Men's Basketball Weekly Release #6
Dec. 27, 2004
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Eleven games line the schedule this week as Horizon League men's basketball teams close out 2004 and ready for next week's full slate of conference games.
In the lone League game of the week, UIC (4-6, 0-1) will play at Detroit (3-7, 0-0) this Thursday, Dec. 30. Led by Preseason Player of the Year Cedrick Banks, the Flames will look to avoid an 0-2 League start, while the Titans will aim to win their conference opener behind the play of Michigan State transfer Brandon Cotton, who averaged 19.5 points per game last week in his first action of the season.
A pair of teams will compete in regular-season tournaments this week. Butler (5-3, 0-0) will face Richmond in the first round of the Fiesta Bowl Classic Tuesday, Dec. 28, at Tucson, Ariz., and then will meet either #14/15 Arizona or Eastern Michigan in the consolation or championship game Thursday, Dec. 20.
UW-Green Bay (5-3, 0-0), meanwhile, will host the Oneida Bingo and Casino Classic in Green Bay Wednesday and Thursday, Dec. 29-30. The Phoenix will battle North Dakota State in the first round and then Hartford or Rider in the consolation or championship contest.
In other home games this week, Youngstown State (3-6, 1-1) will host St. Francis (Pa.) Wednesday, Dec. 29, and Wright State (5-6, 1-0) will welcome Morgan State to Dayton Friday, