Feb. 15, 2011

Weekly Podcast (Episode #13)

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Loyola Basketball Horizon League Basketball Flame Throwers

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LEADING OFF...
» The Flames will be looking to bounce back from a 70-59 loss versus visiting Milwaukee last Saturday (2/12/11), and capture their third Horizon League home win of the season.

» Senior guard Robo Kreps enters Wednesday's game against Loyola with 296 career free throws, only four freebies away from becoming just the eighth player in school history to equal 300; he is also only four rebounds short (396) of matching 400 caroms for his career.

» Robo Kreps has averaged 22.4 points per contest over UIC's last five conference games, stringing together his best stretch during Horizon League play. All five games have resulted in a 20-point outburst, including 25 points at Detroit (2/3/11) and 24 tallies against Milwaukee (2/12/11). Kreps also joined the 1,500 career-point club at Butler (2/7/11), and hit the game-winning field goal in overtime, in the Flames' 63-61 win over Green Bay (2/10/11).

» UIC is the top-ranked offensive rebounding team in the Horizon League, averaging more than 13 offensive boards (13.2) per game. The Flames also lead the league in rebounding margin (+5.6) during conference play.

» Robo Kreps scored a game-high 19 points and passed the 1,400 career-point plateau, but the UIC men's basketball team fell short at Loyola, 68-59, despite holding the Ramblers without a field goal for the final 6:19 at the Gentile Center on Jan. 22. Loyola was led by Geoff McCammon's 19 points on five three-point field goals - he was joined in double figures by Courtney Stanley (13 points) and Ben Averkamp (12).

UP NEXT...
UIC will take on Butler in the 2010-11 regular season home finale at the UIC Pavilion on Saturday (2/19/11) beginning at 1 p.m. CST. The contest is being tabbed the Horizon League "Game of the Week," and will be aired live in every league market.

The Bulldogs posted a 72-65 win over visiting UIC on Feb. 7 -- the Flames trailed by just four (62-58) with 4:38 remaining, and there were a combined 18 ties and lead changes in the game.

THE COACHES
UIC: Howard Moore is in his first season as a college head coach. Moore, 37, comes to UIC after spending the previous five seasons as an assistant coach at Wisconsin, his alma mater, under head coach Bo Ryan.

Moore joined the Badgers staff in 2005 and helped lead them to the NCAA Tournament in each of his five seasons in Madison. The team advanced past the first round of the Big Dance in each of the last four seasons and produced a memorable Sweet 16 run in 2008.

With Moore on the bench, Wisconsin posted three of the top-five winningest seasons in school history, including an historic 2007-08 campaign that saw the Badgers win a school-record 31 games en route to Big Ten regular season and tournament championships.

Under Ryan's tutelage Moore established himself as one of the top recruiters in the Big Ten by utilizing the Chicagoland area as a main pipeline for talent.

Loyola: Jim Whitesell, who also served as the head coach at Lewis University for 12 seasons, is in his seventh year at the helm of the Loyola basketball program.

In 21 seasons as a head coach, Whitesell has helped six of his teams reach the NCAA Tournament. He has produced a winning record in 14 of those 22 campaigns, five times winning at least 20 games.

SCOUTING THE FLAMES
UIC is 7-20 (2-13 Horizon) on the season, including a 4-7 record at home. The Flames are coming off a 70-59 loss versus Milwaukee at the UIC Pavilion last Saturday.

Senior guard Robo Kreps is leading the Flames offensively, scoring 16.3 points per game -- he has also dished out a team-high 79 assists. Minnesota transfer, senior forward Paul Carter is averaging 14.2 points per game, while also leading the Flames in rebounding with 8.3 caroms per contest, second-best in the Horizon League. Kreps currently ranks fourth in the conference in scoring, while Carter is 10th.

In Horizon League play, Kreps (15.9; 4th) and Carter (14.6; t-10th) both rank in the top-10 in the conference in scoring, while Carter is second in rebounding, at 8.5 caroms per game. He is averaging 5.8 defensive rebounds per contest in UIC's 15 Horizon League games.

