Men's Basketball Weekly Release #6
Release
Horizon League ·
December 23, 2008
Butler bounced back from its first loss of the season to post a 73-53 win over Florida Gulf Coast on Saturday. The Bulldogs have not lost back-to-back games in the past 96 outings. The Bulldogs improved to 50-4 in non-conference home games since 1999-2000. Butler has won nine straight games at Hinkle Fieldhouse, dating back to last year. Junior Willie Veasley tied his career high with 13 points against Florida Gulf Coast, while recording a career-best three three-point field goals. Veasley hit 5-of-9 from the floor, including 3-of-6 from beyond the arc. Seven different Bulldogs contributed to 12 three-point field goals against Florida Gulf Coast. Freshman Shelvin Mack and junior Willie Veasley led the way with three threes each.
CLEVELAND STATE VIKINGS (8-4, 1-1) On Tuesday, Gary Waters will be facing Kent State -- the program he helped bring to national basketball prominence from 1996-2001. Waters compiled a 92-60 record (.605) in five seasons as head coach of the Golden Flashes. He took KSU to the NCAA Tournament twice and NIT once, plus started a streak of eight straight 20-win seasons. Waters is one of three coaches in Mid-American Conference history to earn Coach of the Year honors in successive seasons (1999 & 2000). Senior Cedric Jackson, the Horizon League leader in both assists (5.0) and steals per game (2.8), ranks 16th nationally in steals and 65th in assists. As a team, the Vikings rank in the top 50 in six categories -- scoring defense (15th, 57.1), turnover margin (20th, +5.1), steals (23rd, 9.6), three-point field goal defense (40th, .292), field goal defense (47th, .388) and assist-to-turnover ratio (48th, 1.17).
DETROIT TITANS (3-7, 0-2) Junior Woody Payne tallied a pair of four-steal performances last week. Payne is averaging 4.6 thefts per contest over his last three outings. Senior Michael Harrington grabbed a career-high 12 rebounds against Aquinas on Wednesday. It was his third career game with double-digit rebounds, including his second of the season. Detroit limited Aquinas to 48 points in its lone win last week. The Titans had not held an opponent under 50 points since Feb. 21, 2007 (Detroit 60, Cleveland State 48).
GREEN BAY PHOENIX (8-4, 2-0) Green Bay shot 70 percent from the field against North Dakota on Saturday -- its fifth highest percentage in school history and best since 1998. The Phoenix is allowing just 58.5 points per game in its eight wins, but 77.5 in its four losses. Green Bay has won 35 of 42 (.833) non-conference home games under head coach Tod Kowalczyk. After completing a span that featured six home games in seven outings, the Phoenix now has five straight on the road and does not play at home again until Jan. 15.
LOYOLA RAMBLERS (7-5, 0-1) Loyola won for the fifth time in its last six outings by picking up an 89-65 victory over SIU-Edwardsville on Monday. The Ramblers are now 4-1 at home this season. Loyola received a season-high 36 points from its bench in a win over Northern Illinois on Saturday as the reserves accounted for half of the team's offensive output. Junior Marcus Thomas came off the bench to record a season-best 15 points. Senior J.R. Blount climbed into 16th place on Loyola's career scoring chart with a team-best 25 points against NIU. Blount has now scored 1,349 points in three-plus years with the Ramblers.
MILWAUKEE PANTHERS (6-5, 2-0) With junior Tone Boyle scoring 24 points and senior Avery Smith adding 21 in a win over Bradley on Saturday, the duo has combined for seven 20-point performances already this season. Milwaukee made 11 three pointers as a team against BU, already the third time this season the Panthers have reached double-figures in made threes. Milwaukee limited the Braves to 31 percent shooting from the field. In UWM's six wins, opponents have shot just 37 percent from the field and are averaging just 63.3 points per game. In UWM's five losses, opponents are shooting 47 percent from the field and averaging 79 points per game. The Panthers' win over Bradley snapped a nine-game losing streak against Missouri Valley Conference foes.
