Men's Basketball Weekly Release #1

Nov. 6, 2006

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Horizon League Notes and Preview

Ramblers Claim Top Spot in Preseason Poll
Loyola begins the 2006-07 campaign as the favorite to win the Horizon League championship. The Ramblers, coming off a 19-11 season which was the program's best showing in 21 years, have all five starters and ten of 11 letterwinners back, including preseason Player of the Year Blake Schilb plus fellow senior Majak Kou in the backcourt.

Schilb earned All-America Honorable Mention from the Associated Press last season, averaging 19.1 points and 3.9 assists per game (second and fifth in the League, respectively), plus 5.2 rebounds per contest.

Schilb has a chance to join a select group of ten players to win three First-Team All-League honors, and has reached double figures in scoring in 32 consecutive regular-season League games. He also ranked tenth in steals and third in free-throw accuracy last winter.

The six-foot-five Kou was second on the League charts with 1.50 blocked shots per game a year ago, trailing only Horizon League Player of the Year Brandon Polk of Butler in that category. Kou, who was fourth with 1.57 steals per contest, earned a spot on the League's All-Defensive Team while also posting 12.8 points per outing.

J.R. Blount and Leon Young both made dramatic impacts as freshmen a year ago, with Blount averaging 11.3 points per outing while Young provided 10.4 points a night and finished fifth in the League with his 7.2 rebounds-per-game norm.

Opinions Vary in Wide-Open Preseason Poll
Several other League teams could be poised to make a run at the Ramblers, based on the results of the League's preseason poll of coaches, sports information directors and media representatives.

Loyola held the top spot on 31 of the 44 ballots cast and carried 373 points in the voting. Second-place UW-Green Bay's 334-point total featured eight first-place votes, while Detroit was third in the balloting with three first-place nods and 286 points.

UIC (231 points) edged Wright State (217) and Butler (201) for fourth place in the canvass, with UW-Milwaukee (145), Youngstown State (116) and Cleveland State (77) rounding out the field.

Opinions varied widely among the voters. Butler was placed in every position except last year's second-place finish, while Detroit's projections ranged from first to eighth place and UW-Milwaukee's fell anywhere from second to ninth. All 44 ballots had Loyola among the top three teams, but each of the other eight squads had a range of at least four position among the voters.

New Names on League Leader BoardsSome of that disparity comes from differing views on how quickly underclassmen can take over for departed veterans. Four of the League's top ten scorers from last season will not return, with UW-Milwaukee looking to replace Joah Tucker (sixth at 16.5 points per game) and Boo Davis (seventh at 16.3), Butler trying to cover the 18.0 points-per-game output of Brandon Polk (third in the League) and UIC missing the 14.7 per-game norm (ninth) of Justin Bowen.

Five of the top ten rebounders also completed their eligibility in 2005-06, including Detroit's Torvoris Baker (second with a rate of 7.6 caroms per contest). On the other end of the spectrum, six of the top eight set-up artists are back, led by UW-Green Bay's Ryan Evanochko (second with 5.16 assists per game) and DaShaun Wood of Wright State (third at 4.68). Cleveland State's Carlos English was fourth-best at 4.64 per outing a year ago, with Loyola's Blake Schilb (3.93) rounding out the top five.

Welcome to the Club
Two head coaches make their Horizon League debuts this season, hoping to bring the success they've enjoyed at other institutions.

Cleveland State's Gary Waters won 171 games in ten years at Kent State (1996-2001) and Rutgers (2001-06), leading his teams to postseason competition six times in that span. He led KSU to its first-ever Mid-American Conference title and initial NCAA Tournament appearance in 1998-99, earning the first of two MAC Coach of the Year honors. His Rutgers squad finished second in the NIT three years ago.

Brad Brownell takes the reins of the Wright State program following a four-year run at UNC Wilmington that featured two NCAA Tournament appearances. He led the Seahawks to an 83-40 record during his (2002-06) tenure, including a 25-8 mark and the championship of the Colonial Athletic Association---a league featuring NCAA Final Four entry George Mason---last season.

Panthers Prepare to Defend League Title With New Roster
UW-Milwaukee won the League's regular-season and tournament titles a year ago, then ousted Oklahoma in the first round of the NCAA Tournament before falling to eventual national champion Florida to finish at 22-9 overall. The Panthers' 12-4 League ledger was one game better than runner-up Butler, a team UWM vanquished 87-71 in the League Championship showdown.

Panther coach Rob Jeter was a newcomer a year ago, leading Milwaukee to the "Big Dance" in his debut campaign. This year, many of the players on the court will be newcomers for UW-Milwaukee after all five starters (including First-Team All-League choice Joah Tucker) and two key reserves finished their eligibility in 2005-06. Junior guard Avery Smith is the team's top returning scorer, averaging 4.7 points per game last season.

Junior forward Paige Paulsen takes the court after two years at Northern Illinois, where he averaged 7.5 points per game in 2003-04, while sophomore guard Ricky Franklin leads a group of newcomers which also features a pair of key transfers in junior forwards Sam Mauldin and Marcus Skinner plus redshirt guard Kaylan Anderson.

