot ahead of Paul Silas). Did you see that as a validation of your college career, or the realization of a lifelong dream of reaching the NBA?

LH: I thought I would have a good career, but did not realize how tough it would be to play the pivot and look up at all these tall guys. In those days they would not wait for you to develop: you either had to produce as a rookie or you would be sent packing.

JT: After being traded to Baltimore, you played only 24 games in the NBA: why did you have such a short NBA career, and how did it compare to college basketball?

LH: Baltimore had their own 1st round pick in Gary Bradds, who had starred at Ohio State, and neither of us got a lot of playing time during Baltimore's playoff push. When Baltimore cut me after previously giving me a no-cut contract, it was actually nice because I got to go back to school and still have an income. I also got to play in a league in Michigan where I worked on my skills. In the summer of 1965, I even tried out for the Chicago Bears as a tight end, after they traded future Hall-of-Famer Mike Ditka to Dallas because he held out of camp due to a contract dispute!

JT: From 1967-1973 you played 6 years in the ABA, averaging 12.8 PPG and 7.1 RPG, and were a 3-time All-Star. How did the ABA compare to the NBA, and why was it a much better fit for you?

LH: The ABA was a better fit for me because there were a lot of jobs available. When I graduated college, there were only 10 professional teams in the world, who each had a roster of 9-10 players, so there were only about 100 such jobs available. If the coaches figured you were not going to play, then they would fill the bench with their drinking buddies; seriously.

JT: In 1971 your Kentucky Colonels (led by rookie Dan Issel's 41 points) lost Game 7 of the ABA Finals to Utah (led by Zelmo Beaty's 36 points and 16 rebounds), followed by Utah's fans storming the court for 20 minutes. Did you consider your playoff run to be a success (due to getting so close) or a failure (due to not winning it all)?

LH: I considered it a failure because we did not win it all. We kind of overachieved that year because Issel was an undersized rookie center. I think Zelmo frustrated Issel a bit, even though he scored 41 in Game 7, and the home team won each game during that series. I was more disappointed the following year when future Hall-of-Famer Artis Gilmore joined our team as a center and Issel moved to forward, but we lost to Rick Barry and the Nets in the 1st round of the playoffs. We had blown through everybody in the regular season with a record of 68-16 (the best regular season record in ABA history), but were not able to even get out of the 1st round of the playoffs.

JT: What have you done since retiring?

LH: I am an instructor in Kansas City, MO in the "credit retrieval" program, which allows students under age 21 who did not finish high school to take online classes at their own pace. I also owned a restaurant for 10 years, and worked in the restaurant industry for another 5 years.

Big Ten's Best Pros by school

Illinois: Johnny Kerr (1955)

Indiana: Walt Bellamy (1962)

Iowa: Fred Brown (1972)

Michigan: Chris Webber (1994)

Michigan State: Magic Johnson (1980)

Minnesota: Lou Hudson (1967)

Northwestern: Don Adams (1971)

Ohio State: John Havlicek (1963)

Penn State: Frank Brickowski (1985)

Purdue: Glenn Robinson (1995)

Wisconsin: Michael Finley (1996)

Horizon League Preview: 2009-10

CHN — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 12:45:03 -0800

Butler, with legitimate Elite Eight aspirations, should be the dominant force in the Horizon. An infusion of Juco talent and returning injured players should help the quality of play throughout the league.

Conference Rank: 12th

10 year average: 15th

Conference Page

All-Horizon Team
Pos.	Player	Team	Yr.

