#4 Loyola (12-16, 8-8) vs. #5 UIC (15-13, 8-8)
March 4, 2005 - Milwaukee, Wis.
7:00 pm CST - WIND (AM 560)
Horizon League Championship Quarterfinal

Tonight’s Game: The bitter crosstown rivalry between Loyola and UIC adds another chapter as the teams tangle for the second time ever in postseason play, and for the second time in the last 16 days. Loyola reached the quarterfinal round by holding off ninth-seeded Youngstown State, 78-75 on March 1 at the Gentile Center. One of the hottest teams in the Horizon League, the Ramblers bring a five-game winning streak into this evening’s contest, while the Flames have prevailed in three of their last four outings. The winner of tonight’s showdown gets a date with #1 seed UW-Milwaukee tomorrow night at U.S. Cellular Arena.

Loyola - UIC - The Series: Loyola trails the series with UIC, 22-9, but the Ramblers halted a seven-game overall skid and a 13-game slide at the UIC Pavilion with a 91-85 victory on the near west side on Feb. 17. DaJuan Gouard tallied a career-best 31 points to lead the Ramblers to the victory that night as Loyola shot 53 percent from the field. UIC has captured 10 of the last 12 meetings overall and claimed a 76-75 overtime victory against the Ramblers at the Horizon League Championship title game in Cleveland on March 5, 2002 to advance to the NCAA Tournament. David Bailey scored 35 points for the Ramblers, but Cedrick Banks’ jumper in the waning seconds of overtime lifted the Flames to the win in arguably the greatest tournament game in Horizon League history.

Head Coach Jim Whitesell: Jim Whitesell, in his first season at Loyola, has displayed an uncanny ability to revitalize programs and lead them to the NCAA Tournament. Previously, Whitesell has led a pair of area teams, Elmhurst College and Lewis University, to the postseason. Hired at Loyola on April 14, 2004, following 12 successful years at Lewis, Whitesell racked up a 214-126 (.629) ledger and guided the Flyers to five NCAA Tournament appearances. Success for Whitesell and his players hasn’t been limited to the hardwood however, as ninety-five percent of the players who have suited up for him in the previous 17 campaigns have earned a college degree. The Iowa Falls, Iowa native owns a 290-210 (.580) career coaching record and is currently in his 18th season overall and first as a Division I front man. Whitesell is 1-1 versus UIC. Whitesell guided Loyola to eight victories in Horizon League action this season, 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.

Close Encounters: Of Loyola’s 16 defeats, nine have been by seven points or less, including four by four points or less. Further proof of how close the Ramblers have been is the fact that Loyola has either held the lead or trailed by no more than four points at the 4:00 mark of the second half in 10 of its 16 setbacks.

Super Sophs: A talented sophomore class shined for Whitesell and his staff this year. Second-year players Blake Schilb, Majak Kou and Tyrelle Blair have combined to account for 50 percent (935 of 1,855 points) of the Loyola offense this season. The trio is combining to post 33.7 ppg and 13.7 rpg.

Tournament Talk: Loyola is 20-24 (.455) all-time in league tournament action, but is 5-3 since the 2001-02 tournament. Since the new Horizon League Championship format was adopted two years ago, the Ramblers have been bounced from the tournament in the quarterfinal round on two occasions. Loyola has won a postseason game for the fourth straight year, which is the longest stretch since winning a tournament game in eight consecutive campaigns from 1980-87.

Fab Four: This marks the second time in the last three seasons that Loyola enters the Horizon League Championship as the #4 seed. In 2003, the fourth-seeded Ramblers knocked off Cleveland State in the opening round before falling to Detroit in the quarterfinals in Milwaukee. Loyola was also a #4 seed in 1986 and 1999 and has compiled a 3-3 mark in that slot. A #4 seed has reached the Horizon League title game on three occasions (1987, 1994, 1998) with Detroit being the only fourth-seeded team to win the championship in 1994.

Five Alive: Loyola enters tonight’s game on a five-game winning streak, its longest since a five-game run from Feb. 8-22, 2003. UIC snapped the Ramblers’ streak that year with a last-second 66-65 victory at the Gentile Center. Tonight, Loyola will aim for its sixth consecutive win, which would equal its longest streak since stringing together a half dozen victories from Jan. 3-19, 2002. That winning streak helped the Ramblers to a school-record 6-0 start in Horizon League play.

Cardiac Kids:The Ramblers have emerged victorious by an average of 3.7 points in their last three outings after winning by an average margin of 17.6 points in their first eight victories. Loyola dropped its first four games decided by five points or less before this current streak.

The “D” is the Key: Defense has been the key to Loyola’s success this season, particularly in Horizon League play. In its eight League victories, Loyola allowed only 60.8 ppg, while also holding opponents to .389 (173 for 445) shooting from the field, including .308 (45 for 146) from three-point range. However, in their eight setbacks in conference competition, the Ramblers yielded 73.3 ppg, as their foes shot .458 (203 for 443) from the field, and .401 (57 for 142) from triple territory.

