Loyola Opens Three-Game Roadtrip At UW-Green Bay Wednesday - Loyola University Chicago Official Athletic Site

Loyola-UW-Green Bay Game Notes
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Feb. 6, 2006

Loyola (13-8, 5-6) at UW-Green Bay (11-13, 5-7)
February 8, 2006 - Green Bay, Wis.
7:05 pm CST - WAUR (AM 930)

Tonight's Game: Loyola looks to avenge a 72-66 loss to UW-Green Bay in Chicago two weeks ago when it travels north to Titletown tonight. With a victory, the Ramblers would surpass their win total from a season ago and secure their most victories since 2002-03, when that squad posted a 15-16 record. This evening's contest is the first of three straight road games for Loyola, which is 3-5 away from home this season. Loyola has not played outside of the Gentile Center since a heartbreaking 78-75 loss at UW-Milwaukee, Jan. 11.

Loyola - UW-Green Bay - The Series: The Ramblers and Phoenix tangle for the 27th time in a series that dates back to 1995. UW-Green Bay owns a 15-11 lead in the all-time series, although Loyola has captured seven of the last 10 meetings between the teams. In Green Bay, the Ramblers have compiled a 3-8 ledger, although they have earned a victory in three of the last four seasons in Titletown. Last year, Blake Schilb hit his first 12 shots from the field en route to a game-high 32 points as Loyola rolled over Green Bay, 80-61 at the Resch Center. Two weeks ago, Ryan Evanochko tallied 25 points as the Phoenix outlasted the Ramblers, 72-66 at the Gentile Center, Jan. 26. Blake Schilb (24 points) and Majak Kou (23 points) combined for 47 of Loyola's 66 tallies that night as LU shot only 37 percent from the field.

Head Coach Jim Whitesell: Jim Whitesell is in his second year at Loyola after guiding the Ramblers to a 13-17 ledger in his first season in Rogers Park. Under Whitesell's tutelage, the Ramblers won nine of their final 13 contests and tied for fourth place in the Horizon League after being picked eighth in a preseason poll. Whitesell has displayed an uncanny ability to revitalize programs and lead them to the NCAA Tournament as he previously has led a pair of area teams, Elmhurst College and Lewis University, to the postseason. The Iowa Falls, Iowa native owns a 304-219 (.581) career coaching record and is currently in his 19th season overall and second as a Division I front man. He picked up his 300th career victory in the Ramblers' 77-60 decision at Cleveland State on Dec. 29. Whitesell steered Loyola to eight victories in Horizon League action a year ago, tying the school record for most conference wins by a first-year coach. Gene Sullivan led the Ramblers to an 8-4 league mark in 1980-81, his first season on the job. Whitesell is 26-25 (.510) at Loyola and is 2-1 versus UW-Green Bay.

On This Date: Loyola is 8-18 all-time, including 2-12 away from home, in games played on Feb. 8. Three years ago, David Bailey's jumper from the right corner at the buzzer lifted the Ramblers to a 71-69 victory at Wright State.

Thousand Island: With 21 points at Detroit on Jan. 5, junior guard Blake Schilb became the 35th member of the Loyola 1,000-Point Club. The Preseason First Team All-Horizon League selection is the first Rambler to score 1,000 points since David Bailey accomplished the feat in 2001-02. He currently ranks 20th on the LU all-time list with 1,178 points and needs only 294 points to move into the top 10. Up next on the list is LaRue Martin (1969-72), who tallied 1,222 points in his three-year career.

Close Calls: Five of Loyola's six League losses (excluding Wright State) have come by a combined 34 points, or an average of 6.8 points per game.

Select Company: Schilb needs 121 rebounds to become only the 18th player in Loyola history to record 1,000 points and 500 rebounds during his career.