UIC is averaging 62.9 points per game, and allowing its opponents to score 68.7 points per contest. In Horizon League play, UIC leads the conference in both offensive rebounds (13.2 rpg) and rebounding margin (+5.6).

Kreps has scored 20 or more points on 11 occasions, which ranks second in the Horizon League behind only Cleveland State's Norris Cole. Additionally, Carter has corralled at least 10 rebounds 11 times, which ranks second in the league. Carter's eight double-doubles in Horizon League play lead the conference, and he has also pulled down at least 10 rebounds eight times, the second-best mark in the league.

SCOUTING THE RAMBLERS
Loyola, who defeated Green Bay (79-62) at the Gentile Center last Saturday (2/12/11), is 14-12 (5-10 Horizon) on the season, including a 5-5 record on the road. The Ramblers enter Wednesday's game in sole possession of eighth place in the Horizon League standings.

Geoff McCammon is leading Loyola offensively, averaging a team-high 14.0 points per game -- Ben Averkamp (12.5 ppg), Terrance Hill (11.2) and Walt Gibler (10.5) have all joined McCammon in double figures. Averkamp is leading the charge in Horizon League play, averaging a team-high 13.3 points per game.

Andy Polka is averaging a team-high 6.8 rebounds per game, leading a group of four Ramblers averaging at least four caroms per contest. Point guard Courtney Stanley has dished out a team-high 89 assists against 74 turnovers.

Loyola is scoring 70.2 points per game, and allowing its opponents to score 66.4 points per contest. In Horizon League play, the Ramblers rank fourth in the conference in blocks per game (3.5) and offensive rebounds (11.7 rpg). Loyola is also shooting 72.3 percent from the free throw line during league games.

LAST TIME AGAINST LOYOLA
Senior guard Robo Kreps scored a game-high 19 points and passed the 1,400 career-point plateau, but the UIC men's basketball team fell short at Loyola, 68-59, despite holding the Ramblers without a field goal for the final 6:19 on Jan. 22 at the Gentile Center.

Senior K.C. Robbins chipped in eight points, while Paul Carter recorded his eighth double-double of the season with 10 points and 11 rebounds. Loyola was led by Geoff McCammon's 19 points on five three-point field goals - he was joined in double figures by Courtney Stanley (13 points) and Ben Averkamp (12).

After falling behind 59-40, the Flames charged back, going on a commanding 12-3 run to pull back within ten, 62-52, with 4:34 left. A lay-up by Carter and deep three by Kreps trimmed the deficit to 62-57 with 1:34 remaining. UIC then forced two-straight defensive stops, but Kreps and Carter both missed ensuing three-point shots that would have pulled the Flames back within one possession.

Loyola hit six free throws down the stretch, including three by Andy Polka, to hold off the Flames' late rally. The Flames out-rebounded the Ramblers 36-32, but committed 18 turnovers, leading to 21 points by Loyola.

THE SERIES
UIC leads the all-time series against rival Loyola, 29-16, and has been on the winning end in seven-of the last 11 meetings, dating back to the 2006-07 campaign.

Loyola won the first three meetings (1985-88) between the two programs, before UIC took control, winning 12-of the next 14 contests. There have been a total of five overtime games in the series, and 14 contests have been decided by five points or less.

MOORE-WHITESELL CONNECTION
First-year head coach Howard Moore is no stranger to the Horizon League, or college basketball in the state of Illinois and the Windy City. Including his current post at UIC, Moore has served on the staff at three Division I institutions in Illinois, including a short stint as an assistant coach (2004-05) on Jim Whitesell's staff at Loyola. In his brief tenure in Rogers Park, Moore helped the Ramblers win six of their final seven contests and advance all the way to the Horizon League semifinals. Moore handled off-campus recruiting duties and worked primarily with Loyola's post players in the turnaround season.

