Loyola Edges UIC in Men's Basketball Second Round

Box Score

Game One Highlights

March 2, 2007

DAYTON - Blake Schilb scored 31 points - including the game-clinching three-point play with 10 seconds remaining -- to lead third-seed Loyola to a 66-62 victory over sixth-seed UIC Friday in the second round of the 2007 Horizon League Men's Basketball Championship at the Ervin J. Nutter Center.


With Loyola leading 62-60, Schilb hit a high-arching shot along the baseline over Othyus Jeffers and added the ensuing free throw to as the Ramblers (21-10) avenged a pair of losses to the Flames in the regular season.


Loyola led 58-46 with five remaining left but UIC (14-18) cut the lead to two with 43 seconds left on a layup by Jeffers, who had six of his team-high 14 points in the run. After Schilb gave the Ramblers the five-point lead, Tom Levin hit one-of-two free throws and Josh Mayo had a layup at the buzzer for the Flames.


In the first half, UIC built a seven-point lead at the five-minute mark but Schilb tied it at 30 on a three-point play and Andy Polka had a layup with just over two minutes remaining to give Loyola a 32-30 lead it would not relinquish. Schilb scored five more points in the final minute-and-a-half as the Ramblers led 39-34 at halftime.


Schilb was the only Loyola player in double figures. Polka finished with seven points and a game-high 12 rebounds. For UIC, Mayo had 13, Jovan Stefanov 12 and T.J. Gray 11. The Flames committed only six turnovers but were outrebounded 40-26.


With the victory, Loyola advances to the tournament semifinals for the third straight season and will face second-seed and 16th-ranked Butler Saturday at 5 p.m. ET in a game that will be televised live on ESPNU. The Ramblers are looking for their first Horizon League championship since 1985.

Notes and Quotes
No. 3 Loyola 66, No. 6 UIC 62

UIC Interim Head Coach Mark Combs
On the game:
"It was a hard fought game. We started off pretty good. In the middle of the game, we could not buy a basket. But we came back and we fought, scrapped and never gave up.

"In the first eight minutes, we have balls roll out of the cylinder. We had a bad stretch during that time. You can't have bad stretches against good teams."

"We got beat pretty bad on the boards (40-26) and that was a big difference in the game. Blake Schilb having 31 points and made some key baskets down the stretch. We defended (Schilb) very well and he felt really comfortable tonight."

On the season
"I'm proud of our team. Since I took over on Dec. 22, they have responded to me very well. They have great attitude. They worked hard in practice. We have gotten better as the season has gone along."

On fouls late in the first half
"I took a calculated gamble to give them fouls in the second half. A five-point deficit (at halftime) didn't bother me, but we lost momentum. They got some cheap baskets in that stretch. Loyola is a good basketball team. Their wings are long. Out guys competed as well as expected."

UIC player Josh Mayo
On their defense
"They were sending bodies on me. I stopped being aggressive early in the second half. We got good shots in the second half.. They just didn't fall."

"I thought the game was gettable, especially when we were down by two. Schilb hit the big shot when he needed to."

UIC player Othyus Jeffers
On the last play
"We both tripped and he got the call. He got an NBA continuation call."

Loyola Head Coach Jim Whitesell
On the game:
"We really did some nice things in spurts. We had a nice suit the last few minutes of the first half. Give UIC credit. Their zone gave us some troubles. It was a big win for our guys. We have a heck of an opponent tomorrow night." s

On responding
"We settled down and played better. That was a positive thing. We missed three good shots, and kept it at bay for a while."

On the first half
"They had a great start. Their guards were bothering us. The first 10 minutes, we were anxious to play."

Loyola player Andy Polka
"We made the stops and made big plays at the end. That's what wins games."

"When (Scott) Vandermeer went out, we crashed the boards. When he is in the game, we have to do a good job of rebounding. We did a good job attacking the boards."

Loyola player Blake Schilb
Altering his game vs. Vandermeer
"I wanted to attract him. He alters shots. We did a good job of getting him in foul troubles early."

Is it your time?
"I don't want to be done yet. It's not my time. It's a team game. We've come a long way and have improved throughout the season."

On Butler
"It's going to be a tough task. All games with them have been. I saw their coaches scouting on the sideline. We have to go out and play."

Notes: •