Shake and Blake: Junior guard Blake Schilb has posted some impressive all-around numbers so far this season and is a candidate for Horizon League Player of the Year. The 6-foot-7 guard is springing for team highs of 19.1 ppg and 3.6 apg and is also corralling 4.6 rpg. A Preseason First Team All-Horizon League selection, Schilb has scored in double figures in 44 of the last 45 games and has scored 20 or more points on 12 occasions this season. He has hit two or more treys in 14 of the last 16 outings and has scored in double figures in 27 straight regular-season Horizon League games. He has averaged 23.0 ppg and 7.3 rpg, while shooting .565 (26 for 46) from the field in his last three games against UW-Green Bay. He has shot .560 (51 for 91) from the field in the last six games after knocking down .427 (85 for 199) of his tries from the field in the first 15 games. Schilb has scored 20 or more points three times in the last five road games and is tallying 20.0 ppg in his last three road contests.

Majak of All Trades: One of the top defensive players in the Horizon League, Majak Kou leads the Horizon League in blocks (1.43 bpg) and ranks second in steals (1.71 spg). He is the only player in the League to rank among the top two in both categories. The slender 6-foot-5 guard has already turned away more shots this season (30) than he did in his first two years at Loyola combined (20). Since moving into the starting lineup at UW-Milwaukee Jan. 11, he is contributing 16.4 ppg, 4.6 rpg, 2.1 apg, 2.0 spg and 1.3 bpg. His numbers at the Gentile Center are significantly better than when he plays on the road. In 13 home contests, Kou is springing for 16.2 ppg and 4.8 rpg, while shooting .466 (75 for 161) from the field and .373 (28 for 75) from triple territory. Away from home, those numbers slip to 8.5 ppg, 4.3 rpg and .419 from the field and .308 from long distance. Kou has scored in double digits in five of the last six contests and tallied 23 points versus Green Bay, Jan. 26. Kou has scored in double figures in 11 of Loyola's 13 home games this season and has poured in 20 or more points in four of the last six contests. The Ramblers are 11-3 this season when he scores in double figures. In his last two games versus Green Bay, Kou is posting 22.0 ppg and 4.0 rpg, while hitting at a .533 (16 for 30) clip from the field.

Young Gun: Freshman Leon Young has given the Ramblers a physical presence in the post, averaging 10.7 ppg and 7.9 rpg, while shooting .487 (74 for 152) from the field. The 6-foot-6 forward has posted four double-doubles this season and is contributing 15.5 ppg and 7.0 rpg, while shooting .591 (13 for 22) from the field, in the last two outings. In his previous seven contests, Young had tallied only 6.0 ppg and 6.1 rpg on .395 shooting. He has hit 56 of his last 62 (.903) free throws and ranks third in the Horizon League in free throw percentage (.826). A workhorse in the post, Young led the state of California with 15.5 rpg, while also contributing 21.4 ppg, a year ago at Lakewood High School. The first Loyola freshman since Kenny Miller (1987-88) to open his career with consecutive double-doubles, Young also owns the California high school record for rebounds in a game with an astounding 30 caroms. Young is looking to become the first Loyola freshman since Javan Goodman in 1995-96 to lead the team in rebounding.

Everyone May Hate Chris, But We Love Logan: Senior guard Chris Logan has scored in double figures on 13 occasions this season, although he has struggled during the last four games, averaging 6.0 ppg on .310 (9 for 29) shooting. The No. 3 three-point shooter in the League, Logan is knocking down .438 (21 for 48) of his tries from long range and is also dishing out 3.3 apg in the last six games. He scored only 56 points in 21 appearances last season, but has more than tripled that total with 201 points through 21 contests this year. Loyola is 19-9 in the last 28 games he has started.

Maybe it is How You Start: Loyola is 12-0 this season when leading at the half.