Gouard’s Been Golden: Since returning from a seven-game layoff due to a knee injury, DaJuan Gouard has sparked Loyola to an 9-4 record, including a 5-2 mark away from home, averaging 16.8 ppg. With the 6-foot-2 guard, the Ramblers are 11-10 this season after posting a 1-6 mark in his absence. The senior captain has scored in double digits in each of his 13 appearances since returning from the injury. Over the last six outings, Gouard is averaging 19.7 ppg, 3.7 rpg and 3.5 apg, hitting .494 (42 for 85) of his tries from the field. In his first five contests following the injury, Gouard accounted for 13.6 ppg, converting only .400 (26 for 65) of his shots from the field, and .200 (5 for 25) from triple territory. In Loyola’s last five games away from the Gentile Center, Gouard has felt at home, connecting on .492 (31 for 60) of his tries from the field, while posting 17.2 ppg. Gouard got off to a slow start to his career, scoring only 74 points while appearing in 30 games (2.5 ppg) in his first two years, but since the start of the 2003-04 campaign, has averaged 11.6 ppg. He dropped in a career-best 31 points and matched a personal best with seven boards at UIC on Feb. 17. In Loyola’s opening-round victory over Youngstown State on Tuesday, Gouard tallied a game-high 23 points and dished out seven assists with only one turnover.

Blossoming Blair: Arguably the most improved player on the Rambler roster, Tyrelle Blair has averaged 11.0 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 4.5 bpg and shot .700 (7 for 10) from the field versus UIC this season. With 48 rejections this year, the 6-foot-11 center has moved into sixth place on the Loyola single-season chart. The Horizon League leader with 1.75 bpg, Blair needs two blocks to tie Bernie Salthe for fifth place on the LU single-season list. Blair has recorded three double-doubles this year and ranks tied for 11th in the circuit in rebounding (5.5 rpg). The Florida native has struggled since Loyola last played UIC on Feb. 17, as he is accounting for only 3.3 ppg and shooting .214 (3 for 14) from the field in the Ramblers’ last three contests.

Sizing Up the Streak: In its current five-game winning streak, Loyola has averaged 76.8 ppg, while shooting .487 (131 for 269) from the field. Furthermore, the Ramblers have committed only 12.6 turnovers per game in that stretch. A stingy Loyola defense has held opponents to .403 (125 for 310) shooting from the field and .316 (37 for 117) from triple territory.

Getting Defensive: Loyola’s defensive effort has been sensational since Butler torched the Ramblers for 79 points and .511 shooting from the field and .619 from long range on Feb. 3. The Ramblers have held their last seven opponents to .406 shooting from the field, including .314 from triple territory, while forcing 13.9 turnovers per contest.

Shake and Blake: Blake Schilb leads the team in scoring (17.3 ppg), rebounding (5.5 rpg), assists (4.2 apg) and steals (1.6 spg). The only Rambler to start all 28 contests this year, the 6-foot-7 forward contributed 20.1 ppg, 5.6 rpg, 4.3 apg and 1.6 spg, while shooting .491 (52 for 106) from the field, in the seven games Gouard missed due to injury. Schilb has scored in double figures in a career-best, 22 consecutive outings, and ranks tied for second in the Horizon League with 18.8 ppg in conference contests. A starter in 30 consecutive games, Schilb already has amassed 726 points in his career. With 485 points this year, he has more than doubled his season total from his rookie campaign (241). Schilb’s shooting has been a big factor in Loyola’s recent success as the last seven times he has converted at least 50 percent of his field-goal attempts, the Ramblers have prevailed. His 22-game streak of double-digit scoring efforts is the best by a Rambler since Javan Goodman turned the trick in 24 straight contests from Nov. 15, 1997 - Feb. 5, 1998. Schilb is averaging 24.7 ppg, 7.0 rpg and 5.0 apg, while shooting .553 (26 for 47) from the field, including .529 (9 for 17) from triple territory in Loyola’s last three games. He has drained 35 of his last 40 (.875) attempts from the charity stripe. In Loyola’s last four road contests, Schilb is putting up 23.5 ppg, 5.8 rpg and 6.3 apg, connecting at a .534 (31 for 58) clip from the field and a .522 (12 for 23) rate from beyond the arc.

Blake’s Balance: Schilb is aiming to become only the second Rambler since 1985-86 to lead the team in both scoring and assists in the same season. David Bailey accomplished that feat on three occasions from 2000-03. The versatile sophomore recently became only the second Rambler since 1990 to post 400 points, 100 rebounds and 100 assists in a single season. Bailey accomplished that feat three times as well, from 2000-03.

Schilb Stacks Up: To this point, Blake Schilb’s career statistically resembles that of David Bailey, the third all-time leading scorer in Loyola history. As a freshman, Bailey averaged 8.8 ppg, before improving to 17.3 ppg as a sophomore. Schilb tallied 8.9 ppg as a rookie in 2003-04, but has hiked his scoring output to 17.3 ppg this season.

The Joy of Sixty: Loyola is 6-1 this season when holding opponents to fewer than 60 points. The seven foes that the Ramblers have held under the 60-point mark are the most since the 1999-2000 squad accomplished the feat on eight occasions.