G	Shelvin Mack	Butler	So
G	Norris Cole	Cleveland St	Jr
G	Vaughn Duggins	Wright St	Jr
G/F	Gordon Hayward	Butler	So
F	Matt Howard	Butler	Jr

Player of the Year - Gordon Hayward Freshman of the Year - Seth Evans (Green Bay)
CHN Award Winners		Leaders
CHN All-Americans Gordon Hayward Mid-Major All-Americans Gordon Hayward (1st Team) Matt Howard (1st)		Best Scorer: Gordon Hayward Best Rebounder: Matt Howard Best Passer: Spencer Stewart

Horizon League Standings
Nat'l	Team	League	Tourney

11	Butler	Horizon	1	NCAA
57	Wright State	Horizon	2	NIT
87	UWM	Horizon	3	CBI/CIT
111	Green Bay	Horizon	4	CBI/CIT
152	Cleveland St	Horizon	5
177	Valparaiso	Horizon	6
200	Illinois Chicago	Horizon	7
231	Detroit	Horizon	8
281	Youngstown St	Horizon	9
310	Loyola Ill	Horizon	10

*Click on links for full Top 144 team preview

Poll: Who Do You Think Will Win the HL?

College Basketball Preview - 348 Team Ranking - Alphabetical Ranks/Previews

Poll: Who Will Win the Horizon League?

Shawn Siegel — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 09:04:57 -0700

Horizon League Tournament: Preview & Predictions

Evan Dorey — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 19:47:26 -0800

This is one in a series of conference tournament previews, in which I run down all the teams involved, giving a brief statistical review and presenting the log5 projections, using in-conference offensive and defensive efficiency. The basic log5 methodology comes from Bill James, and this is an area Ken Pomeroy has looked at in the past as well. I claim nothing new in the application, but obviously with slightly different methodologies, these numbers may differ from others you find. I don’t claim to be an expert on any particular conference, and I’m sure there are some mis-characterizations on some players I’ve seen sparingly at best, so please add your thoughts in the comments. Anyway, with no further ado, the preview follows below:

Horizon League Championship

The Horizon league utilizes a two-round bye, in which the bottom 8 teams battle for spots in the semifinals, where the top 2 seeds are waiting for them. First round games are hosted at campus sites, the quarters and semis are in the #1 seeds’ building, and the highest remaining seed hosts the final.

Tournament Odds

#	Team	QF	SF	F	W
1	Butler	100.00%	100.00%	86.12%	68.48%
2	Green Bay	100.00%	100.00%	56.98%	16.28%
3	Cleveland St.	97.12%	81.56%	40.18%	11.28%
4	Wright St.	92.77%	61.28%	10.15%	3.04%
5	Milwaukee	90.81%	35.86%	3.66%	0.74%
6	Youngstown St.	60.07%	9.91%	1.43%	0.08%
7	Illinois Chicago	39.93%	7.87%	1.38%	0.09%
8	Loyola Chicago	9.19%	1.13%	0.02%	0.00%
9	Valparaiso	7.23%	1.73%	0.05%	0.00%
10	Detroit	2.88%	0.66%	0.03%	0.00%

Only two teams look to have any legitimate shot of stopping Butler and causing consternation across the bubble, Green Bay and Cleveland St. There’s also a pretty clear drop-off below the #5 seed, with the bottom five having little chance to even make the final.

#1 – Butler Bulldogs (25-4, 15-3) ; Efficiency Margin: +0.153

Last NCAA Tournament bid: 2008 (2^nd Round)

There’s no Horizon team that’s as complete as the Bulldogs, who have the conference’s best defense and one of its best attacks. They make more than 50% of their shots from inside the arc, and get a lot of points from the free throw line, but turn the ball over more than a ‘traditional’ Butler team. Butler’s defense is spectacular at stopping shots, holding opponents to 36% from the field and 30% from three.

Players to watch:

6-8 FR Gordon Hayward, 13.8 PPG, 6.4 RPG, 1.6 SPG, 1.0 BPG, 61.7 eFG% - Hayward has been one of the nation’s best freshmen, and looks like the kind of player power conference programs will be kicking themselves over the years to come. He doesn’t lead Butler in scoring or rebounding, but is easily the team’s most efficient option, a good inside guy who shoots 46% from behind the arc and over 80% from the free throw line. He’s also a solid defender, averaging better than a block and a steal, and should be a player to watch throughout the month of March.

