Men's Basketball Weekly Release #5

Dec. 5, 2005

Complete Release in PDF Format
Download Free Acrobat Reader

Horizon League Player of the Week

Leon Young, Loyola
Freshman * Forward * Long Beach, Calif.
Young averaged a double-double, posting rates of 15.0 points and 10.5 rebounds per contest as Loyola went 1-1 for the week. He came off the bench with 21 points and ten rebounds in the Ramblers' 86-72 victory over Bradley, and added 11 boards plus nine points at Northern Iowa. The freshman has reached double figures in rebounding in four of his first five games and leads the Horizon League with a norm of 10.0 caroms per contest.

Other Top Performances for the Week Ending December 4

A.J. Graves, Butler
Sophomore * Guard * Switz City, Ind.
Graves played through the pain of an injured foot to help Butler to two wins, averaging 14.5 points per game. He had 14 points and four assists in BU's 82-61 victory over Tulane, and came back to lead all scorers with 21 points---including 11 of the Bulldogs' last 18---in a 64-53 victory at Ball State.

Brandon Cotton, Detroit
Junior * Guard * Detroit, Mich.
Cotton led the Titans to a pair of victories, averaging 17.5 points and 4.5 rebounds per game. He notched a season-high 24 points versus Western Michigan in a 77-74 overtime triumph. He had a career-high six rebounds to supplement an 11-point effort in UDM's 64-60 victory at Eastern Michigan.

Justin Bowen, UIC
Senior * Forward * Chicago, Ill.
Bowen averaged 18.5 points and 8.5 rebounds per game, shooting 63 percent (15-of-24) from the field as UIC split two contests last week. The Chicago native posted his third double-double of the year with a career-high 23 points and ten rebounds at Georgia Southern.

Adrian Tigert, UW-Milwaukee
Senior * Forward * Oshkosh, Wis.
Tigert scored in double figures in each of the Panthers' games last week, averaging 15.5 points per contest. He had 17 points and 12 rebounds in a losing effort at Tennessee Tech, and came back to score 14 points on seven-of-nine shooting in 22 minutes in a victory over Saint Louis.

DaShaun Wood, Wright State
Junior * Guard * Detroit, Mich.
Wood scored 22 points on seven-of-16 shooting from the field in the Raiders' only action of the week, a 64-56 loss to local rival Miami (Ohio). Wood also had four assists and two steals in that game and currently leads the League with a scoring pace of 18.8 points per game.

Quin Humphrey, Youngstown State
Junior * Guard * Ellenwood, Ga.
Humphrey recorded a pair of double-doubles last week, hitting a career-high 29 points and grabbing ten rebounds versus Kent State. He came back with 18 points and a collegiate-best 11 boards at Marshall. For the week, he was 16-of-25 (64 percent) from the field with six assists and five steals.

The Week Ahead in the Horizon League

Detroit and Wright State get a jump start on the League schedule this week, with Detroit visiting the Nutter Center on Wednesday evening to open the 72-game League slate. That match-up highlights the week in terms of the League standings, but there are several other noteworthy contests on this week's 13-game schedule.

Tuesday night features a trio of games involving Horizon League teams as Butler hosts Bradley while Loyola hosts Western Illinois, attempting to rebound from its first loss of 2005-06. UW-Milwaukee travels to South Dakota State in the other action of the night.

In addition to the Detroit-Wright State meeting, Wednesday's schedule also includes UW-Green Bay challenging Big Ten Conference representative Wisconsin at the Kohl Center. That (8 p.m. ET) showdown airs live on ESPNU, giving the League its second national audience of the season. Additionally, Youngstown State visits Eastern Michigan.

Six League teams are in action Saturday before many schools begin final exams. UIC faces an on-court test when Southeastern Conference member Mississippi comes to the Pavilion for a matinee. UW-Milwaukee hosts Hawaii in a return match-up from last year's Bracket Buster Saturday, when the Panthers posted an 87-81 victory on the islands.

Other action on Saturday has Cleveland State hosting Albany, UW-Green Bay hosting Montana State, Youngstown State at St. Bonaventure and Detroit at Missouri State.

The week concludes Sunday night when Loyola hosts another Big Ten representative, as Purdue comes to the Gentile Center for an 8 p.m. (ET) contest airing on Comcast SportsNet Chicago.

Around the Horizon League

Bulldogs' hot shooting continues
Butler won both of its games last week, defeating Tulane (82-61) and Ball State (64-53) to improve to 4-3 on the season. Butler has shot at least 45 percent from the field in six of its first seven games this season, and leads the League with a rate of 8.00 three-pointers made per game.

Senior guard Bruce Horan became Butler's all-time leader in three-point field goals with his third trey against Tulane. That was the 218th of his career, surpassing the mark of 217 set by former teammate Darnell Archey (1999-2003). Horan added another triple at Ball State, and now is ninth on the League's all-time list behind, five behind Detroit's Dwayne Kelly (224, 1989-93).

Senior forward Brandon Polk had an unusual week, as the team's leading scorer matched his season-high with 26 points on nine-of-13 shooting versus Tulane. Three days later, he was held without a field goal for only the second time in his BU career. The Bulldogs defeated Ball State despite Polk tallying only three points, all at the line.

The Tulane game last Wednesday was Butler's home-opener, but the Bulldogs play their next four games in Indianapolis before a Dec. 28 trip to South Dakota State.

Freshman leading the way for Ramblers
Loyola was off to its best start since 1996-97 before suffering a 72-56 loss at Northern Iowa on Saturday. The Ramblers (4-1) can thank a pair of freshmen for their early-season success.

J.R. Blount and Leon Young became the first LU frosh duo to each score 20 points in the same game when they accomplished the feat versus Bradley. Blount had a game-high 24 and Young added 21 off the bench in that contest. Young currently leads the League with his 10.0 rebounds-per-game average and shares the League lead with three double-doubles already. He averages a double-double (including 12.4 points per outing) off the bench.

Junior guard Blake Schilb has now scored in double figures in 29 consecutive games, including his15-point effort versus Bradley plus a 14-point showing at Northern Iowa. He needs 136 points to reach the 1,000 mark for his career.

Senior guard Chris Logan recorded his first career double-double with 12 points and ten caroms against Bradley. He has scored 62 points in five games this season (12.4 per game) after posting a total of 56 points in 21 appearances last winter.

Titans shoot down state rivals
Detroit has climbed back over .500 thanks to victories over two in-state foes. A 64-60 triumph at Eastern Michigan and a 77-74 overtime victory over Western Michigan put Detroit at 4-3 as the week begins. That mark includes a 2-1 ledger versus the Mid-American Conference, compared to a 1-4 mark against the MAC last season.

Junior guard Brandon Cotton scored a season-high 24 points versus WSU, but he wasn't alone in the 20-point club. Sophomore guard Jon Goode also posted a career-best 21 points against the Broncos. Goode's day also included five rebounds and five assists. He is now second on the team in scoring (10.7 points per game), behind Cotton's team-high 15.1 points-per-game pace.

Senior forward Chuck Bailey had only one double-double last year, but already owns two this season. He had 11 points and ten rebounds versus Western Michigan. Bailey also blocked two shots in that game and leads the League with ten (1.43 per contest) for the season.

Detroit has outshot each of its last four opponents from the field and is currently hitting at a League-best .474 clip as a team. Bailey tops the individual charts at 63.8 percent (30-of-47).

Balance the key for Panthers
UW-Milwaukee starts the week at 2-2 after a 72-67 loss at Tennessee Tech and an 82-71 victory over Saint Louis. Four Panthers scored in double figures versus SLU, led by senior forward Joah Tucker's 23 points plus 16 from senior guard Chris Hill. The Panthers' depth is evident with three players averaging in double figures (Tucker at 16.2 points per game, senior guard Boo Davis at 14.8 and senior forward Adrian Tigert at 12.0). Tigert also rates fourth on the loop charts at 8.0 rebounds per game.

Tigert's performance anchors an impressive showing off the glass for the Panthers, who stand second in the League with a rebounding margin of plus-8.2 per game. UW-Milwaukee averages nearly 17 offensive rebounds per outing, including 21 second chances versus TTU and 27 against Upper Iowa earlier this season.

Despite playing the fewest games of any League team so far, UWM is third on the loop list with 131 free throws attempted. That's a pace of 32.8 per game, easily the most in the League this year. Rob Jeter's team went 28-of-39 at the charity stripe versus Saint Louis.

Vikings on the rise
Cleveland State enters the week at 2-3 after having a two-game win streak snapped at Kent State over the weekend. The Vikings allowed only 43 points in back-to-back games versus Rochester and Central Michigan, the fewest allowed by Cleveland State since a 57-34 victory over UW-Milwaukee on Jan. 27, 2001.