Milwaukee's Best: Winning and J.R. Blount go hand-in-hand as the freshman guard has posted a 64-11 (.853) record in his last three seasons of competition, including the first 21 games of his collegiate career. The 6-foot-1 guard helped lead Dominican High School in Whitefish Bay, Wis., to back-to-back Division III state titles in 2004 and 2005. Blount was notching 12.7 ppg and 2.7 rpg, on .632 (12 for 19) shooting from the field, in his last three outings before missing the last five games due to a stress fracture in his left foot. A starter in the first 16 games this season, Blount is expected to be sidelined another two weeks.

Ramblers on a Roll: Dating back to last season, Loyola is 19-9 in its last 28 games.

That Under-70s Show: Under Whitesell, Loyola has compiled an 18-6 (.750) ledger when holding its opponents to fewer than 70 points. The Ramblers are 8-1 in such instances this season.

Rookie Records: Leon Young's four double-doubles are the most by a Loyola freshman since Javan Goodman recorded six during the 1995-96 season. The Loyola record for double-doubles by a rookie is 20, set by Kenny Miller in 1987-88. Young and J.R. Blount are each averaging over 10.0 ppg this season. Only four freshmen in Loyola basketball history have ever finished a season by averaging double figures in points - Alfredrick Hughes (17.3 ppg in 1981-82), Tony Parker (17.1 ppg in 1973-74), Kenny Miller (14.7 ppg in 1987-88) and Chris Williams (10.6 ppg in 1998-99).

Rockin' Robinson: Sophomore forward Tracy Robinson has provided some valuable minutes off the bench in the last seven games, averaging 5.6 ppg, 2.7 rpg and 2.3 apg, while hitting 8 of 14 shots (.571) from three-point distance. He has played 139 minutes in the last seven contests after logging only 66 minutes in his first 11 appearances. The 6-foot-7 forward is shooting a robust .524 (11 for 21) from three-point range this season, but only .333 (7 for 21) from inside the arc. He has scored 40 of his 53 points at home this year.

Training Days: Head athletic trainer Dr. Tom Hitcho is working his 823rd consecutive Loyola men's basketball contest tonight. Since joining the staff for the 1977-78 campaign, "Hitch" has not missed a single contest and has witnessed 378 Rambler victories. In his 29th year at Loyola, Hitcho was inducted into the Loyola Athletics Hall of Fame, Feb. 4.

Parker Leaves Team: Sophomore guard Pierre Parker left the team Jan. 10 with the intent to transfer to another school. In 10 games this season, Parker averaged 1.2 ppg and 0.8 rpg.

Fabulous in February: The Ramblers have won their last five games in the month of February and are 6-2 all-time, including a 4-1 mark on the road, during that month under Whitesell. Under Whitesell's leadership, Loyola is 8-3 in the months of February and March.

Gentile Giants: After notching an 11-13 (.458) record at the Gentile Center the last two seasons, Loyola has defended its home turf this year, as it has compiled a 10-3 record at The Joe. During the 2001-02 and 2002-03 seasons, the Ramblers posted a sparkling 21-4 (.840) mark at home. With at least two home games remaining, Loyola has a chance to equal the Gentile Center record of 12 wins in a season, set in 1999-2000. The Ramblers have won 12 of their last 15 games at home.

Fantastic Freshmen: J.R. Blount and Leon Young have brought a toughness to the team this season. The duo is combining for 23.0 ppg and 10.7 rpg, while shooting a collective .496 (138 for 278) from the field through the first 21 games. Together, the roommates have scored in double digits on 20 occasions and are looking to become the first Loyola freshman duo to ever average double-figures in scoring for a season.

Charitable Ramblers: Loyola is the top foul-shooting team (.754) in the Horizon League, and ranked 13th in the nation through games of Feb. 5. LU is on pace to shatter the school record for free throw percentage in a season (.735) set in 1989-90.

Family Affair: The Ramblers' roster is loaded with players who have some interesting bloodlines. Senior guard Chris Logan is the cousin of Detroit Tigers outfielder Nook Logan and sophomore guard Dave Telander is the nephew of Chicago Sun-Times columnist Rick Telander. Sophomore forward Tracy Robinson's uncle, Stephond Robinson, played at Loyola from 1983-88.