6-8 SO Matt Howard, 14.3 PPG, 6.9 RPG, 1.6 BPG, 55.6 eFG% - Another key to Butler’s successful season, Howard is a good inside scorer who does his best work at the free throw line; he’s 7^th in the nation in free throw rate, and hits them at a 77% clip. He’s also the team’s best rebounder, and one of the Horizon’s best shot blockers.

#2 – Green Bay Phoenix (22-9, 13-5) ; Efficiency Margin: +0.103

Last NCAA Tournament bid: 1996 (1^st Round)

Green Bay is as good a shooting team as you’ll find in the country, the only team in the top 5 nationally in both three-point and free-throw shooting. It’s also pretty solid inside, and manages to hold on to the ball, all of which adds up to the conference’s best offense. When the Phoenix get on a roll, they can put up some frightening offensive numbers, which is good, because their defense hasn’t been particularly strong. They are the worst team in the Horizon on the defensive glass, and are only average at defending shots, so they need all the points they can get.

Players to watch:

6-8 SR Ryan Tillema, 17.4 PPG, 4.6 RPG,60.3 eFG% - Tillema missed the first month of the season, and despite starting only 5 games, he leads the Horizon in scoring. He’s a 44% three-point shooter, and is an excellent ball control guard, turning the ball over just 30 times all season.

6-4 JR Troy Cotton, 12.7 PPG, 3.0 RPG, 58.4 eFG% - Cotton is the Phoenix’s most-frequent three-point shooter, and at 42% he’s a very dangerous long-distance option. Like Tillema, he doesn’t turn the ball over much, and is an incredibly efficient offensive player.

#3 – Cleveland St. Vikings (21-10, 12-6) ; Efficiency Margin: +0.093

Last NCAA Tournament bid: 1986 (Sweet Sixteen)

The Vikings’ season may best be remembered for some close finishes, falling on a buzzer-beating three against Butler and winning on a miraculous half-court shot at Syracuse. An eight-game winning streak towards the close of the conference season got them into the battle for a second seed, but they couldn’t clinch it, forcing them to play two extra games. The Vikings are the most inside-oriented team in the tournament, a good thing, given their poor three point shooting. They also struggle to defend the outside shot, but make up for it by leading the league in shot-blocking and forcing turnovers.

Players to watch:

6-5, SR J’Nathan Bullock, 15.6 PPG, 6.8 RPG, 47.7 eFG% - Bullock is a critical player for the Vikings, leading them in both scoring and rebounding. He’s a solid player who does a lot well, but doesn’t have any particular area where he’s a dominant force. His

6-3, SR Cedric Jackson, 9.9 PPG, 5.5 RPG, 5.4 APG, 3.0 SPG, 41.3 eFG% - Almost all of Jackson’s value comes when he’s not shooting the ball, and the Vikings should try to avoid possessions ending in his hands. He makes up for his shooting by leading the conference in assists and steals, while also being a good rebounder.

#4 – Wright St. Raiders (18-12, 12-6) ; Efficiency Margin: +0.068

Last NCAA Tournament bid: 2007 (1^st Round)

Wright St. had an 0-6 start to the season, including dropping its first two conference games, but rebounded to reach a 7-3 conference record before picking up a few tough losses down the stretch. The Raiders defend better than any non-Butler team in the HL, holding opponents below 38% from the field, and forcing turnovers at an impressive rate. They play at a pretty slow pace, and are somewhat vulnerable to the three, but their problems tend to come from the offensive end. Wright St. simply doesn’t make many shots, just 41% from the field, and compounds that by getting very few of their misses back. It does manage to get shots up, as it rarely turns it over, but that doesn’t end up producing a lot of points.