Freshman forward J'Nathan Bullock set a CSU frosh record with 20 free-throw attempts in his 21-point performance versus Kent State. The League single-game record is 22, held by Duquesne's Derrick Alston (vs. Duquesne, Jan. 6, 1993) and Wright State's Thad Burton (vs. UW-Green Bay, Jan. 31, 1998).

Junior guard Victor Morris needed only five games to accomplish what took 24 last year. Morris has already equaled his 2004-05 three-point total with six triples in 11 attempts this season (55 percent). Morris entered the season having made just 19 of 72 shots behind the arc (26.4 percent) for his career, including six-of-23 a year ago.

Flames' roller-coaster ride continues
UIC shot a season-high 60 percent (matching the best by a League team this season) from the field in a 75-74 loss to intra-city rival Chicago State on Sunday. It marked the third time UIC has shot 50 percent or better, but the Flames (3-4 overall) have lost all three of those games. In contrast, the team is 3-1 when making less than half of its shots.

UIC is now 0-2 at home this season, dropping both of those contests by one point apiece. The Flames suffered a 74-73 loss to St. Xavier in their home-opener on Nov. 23.

Senior guard Rocky Collum made his first appearance of 2005-06 in Sunday's contest, scoring three points in seven minutes of action. Collum, who missed the first three weeks of the season with a left knee injury, averaged 8.7 points per game a year ago.

UIC's next victory will be the 150th of Jimmy Collins' career. The tenth-year sideline boss is already the school's all-time winningest coach.

Phoenix rallies to victory
UW-Green Bay split its two games last week, overcoming a 16-0 deficit to defeat North Dakota State (60-55) before suffering a 59-51 setback at Illinois State to fall to 2-4 on the season.

The 16-point deficit was the most UW-Green Bay has overcome in a victory since Dec. 30, 2000, when the Phoenix rallied from a 15-0 start to defeat Youngstown State, 66-58 in overtime.

The loss at Illinois State was only the second in 22 games during coach Tod Kowalczyk's career when the Phoenix allowed fewer than 60 points. UW-Green Bay is 20-2 under Kowalczyk when holding foes under 60, with the only other loss coming in a 58-37 defeat at Butler on Feb. 27, 2003.

Wednesday's game at Wisconsin features two potent three-point shooters as Phoenix freshman Ryan Tillema faces Wisconsin's Kammron Taylor. Tillema is shooting 50 percent (16-of-32) behind the arc in averaging 10.7 points per game this season (second on the team behind junior guard Ryan Evanochko's 11.5 pace), while Taylor is at 18-of-34 (53 percent).

Penguins looking for closure
Youngstown State dropped to 1-4 after a pair of defeats last week, losing 77-69 to Kent State and 73-70 at Marshall. Junior guard Quin Humphrey notched his second and third consecutive double-doubles, averaging 23.5 points and 10.5 rebounds per outing for the week including a career-best 29 points versus Kent State.

The Penguins' three-game losing streak could have been reversed, but for difficulty in closing games. YSU led 47-31 with 12 minutes left versus Kent State but let that lead evaporate and could not hold a five-point lead in the final 13 minutes versus the Thundering Herd. Akron overcame a 51-36 margin to defeat Youngstown State on Nov. 26, starting the three-game slide.

Youngstown State outrebounded Marshall by a 41-30 margin, marking the fourth time in five games the Penguins have out-rebounded its opponent. YSU, which ranked eighth in the League in rebound margin (minus-5.0) last season, is currently at plus-8.0 per game this year.

Raiders' search continues
Wright State lost its only game of the week, falling 64-56 at Miami (Ohio) on Thursday despite 22 points from junior guard DaShaun Wood. The Raiders dropped to 0-4 on the season heading into Wednesday night's Horizon League match-up with Detroit.

Wood leads the League in scoring at 18.8 points per game, including a pair of games with 20 or more. He also tops the Raiders charts with 4.0 assists per outing.

The Raiders' troubles can be traced to 35.3 percent shooting from the field as WSU has been below 35 percent in each of its last three contests. Wright State hit 16 of 46 attempts (34.8 percent) against the RedHawks.

Horizon League action hits the air
Wednesday's UW-Green Bay/Wisconsin game isn't the only Horizon League action available over the airwaves this week. All League games not airing on commercial or cable television are available on the Internet this season. To watch the games, simply log on to the Horizon League Web site at www.horizonleague.org and follow the links provided.

Additionally, next Friday's (Dec. 16) game between Cleveland State and Michigan State can be found on Sirius Satellite Radio on channel 181 as part of the League's package with the satellite radio provider.