UWM posted its fourth consecutive 20-win campaign last winter, winning a fourth straight regular-season crown along the way. The Panthers own a lofty 52-12 record in loop play during that span, part of a 92-34 overall ledger since the beginning of the 2002-03 campaign.

Bulldogs Hoping 20/20 More Than Hindsight
Butler also joined the 20-win club, reaching that plateau with a victory over Miami [Ohio] in the opening round of the NIT. The Bulldogs, 20-13 overall last year, finished second in the League standings at 12-4 but must also replace a large part of their production after the graduation of three starters, including League Player of the Year Brandon Polk, who averaged 18.0 points per game and topped the circuit with his .576 field-goal percentage plus 1.52 blocks per game.

Butler boasts eight 20-win campaigns in the past ten years, leading to five NCAA Tournament appearances plus three NIT berths. To continue that run of success, reigning League Coach of the Year Todd Lickliter will look to senior guard A.J. Graves (13.4 points per game and 68 three-point field goals last season) and senior forward Brandon Crone (9.8 points and 5.0 rebounds per game in 2005-06) along with junior guard Mike Green, who starred for two years at Towson University where he averaged almost 13 points and 4.3 assists per outing.

Little Margin for Error in League Race
UW-Milwaukee and Butler pulled away from the rest of the pack in 2005-06, but a wild race produced an unprecedented five-way tie for third place in the League standings at 8-8 last winter. Wright State sat third in the standings for most of February before slipping into that group in the final week of the regular season, and dropped to the seventh seed in the League Championship.

UW-Green Bay, Loyola, UIC and Detroit also split their 16 League match-ups, marking the first time more than three League teams had ever tied for any position. The parity was evident as none of the nine seeds for the League Championship were determined before the final day of the regular season.

Surprisingly, all seeds held true at the League Championship for the first time since 2000-01.

Humphrey Tops the ChartsYoungstown State's Quin Humphrey became only the second player in League history to lead the circuit in both scoring and rebounding in the same season last winter. The six-foot-four Humphrey averaged 19.2 points and 8.3 rebounds per game to become YSU's initial First-Team All-League selection in the school's six years with the Horizon League.

Humphrey posted a loop-high ten double-doubles in 2005-06, scoring in twin figures 27 times in 28 games. In one mid-season stretch, he scored 30 or more points in three consecutive games (33 at UIC, 32 at Loyola and 31 versus UW-Green Bay). He also averaged 2.6 assists per game while shooting nearly 50 percent from the field. In League play, Humphrey posted a 20.2 points-per-game pace.

The Penguin guard---also a preseason First-Team All-League selection in 2006-07---joined Evansville's Parrish Casebier (1991-92) as the only players to top the League in both charts during the same campaign.

Evanochko Provides Senior Leadership to Young Phoenix Squad
UW-Green Bay finished second in the League's preseason poll, due mainly to high expectations for senior guard and Preseason All-League pick Ryan Evanochko. The veteran playmaker drew Second-Team All-League notice last year, finishing eighth in the circuit in scoring (15.8 points per game) and second with 5.16 assists per outing.

Those All-League ballots were already counted before Evanochko dished out a career-high 14 assists against UIC in the League Championship tournament, helping UWGB to the semifinals of the loop summit. As a sign of his versatility, Evanochko had scored a season-best 30 points against the same Flames squad during the regular season.

While Evanochko and forward Josh Lawrence bring veteran leadership, UW-Green Bay will rely heavily on a sophomore class that made significant contributions last winter. Forward Terry Evans was an All-Defensive Team choice after finishing sixth in the League in both blocked shots (0.94 per game) and steals (1.61 per outing) while Mike Schachtner landed on the All-Newcomer Team for his 10.3 points-per-game rate. In addition, Ryan Tillema's 8.7 scoring pace included 38 percent shooting behind the arc.

Cotton, Wood Look to Lead Improvements
Two other guards---Wright State senior DaShaun Wood and Detroit junior Brandon Cotton---round out the Preseason First-Team All-League quintet.

Wood earned First-Team All-League recognition in 2005-06, averaging 17.9 points per game (fourth in the League) and 4.68 assists (third on the loop charts). He is one of three active League players---joining Loyola's Blake Schilb and Youngstown State's Quin Humphrey---with 1,000 or more career points, hitting that mark in style during a career-high 35-point outing versus Youngstown State. Wood scored 25 or more points six times a year ago.

Cotton is a two-time Second-Team All-League pick, leading the Titans at 17.5 points per outing (fourth-best in the League) a year ago despite playing most of the season with pins inserted in his left hand after an offseason automobile accident. Cotton increased his scoring output to 18.8 per night in League play and registered 13 games of 20 or more points.

Cotton has been granted an additional year of eligibility by the NCAA as a result of a medical hardship waiver. Cotton sat out most of the 2003-04 academic year, playing three games at Michigan State University before being sidelined by injury and transferring to Detroit. He now has two seasons of eligibility remaining.