Players to watch:

6-7 JR Cory Cooperwood, 9.4 PPG, 5.5 RPG, 49.0 eFG% - Cooperwood’s stats fit Wright St.’s profile really well: he’s only a decent scorer by many team’s standards, but he’s the Raiders’ most efficient offensive player. He’s also an effective defender, recording good block and steal rates, and is easily the Raiders’ best rebounder.

6-5 JR Todd Brown, 11.8 PPG, 5.0 RPG, 49.5 eFG% - Brown plays more minutes than any other Raider, and is the only serious three-point threat on the team, a 43% shooter from behind the arc. 39% from two, though, means he that he should try and stick to the outside shot.

#5 – Milwaukee Panthers (16-13, 11-7) ; Efficiency Margin: +0.024

Last NCAA Tournament bid: 2006 (2^nd Round)

Milwaukee looked to be serious challengers for the conference title when it sat at 7-1 in mid-January, but it closed the season with a 4-6 record, and was unable to parlay a big win over Butler into a top 4 seed. The Panthers shoot a terrible percentage from the field, but have put together a decent offense anyways. They rebound well and take a lot of threes, which they make at a decent clip. Their performance inside the arc is their Achilles heel, as they hit just 43% of inside shots. Defensively, Milwaukee is again around league average, and unlike the offense, it is stronger inside than outside. It is also one of the nation’s weakest teams at forcing turnovers.

Players to watch:

6-7 JR James Eayrs, 11.2 PPG, 5.5 RPG, 50.6 eFG% - One of my favorite moments of the season was watching ‘Big Lumber’ hit the game-tying three against Green Bay, a game that really started an uptick in his minutes and his level of play. He’s 6-7, 340 pounds, and an solid three-point shooter, not the most common sight. He’s good on the glass and at the free throw line, but his biggest asset is his play behind the arc.

6-3 SR Avery Smith, 11.4 PPG, 5.1 RPG, 3.0 APG, 1.2 SPG, 42.9 eFG% - Smith does just about everything but make shots, leading the team in assists and steals and sitting second in scoring and rebounds. His problem is his shooting percentages, which are terrible, 39% overall and just 29% from behind the arc.

#6 – Youngstown St. Penguins (11-18, 7-11) ; Efficiency Margin: -0.055

Last NCAA Tournament bid: None

Outside of a four-game stretch that saw it beat both Chicago schools and both Wisconsin schools, Youngstown has struggled to find any consistency, getting some very nice wins, but dropping a lot of games against the bottom teams in the league as well. The Penguins are good three point shooters, but most of their offense comes from inside the arc. They also do quite poorly on turnover margin, forcing few themselves while committing more than most league teams. Their one defensive strength is on the perimeter, where they hold opponents below 33% on three-point attempts. When the ball goes inside, though, they usuallly have trouble getting stops.

Players to watch:

6-7 JR Sirlester Martin, 9.7 PPG, 7.4 RPG, 44.1 eFG% - Martin is second in the Horizon in rebounding, and while he’s only fourth on the team in scoring, he’s part of a fairly even group of scorers around the 10 PPG mark. Martin’s problem is shooting, as he hits just 43% of his two attempts.

6-2 JR DeAndre Mays, 10.9 PPG, 4.2 RPG, 3.4 APG, 43.4 eFG% - Mays’ overall percentages aren’t great, but he’s a solid lead guard, with a good assist rate and the ability to hit the long distance shot.

#7 – UIC Flames (15-14, 7-11) ; Efficiency Margin: -0.036

Last NCAA Tournament bid: 2004 (1^st Round)

The Flames are the last team that are close to even in in-conference efficiency margin, and the last team with a significant chance of making the semifinals. A good start and strong finish to the season for UIC were ruined by a 4-11 stretch in the first month and a half of the conference season. This is a quality shooting team, making a good percentage of free throws and threes, but with most of its shots coming from insie, where the Flames shoot just 43%, the offense as a whole isn’t too strong. Interestingly, their opponents tend to have success from outside as well, making a lot of threes and rarely turning the ball over. The Flames’ defensive system leads to opponents taking a large number of threes, and since UIC doesn’t stop enough of them from being made, it has the conference’s second worst defense.