Helping Hand: Schilb will become just the second Rambler to ever lead the team in assists as both a freshman and sophomore. David Bailey led the club in assists for four straight campaigns from 1999-2003. Schilb has doled out 5.4 apg in his last five appearances.

Running Men: In their 80-64 victory over UW-Green Bay on Feb. 12, the Ramblers put together one of the most remarkable stretches of basketball in school history. Trailing 53-45 with 10:29 left in the game, Loyola scored 24 unanswered points over a six-minute span to seize command of the contest and cruise to the win. That is the longest scoring run for Loyola since Dec. 22, 1992 when the Ramblers scored 24 unanswered points in an 85-61 win over Carthage.

Kou’s Kudos: Sophomore guard Majak Kou has provided a huge lift off the bench in the last five outings, averaging 12.4 ppg and 3.0 rpg, while shooting .537 (22 for 41) from the field. Loyola is 3-0 this year when Kou scores 20 or more points. He has scored in double figures in 13 of his last 18 appearances overall, and in 10 of his last 14 when coming off the bench. Kou averaged 15.5 ppg, while connecting on .667 (6 for 9) of his triple tries and .571 (12 for 21) of his field-goal attempts versus UIC this season. Loyola has prevailed in each of the last five games in which he has hit at least three treys.

Sharing is Caring: A major tenet of Whitesell’s philosophy is valuing the basketball. The Ramblers have dished out 356 assists this season but have committed 426 turnovers. Four players - Chris Logan, Gouard, Schilb and Dave Telander - have racked up more assists than miscues this season. Loyola has committed 11.0 turnovers per contest in the last three games, down from its season average of 15.2.

Shooting Stars: Loyola is looking to finish the season with a higher field-goal percentage than it has allowed for the first time since the 1999-2000 campaign. Heading into this evening’s contest against UIC, the Ramblers have drained .445 of their field-goal tries, compared to .431 for their foes.

Flame Throwers: In two meetings with UIC this season, the Ramblers have shot the ball well, burying .505 (53 for 105) of their shots from the field, including .483 (14 for 29) from three-point land. The Flames, on the other hand, converted .438 (56 for 128) of their tries from the field and .344 (11 for 32) from long range.

Dairyland Delight: Schilb has stepped up his game this season when playing in the neighboring state of Wisconsin, as he is racking up 27.0 ppg, 6.0 rpg and 2.5 apg in a pair of contests in America’s Dairyland. Even more impressive than his scoring average, Schilb is hitting shots at a .677 (21 for 31) clip from the field, including .571 (8 for 14) from three-point territory. He exploded for a Loyola season-high 32 points, hitting 12 of 14 shots from the field, in an 80-61 victory at UW-Green Bay on Jan. 20.

Throw Woes: After hitting .729 (212 for 291) of its foul shots over a 15-game stretch from Jan. 3 - Feb. 19, Loyola has struggled at the charity stripe, connecting on only 33 of its last 60 (.550) throws from the line in the last two outings.

Tom Terrific: Over the last four games, freshman Tom Levin is contributing 7.0 ppg, 4.3 rpg and 1.3 apg, while shooting .563 (9 for 16) from the field and .500 (4 for 8) from beyond the arc. The 6-foot-8 forward is tallying 7.5 ppg and 4.0 rpg in a pair of match-ups against UIC this season. He has hit .545 (6 for 11) of his shots from the field against the Flames.

Schilb Earns All-League Honors: Blake Schilb was named First Team All-Horizon League earlier this week after ranking among the top 11 in the conference in scoring (17.1 ppg), rebounding (5.5 rpg), assists (4.2 apg) and steals (1.6 spg). He was the only Rambler to earn all-league accolades this season and joins former LU stars David Bailey (2002) and Paul McMillan (2004) as First Team All-Horizon League honorees.

Trip Down Memory Lane: This season marks the 20th anniversary of Loyola’s 1984-85 squad that reached the NCAA Sweet Sixteen before falling to a Patrick Ewing-led, #1 Georgetown team. That Rambler squad finished with a 27-6 record and on this date 20 years ago, was in the midst of a 19-game winning streak.

Family Matters: Loyola’s roster this season features some players with interesting bloodlines. Freshman forward Tracy Robinson is the nephew of former Rambler Stephond Robinson (1983-88) while fellow rookie guard Dave Telander is the nephew of Chicago Sun-Times columnist Rick Telander. Pierre Parker, also a freshman guard, has the most interesting lineage of any player on the roster. His father Tony, is the seventh all-time leading scorer in Loyola history with 1,605 points. Pierre’s brother T.J. is a starting guard at Northwestern University and his other brother Tony Jr., stars for the San Antonio Spurs.

Blount Force: During the early signing period in November, Whitesell and his staff landed 6-foot-1 point guard J.R. Blount, from Dominican High School in Whitefish Bay, Wis. As a junior, Blount averaged 19.5 ppg, 4.4 rpg and 3.0 apg while helping lead Dominican to its eighth overall Division III state title.