Titans Hope for More Balance
Cotton isn't the only weapon for Detroit, which also features junior guard Jon Goode plus senior center Ryvon Covile. Goode moved into a starting role and averaged 10.9 points per game. He shot 41.5 percent from three-point range while also leading UDM with 3.31 assists and 1.22 steals per outing.

Covile missed all of last season with a knee injury but will be the anchor of Detroit's interior after the graduation of Chuck Bailey and Torvoris Baker. Covile, a two-time member of the League's All-Defensive Team, averaged 7.5 points and 5.2 rebounds per game during the 2004-05 campaign.

Detroit led the League in field-goal defense last season, allowing opponents only 42.7 percent shooting on the way to a 65.1 points-per-contest yield. That defensive showing could improve with the addition of junior guard Brandon Bell, who returns to action after transferring from Marquette and missing last season due to injury.

Flames Turn Up the Heat
UIC's run of five consecutive winning seasons is the second-longest current run in the League (trailing only UW-Milwaukee's seven). Veteran Flames coach Jimmy Collins has four starters back for the 2006-07 campaign, led by a pair of All-Newcomer Team choices in junior forward Othyus Jeffers and sophomore guard Josh Mayo.

Jeffers, the League's Newcomer of the Year last winter, averaged 11.6 points and 7.6 rebounds per contest in his debut campaign. The carom count was third on the loop charts, while his all-around game also featured a team-best 92 assists. Mayo added 10.1 points per contest, hitting 51 three-pointers and ranking second in the League with a 83 percent touch at the charity stripe. Junior T.J. Gray joins the Flame backcourt after two years at Western Illinois, where he averaged 7.2 points per outing.

Up front, senior Jovan Stefanov leads a group which got taller and deeper with the addition of six-foot-11 transfer Scott VanderMeer. UIC now features four players at six-foot-nine or taller with VanderMeer joining the 6-9 trio of Stefanov, senior Danijel Zoric and freshman Jovan Ignjatovic.

Raiders Rely on Forwards to Move Forward
Wright State, which returns its top four scorers and top four rebounders from last season, also boasts one of the League's better frontcourts, led by senior Drew Burleson and junior Jordan Pleiman.

Burleson averaged 12.5 points and 5.1 rebounds per game a year ago, scoring in double figures 15 times. Burleson, who enters the year needing 113 points to join WSU's 1,000-point club, shot nearly 48 percent from the floor and canned 24 three-pointers last season.

Pleiman was second in the League with a .575 field-goal percentage, efficiently compiling norms of 10.5 points and 6.7 rebounds per game---the latter number ranking seventh in the League.

That frontcourt combination supports the Raider backcourt duo of senior guards DaShaun Wood and Tyrone Scott, who combined for nearly 25 points per game a year ago.

Penguins More Than One-Player Team
Quin Humphrey gained most of the headlines for Youngstown State last season, but Youngstown State received big contributions from a pair of other veterans who return for 2006-07.

Senior guard Keston Roberts tallied 14.0 points per game a year ago, including five outings of 20 or more markers. He hit 42 three-pointers (second only to Humphrey's 50 on the team charts) while also providing 2.9 rebounds and 1.9 assists per contest. Junior forward John Barber stepped into a starting role for 12 games, averaging 7.0 points and more than 25 minutes per appearance. Six of those efforts resulted in double-digit scoring, including one double-double of 12 points and 12 rebounds at Wright State.

In the backcourt, former New Mexico State guard Byron Davis should take some of the ball-handling pressure off of Humphrey. Davis started 35 games in his two seasons at NMSU, averaging nearly six points and two assists per contest.

Vikings Plan to Use Experience On the Court, As Well As On the Sideline
New Cleveland State coach Gary Waters inherits a Viking team featuring four returning starters and five of the top six scorers from last year's group. The senior guard trio of Carlos English, Victor Morris and Raheem Moss joins forward Patrick Tatham to give CSU four four-year veterans in 2006-07.

Moss shot nearly 38 percent from three-point range last season, averaging 10.0 points per game. His 2.2 tri-lighters per contest put him seventh in the League a year ago, as he enters his final year with 119 career triples. English was fourth in the League with his 4.64 assists-per-game average last winter, adding 8.1 points an outing while Tatham provided 7.6 points and a team-best 6.0 rebounds per night.

Sophomore forward J'Nathan Bullock made an auspicious debut last season, becoming only the fifth freshman in school history to lead the team in scoring (11.3 points per game). That total included three 20-point outings.

Valpo Prepares for League Debut in 2007-08
The League's membership increases to ten teams next year when Valparaiso University officially joins the League.

Valpo makes one final run in the Mid-Continent Conference this season, as veteran coach Homer Drew looks to add to a portfolio which includes seven NCAA Tournament appearances and 286 victories in his first 18 years at the school.

The Crusaders finished 17-12 a year ago, but lost four starters and the team's top five scorers. Junior point guard Jarryd Loyd owns 178 career assists with junior guard Shawn Huff as the top returning scorer based on his 7.5 points-per-game rate in an injury-shortened 2005-06 campaign.

Valparaiso gets an early taste of Horizon League competition on November 29, when Butler travels upstate to meet its future League rival.