Players to watch:

5-11, SR Josh Mayo, 16.9 PPG, 2.7 RPG, 3.4 APG, 48.6 eFG% - Mayo is part of one of the conference’s best inside-outside combinations, and is second in the Horizon in scoring. The senior guard shoots an almost identical percentage from two and from three, both around 40%, and is excellent at the free throw line, where he shoots 86%. He’s not the primary ball distribution guard, but does manage to average more than 3 assists.

7-0, SR Scott VanderMeer, 10.7 PPG, 8.9 RPG, 2.6 BPG, 41.2 eFG% - VanderMeer is the conference’s best pure big man, a dominant shot-blocker and rebounder. What’s surprising about him is his shooting percentage, which is certainly not as high as you’d expect from a 7-footer.

#8 – Loyola Chicago Ramblers (14-17, 6-12) ; Efficiency Margin: -0.118

Last NCAA Tournament bid: 1985 (Sweet Sixteen)

The Ramblers came up with the Horizon’s most surprising result of the year when they snapped a six-game losing streak by being the only HL team to win a regular season game at Hinkle Fieldhouse. They were incredibly efficient on the offensive end in that game, which is the only way they can realistically win with the conference’s worst defense. Horizon opponents have shredded Loyola, shooting over 50% from two, and 46% overall. Loyola also has a worse offense than any team ahead of them in the standings, explaining why there is such a big gap to the bottom three teams. They are the conference’s worst at making shots, but are very good offensive rebounders, and don’t turn it over much.

Players to watch:

6-1, SR J.R. Blount, 13.8 PPG, 4.2 RPG, 3.3 APG, 39.9 eFG% - Blount leads the Ramblers in scoring and assists, but this isn’t really a good thing, as he is quite a poor percentage player, shooting under 40% from the field and struggling with turnovers.

6-8, SR Darrin Williams, 7.2 PPG, 5.1 RPG, 51.4 eFG% - Williams is only Loyola’s fifth ranked scorer, but is really the only player who shoots decently, at 51%. He’s also a good rebounder and shot blocker, and the Ramblers need him to play well in the post.

#9 – Valparaiso Crusaders (9-21, 5-13) ; Efficiency Margin: -0.090

Last NCAA Tournament bid: 2004 (1^st Round)

The Crusaders are the perfect example of why this time of year is so magical, as more than a decade later the Valpo name is still associated with its huge tourney upset in 1998. This edition will have pulled a big upset if it even manages to make the semifinals, as they’ve had a tough season, though they have won two of their last three. Valpo’s offensive struggles have come despite their solid shooting; the problem has been in getting possessions, as they are near the bottom of the league in turnovers and rebounding. Defensively, the Crusaders are pretty mediocre, with he only bright spot being their ability to force turnovers.

Players to watch:

6-9, SR Urule Igbavboa, 12.1 PPG, 5.9 RPG, 2.5 APG, 0.9 BPG, 50.2 eFG% - Igbavboa has taken a larger role in the Valpo offense in his senior year, and seen his efficiency drop from a successful 07-08 season. Still, he’s a versatile player with a lot of talents, leading the Crusaders in scoring, blocks and rebounding and chipping in with some assists as well. He is at his best when he can get to the free throw-line, where he earns a lot of points despite a mediocre percentage.

6-3, SO Howard Little, 9.8 PPG, 4.7 RPG, 1.6 SPG, 54.7 eFG% - Little is the rare Crusader who is a serious threat from behind the arc, and while he doesn’t take a lot of shots, he’s efficient enough to sit second on the team in scoring. He’s also a pretty good rebounder, and leads the team in steals.