Successive Seasons of Success: With 26 victories in the last two seasons of competition, Loyola has posted its most successful back-to-back campaigns since recording 32 wins during the 2001-02 and 2002-03 seasons. This marks just the fourth time since 1990 that Loyola has notched consecutive seasons with 10 or more victories.

Polka Party: Loyola signed Andy Polka to a National Letter of Intent during the early signing period in November. The 6-foot-7 power forward stars at Oshkosh West High School, where current Rambler sophomore Tom Levin played. As a junior, Polka posted 14.2 ppg and 11.3 rpg while hitting a blistering 70 percent of his tries from the field. He is the third player from the neighboring state of Wisconsin to sign with Loyola since Whitesell took the reins of the program in April 2004. On Jan. 10, Polka buried a game-winning three-pointer at the buzzer from three-quarters court to earn recognition as the No. 2 play on ESPN SportsCenter's Top 10 Plays on Jan. 11.

No Reason to Panic: A year ago, Loyola opened the Horizon League slate by dropping four of its first five games before finishing with a flourish to close the year at 8-8 and tied for fourth place. Since opening the year with a 1-4 conference mark this season, the Ramblers have gone 4-2.

Flying Kye: Junior Kye Pattrick appears to have rediscovered his early-season form, as he is contributing 4.0 ppg, 2.3 rpg and 1.3 bpg in the last three outings. The first-ever Australian to play for the Ramblers, Pattrick has converted 8 of his last 18 (.444) field-goal attempts after hitting only 9 of his previous 26 (.346). He hauled in a season-high five rebounds versus UW-Green Bay, Jan. 26. Eight of his last 12 rebounds have come on the offensive glass and he has scored 32 of his last 34 points when playing at the Gentile Center. Loyola is 11-5 with Pattrick in the starting lineup this season.

Schilb's Shooting: The Ramblers are 6-2 this season when Schilb hits at least 50 percent of his shots from the field.

Schin on the Big Screen: Former Rambler Schin Kerr stars in the movie Glory Road, which chronicles the 1966 Texas Western University basketball team. That Texas Western team is the first to win an NCAA Men's Basketball Championship with five African-American starters. Kerr, who plays the role of David Lattin (#43) in the movie, averaged 10.8 points and 5.6 rebounds in 56 career games for Loyola from 1999-2001.

Pointed Production: Through games of Feb. 4, Schilb ranked second in the Horizon League with 19.1 ppg, while on the women's side, Loyola junior Marquise Hanser paced the circuit with 18.1 ppg, just ahead of UW-Green Bay's Nicole Soulis (18.0 ppg). Schilb trails Quin Humphrey of Youngstown State (19.2 ppg) by the slimmest of margins. Only four times in Horizon League history has the same school produced the leading scorer in both sports, the last time coming in 2003-04 when Dylan Page (20.9 ppg) and Maria Viall (18.2 ppg) of UW-Milwaukee pulled off the feat. In 1988-89, recent LU Hall of Fame inductee Keith Gailes (26.3 ppg) and Sheryl Porter (20.7 ppg) set the standard for the League in scoring.

Whitesell's Wins: In two seasons in Rogers Park, Jim Whitesell has racked up 26 wins which is the most by a Rambler coach in his first two years since Gene Sullivan recorded 30 victories in 1980-81 and 1981-82. In fact, Whitesell's 26 victories through two seasons are the third-most by the nine coaches that have roamed the Loyola sidelines in the Post-World-War-II Era. Tom Haggerty rolled up 43 wins during the 1945-46 and 1946-47 seasons.

Wisconsin Connection: A pair of Ramblers hail from the state of Wisconsin - sophomore forward Tom Levin (Oshkosh) and freshman guard J.R. Blount (Milwaukee). Next season, the Ramblers add another Oshkosh native in forward Andy Polka.