BREAKING DOWN THE MILWAUKEE GAME
Seniors Robo Kreps (24 points) recorded his fifth-straight game with at least 20 or more points, and his 22nd double-digit scoring output of the season ... Sophomore point guard Corey Gray, making his seventh-consecutive start, chipped in eight points, just one tally off his career-high ... Anthony Hill poured in 32 points on 12 field goals for Milwaukee, the highest individual scoring effort for a UIC opponent during Horizon League play ... Milwaukee led by as many as 12 points (19-7) in the first half, before the Flames charged back to pull within 23-20 with 3:59 left in the opening frame ... The Panthers finished the first half on a 9-4 run, and took a 32-24 lead into the locker room at halftime ... Milwaukee opened the second half on a 10-2 run, taking a 42-26 lead with 15:47 remaining -- The Flames answered with an 8-2 spurt, and cut the Panthers' lead to just seven (44-37) with 10:26 left - Kreps scored seven-consecutive points during the stretch ... Milwaukee countered with an ensuing 7-0 run, taking a 54-40 lead at the 8:00 mark. UIC pulled within single digits twice in the next 1:18, but could draw no closer ... Milwaukee out-scored UIC 40-18 in the paint ... UIC enjoyed scoring advantages off turnovers (11-10) and through the bench (16-6).

KREPS ON A TEAR
Senior guard Robo Kreps has averaged 22.4 points per contest over UIC's last five conference games, stringing together his best stretch during Horizon League play. All five games have resulted in a 20-point outburst, including 25 points at Detroit (2/3/11) and 24 tallies against Milwaukee (2/12/11). Kreps also joined the 1,500 career-point club at Butler (2/7/11), and hit the game-winning field goal in overtime, in the Flames' 63-61 win over Green Bay (2/10/11).

MORE MILESTONES WITHIN REACH
Senior guard Robo Kreps has moved from 16th to eighth on UIC's all-time scoring list this season, and is just 33 points away (1,545) from moving into a seventh-place tie alongside Brian Hill's (1988-92) 1,578 tallies. Kreps is also within reach of several other milestones as the stretch run of the regular season approaches. He enters Wednesday's game against Loyola with 296 career free throws, only four freebies away from becoming just the eighth player in school history to equal 300; he is also only four rebounds short (396) of matching 400 caroms for his career.

DOUBLE TROUBLE
Senior forward Paul Carter leads the Flames with 11 double-doubles on the season, including a league-leading eight in Horizon League play ... Carter has tallied double dips against the College of Charleston (11/20/10), Toledo (11/28/10), Illinois State (12/11/10), Cleveland State (1/1/11), Wright State (1/6/11), Detroit (1/8/11), Green Bay (1/15/11), Loyola (1/22/11), Youngstown State (1/29/11), Wright State (2/5/11) and Butler (2/7/11).

FIVE SENIORS TO BE HONORED SATURDAY
Saturday's regular season finale against Butler will mark the final home game for five UIC seniors, including the Flames' top-three scorers during Horizon League play, Robo Kreps, Paul Carter and Brad Birton. Center K.C. Robbins, who has started four games this season, and reserve guard Jimmy Harding, will also be honored in a pre-game ceremony. Guard Dipanjot Singh is a senior academically, but has one-year of eligibility remaining.

COLLECTIVE EFFORT
UIC enters Wednesday's contest as the Horizon League's top offensive rebounding team (in conference games), averaging 13.2 offensive boards per game. It has been a collective effort on the glass, with Paul Carter (2.8 rpg; 4th) and Brad Birton (2.6 rpg; 6th) both ranking in the top-six of the league in offensive rebounds during Horizon League play. Paris Carter is also averaging 1.8 offensive rebounds per Horizon League game, and is coming off a career-high, 11-rebound performance against Milwaukee last Saturday.

CONTROLLING THE BOARDS
UIC has recorded a rebounding advantage in 18 of its 27 games this season, including 13-of the last 16, and in 12-of-15 Horizon League games.