#10 – Detroit Titans (7-22, 2-16) ; Efficiency Margin: -0.142

Last NCAA Tournament bid: 1999 (2^nd Round)

It may be as cheesy as it gets, but ‘Mercy’ is an appropriate name for the Titans, given their woeful performance with the ball, one of the worst in-conference offensive showings in the nation. Consider that if they were as good defending against the Horizon average as Memphis have been against Conference USA (which is pretty damn good, if you didn’t know), they’d probably still be a .500 team. Given this, it’s a miracle that they managed to stay within single digits of Butler in both games against the Bulldogs. Interestingly, they manage to be terrible offensively while still making a decent field goal percentage, which should tell you everything you need to know about how useful that stat is in isolation. The problem is twofold, turnovers and three-point shooting. When you make just 25% of long-range attempts, and give the ball up once every four times down the floor, it’s hard to find possessions in which the ball ends up in the basket. Defensively, Detroit are actually decent, mostly because they force turnovers themselves and do well on the glass.

Players to watch:

5-11 JR Woody Payne, 8.5 PPG, 3.6 RPG, 3.6 APG, 2.2 SPG, 45.7 eFG% - Payne is a bit of an oddity, a 5-11 player who takes very few threes, and doesn’t do well on those he does attempt. He’s a decent point guard, leading the team in assists, having one of the best steal rates in the country, and only occasionally struggling with turnovers.

6-7 JR Thomas Kennedy, 11.6 PPG, 4.5 RPG, 47.5 eFG% - The Titans’ leading scorer, Kennedy could actually be an efficient player if he cut out the three-pointers, on which he shoots just 24%. He’s an OK rebounder, but nothing special, and doesn’t contribute enough in any other area to make up for his poor shot selection.

My statistical all-Horizon League team:

Butler SO G Matt Howard, 14.3 PPG, 6.9 RPG, 1.6 BPG, 55.6 eFG%

UIC SR G Josh Mayo, 16.9 PPG, 2.7 RPG, 3.4 APG, 48.6 eFG%

Green Bay SR G Ryan Tillema, 16.9 PPG, 4.4 RPG,59.4 eFG%

Butler FR G/F Gordon Hayward, 13.8 PPG, 6.4 RPG, 1.6 SPG, 1.0 BPG, 61.7 eFG%

Cleveland St. SR F J’Nathan Bullock, 15.6 PPG, 6.8 RPG, 47.7 eFG%

Horizon League Tournament 2009: Seeding/Schedule

Press Release — Sun, 01 Mar 2009 09:28:19 -0800

2009 Speedway Horizon League Men's Basketball Championship

Tuesday, March 3 / First Round / at campus sites
Game 1 - #10 Detroit at #3 Cleveland State, 7 p.m. ET (HLN)
Game 2 - #7 UIC at #6 Youngstown State, 7 p.m. ET (HLN)
Game 3 - #9 Valparaiso at #4 Wright State, 7 p.m. ET (HLN)
Game 4 - #8 Loyola at #5 Milwaukee, 8 p.m. ET (HLN)

Friday, March 6 / Second Round / at Hinkle Fieldhouse, Indianapolis
Game 5 - Game 3 winner vs. Game 4 winner, 6 p.m. ET (HLN)
Game 6 - Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner, 8 p.m. ET (HLN)

Saturday, March 7 / Semifinals / at Hinkle Fieldhouse, Indianapolis
Game 7 - Game 5 winner at #1 Butler, 7 p.m. ET (ESPNU)
Game 8 - Game 6 winner vs. #2 Green Bay, 9 p.m. ET (ESPNU)

Tuesday, March 10 / Championship / at higher remaining seed
Game 9 - Game 7 winner vs. Game 8 winner, 9 p.m. ET (ESPN)

Butler Falls to Lowly Loyola: Box of the Day

Shawn Siegel — Sun, 15 Feb 2009 20:52:51 -0800

CHN now features a live scoreboard, stats, standings, etc.. here. Occasionally, we'll be featuring a box score of the day, with some commentary on why the box score is interesting. It might be involve a huge upset, a big personal effort, some odd statistical, occurrences, or other intriguing tidbit.