UIC FLAMES (7-3, 1-0) UIC just wrapped up a six-game winning streak -- its longest since a 12-game unbeaten stretch in 2003-04. That was also the last season UIC advanced to the NCAA Tournament. Senior Scott VanderMeer is now just two blocked shots away from tying the Horizon League record for career blocks. He has 224 blocks in two-plus seasons at UIC. Senior Josh Mayo scored 20-plus points in back-to-back games last week, giving him at least 20 points in five of UIC's last six games. The Preseason Player of the Year continues to pace the Horizon League in scoring at 20.7.
VALPARAISO CRUSADERS (3-8, 1-1) On Saturday, Valparaiso squared off with the nation's No. 1 team (North Carolina) for a fifth straight season. The Tar Heels posted an 85-63 win over the Crusaders in the Windy City Classic at the United Center. Senior Jake Diebler broke his nose against Tar Heels early in the first half, but came back to play 27 minutes. Senior Brandon McPherson made his season debut against North Carolina.
WRIGHT STATE RAIDERS (6-7, 0-2) After holding Toledo to a school-record 35 points, Wright State limited Norfolk State to a school-best 12 points in Wednesday's first half. Wright State has won six of its last seven contests after starting the campaign 0-6. The only loss during that span came to Atlantic Coast Conference power Wake Forest. Wright State posted a 60-43 victory over Big East foe South Florida on Sunday.
YOUNGSTOWN STATE PENGUINS (2-8, 0-2) Youngstown State picked up its first Division I win of the season on Friday -- a 64-61 decision over High Point.Senior Jack Liles extended his consecutive games streak to 92, dating back to the 2005-06 season. Sophomore Vance Cooksey led the Penguins with a career-high 24 points last Monday at Kent State. He connected on 8-of-9 from the floor and dished out five assists. Sophomore Vytas Sulkis posted a game-high 20 points on Sunday against Charlotte. He also made a career-best five three pointers - all in the second half.
« Return to Previous Page
Dec. 23, 2008
Complete Release in PDF Format
THIS WEEK IN THE HORIZON LEAGUE
Monday, Dec. 22
Central Florida 85, Valparaiso 60
Green Bay 80, Houston Baptist 78
Loyola 89, SIU-Edwardsville 65 ... HLN
Wright State 57, Murray State 41 (2)
Tuesday, Dec. 23
Butler at #14/12 Xavier, 7 p.m. ... ESPNU
Detroit at Central Michigan, 7 p.m.
Kent State at Cleveland State, 7 p.m. ... HLN
UIC at Toledo, 7 p.m.
Saturday, Dec. 27
Notre Dame Coll. at Cleveland State, 1 p.m. ... HLN
Sunday, Dec. 28
Valparaiso at #13/18 Purdue, 4 p.m. ... Big Ten Network
All times are Eastern Daylight (EDT)
Rankings are Associated Press first, ESPN/USA Today Coaches second
HLN = Horizon League Network webcast (www.horizonleaguenetwork.tv)
(2) = San Juan Shootout in Puerto Rico
# = Tape delayed at 10 p.m. ET
HORIZON LEAGUE TEAM NOTES
BUTLER BULLDOGS (9-1, 2-0)
CLEVELAND STATE VIKINGS (8-4, 1-1)
DETROIT TITANS (3-7, 0-2)
GREEN BAY PHOENIX (8-4, 2-0)
LOYOLA RAMBLERS (7-5, 0-1)
MILWAUKEE PANTHERS (6-5, 2-0)
UIC FLAMES (7-3, 1-0)
VALPARAISO CRUSADERS (3-8, 1-1)
WRIGHT STATE RAIDERS (6-7, 0-2)
YOUNGSTOWN STATE PENGUINS (2-8, 0-2)
Official Corporate Partners