Box Score of the Day:

Today's pick is.. Loyola's 71-67 Win Over Butler.

When Butler lost to Green Bay two weeks ago, it was disappointing, but not Earth-shattering. The Phoenix are a solid team, and it was on the road. Today's home loss to lowly Loyola (Ill), who entered with an RPI of 218th, and having lost six straight, does raise some questions. The Bulldogs, who entered the week at 15th in the AP Poll, will surely drop.. but by how much? Are they in danger of falling out of the Top 20? Top 25? And with a challenging game at Davidson coming up, not to mention 3 other league games, and the HL Tournament, are they no longer a lock for the NCAA Tournament?

Statistically, Butler wasn't dominated in any category. Matt Howard set a career high with 30 points, and the team shot a respectable 44% from the floor. Hayward's 6 turnovers look bad, but the team's 12 total TO's are in line with the numbers they put up in wins. Butler's 23% shooting from three obviously didn't help the cause either.

But there were a couple major differences in today's loss, as compared to their 23 point over the Ramblers in Chicago. In that game, Butler dominated the boards, but here that advantage was nullified. The other difference was the sudden emergence of Jordan Hicks for Loyola. Hicks came into the game averaging 2.9 ppg, and he scored 0 points in 16 minutes in the first meeting. But today, he lit up the scoreboard for 23 points and 8 boards. Hicks transformation started 3 games ago against Wright State when he broke out for 14 points on 5-8 shooting. He followed that up with 4-4 shooting in mostly mop up duty against Valpo, into today's all-star performance. Besides Hicks, Loyola also got a standout performance from Justin Cerasoli. Fans around the country may be familiar with Cerasoli, as he's had stops at Seton Hall, Ole Miss, and now Loyola.

Loyola-Chicago 71, Butler 67

Sunday, February 15, 2009 2:00 PM

Location - Hinkle Fieldhouse, Indianapolis, Indiana
Officials - Brent Hampton, Gary Maxwell, Patrick Adams
Attendance - N/A

Final Scoring Summary

Final	1	2	T
Loyola-Chicago	37	34	71
Butler	23	44	67

Loyola-Chicago Ramblers

					REBOUNDS
PLAYER	MIN	FGM-A	3GM-A	FTM-A	OFF	DEF	TOT	A	PF	STL	TO	BLK	PTS
Justin Cerasoli	31:00	5-8	2-3	5-6	0	4	4	5	4	2	3	0	17
Aric Van Weelden	24:00	2-3	2-3	0-0	0	1	1	3	4	0	1	0	6
Jordan Hicks	38:00	8-16	3-5	4-4	4	4	8	0	1	1	0	1	23
JR Blount	39:00	2-13	0-4	1-2	0	2	2	3	1	0	2	0	5
Darrin Williams	22:00	4-8	0-0	0-0	3	2	5	1	4	0	2	2	8
John Benokske	17:00	1-2	0-0	0-1	1	3	4	1	3	0	0	2	2
Marcus Thomas	24:00	3-7	2-4	2-2	1	2	3	0	1	2	1	0	10
Walt Gibler	2:00	0-0	0-0	0-0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Courtney Stanley	1:00	0-0	0-0	0-0	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	0
Ryan Sterling	2:00	0-1	0-1	0-0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
TOTAL	200	25-58	9-20	12-15	9	18	27	13	19	5	9	5	71
		43.1%	45.0%	80.0%	Team Rebs: 4				Total TO: 9

Butler Bulldogs

					REBOUNDS
PLAYER	MIN	FGM-A	3GM-A	FTM-A	OFF	DEF	TOT	A	PF	STL	TO	BLK	PTS
Gordon Hayward	39:00	4-10	2-7	4-4	2	7	9	3	2	0	6	0	14
Shelvin Mack	34:00	1-10	0-6	3-4	2	1	3	2	2	1	2	0	5
Ronald Nored	37:00	1-4	0-3	0-2	1	3	4	5	3	1	2	0	2
Willie Veasley	35:00	5-10	3-7	0-2	0	3	3	0	4	0	0	1	13
Matt Howard	34:00	11-13	0-0	8-12	4	5	9	2	3	1	2	3	30
Zach Hahn	9:00	1-2	1-1	0-0	0	1	1	0	1	0	0	0	3
Garrett Butcher	5:00	0-1	0-0	0-0	0	1	1	0	0	0	0	0	0
Alex Anglin	4:00	0-0	0-0	0-0	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	0
Grant Leiendecker	3:00	0-2	0-2	0-0	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	0
TOTAL	200	23-52	6-26	15-24	9	21	30	13	16	3	12	4	67
		44.2%	23.1%	62.5%	Team Rebs: 4				Total TO: 12

Complete Scoreboard & Matchups

NCAA Statistics & Leaders

Standings

Odds

TV Schedule

Wright State Tops Loyola: Recap

Bill Kintner — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 20:36:26 -0800

DAYTON - Another day another defensive gem for the Wright State Raiders as they held Loyola to 29.4 percent shooting for the game and 15.4 percent in the second half to get a home court win 68-47.
The final score was not a true indication of how tight the game was until the end.

It took a Wright State defensive lock-down that held Loyola scoreless from the 9:46 mark until there was 2:02 left in the game to put the Ramblers away for good. In the same time-frame the Raiders were not exactly shooting lights out but they did manage to score 14 points thanks to their foul shooting that accounted for nine of those points.

Loyola's Walt Gibler finally got some points on the board to end the scoring draught when he made two free throws after getting fouled by Will Graham. Two more free throws by Loyola's Courtney Stanley and the Ramblers were done scoring for the game. They made just four field goals in the second half.
"Their defense is very good, we had to have better ball movement and defend better against the three," said Loyola coach Jim Whitesell. "We have to rebound better too. We played well for spurts, we just didn't have enough good minutes to beat Wright State."

Wright State (11-8, 5-3 HL) held a 41-30 lead at the half. The Ramblers came out and went on a 10-3 run in the first five minutes to cut the lead to 44-40 on a layup by J. R. Blount, another by Gibler and a 3-pointer by Justin Cerasoli. After that Loyola (11-9, 3-5 HL) scored just seven more points in the game.

For Wright State in the second half Cory Cooperwood came alive to score 10 points after not scoring in the first half.

In the first half Cerasoli hit a 3-pointer 52 seconds into the game to give Loyola their biggest lead of the game at 3-0.

The score went back and forth until with 11:26 left in the first half Loyola had a 17-15 lead, then 43 seconds later when Wright State's Todd Brown hit a 3-pointer to give the Raiders the lead that would hold the rest of the game.

The game plan the Raiders used worked well. Wright State's coach Brad Brownell wanted his team to concentrate on rebounding and defending Loyola's guards and it worked pretty well with the Raiders holding a 38-30 rebounding edge and keeping Loyola's guards from scoring in double figures.
He said, "We did what we were trying to do. Their guards are so good, you are trying to keep them from penetrating. Then you want to keep them off the glass. Offensively we tried to be aggressive and try to have a little better flow."

Notes:
-Wright State has won 11 of the last 13 games losing only to ranked programs, Wake Forest and Butler, both on the road.
-When Loyola scores at least 70 points good things happen. Last year the Ramblers were 7-0 hitting the 70 mark. Dating back to the 2005-06 season they are 17-2 when scoring 70 and this year they are 5-1.
-Wright State leads the all-time series 16-14.
-Loyola's next game is on Saturday at Detroit at 1:05 p.m. and it is televised on Fox Sports Detroit.
-Wright State's next game is Saturday against UIC at home at 7 p.m.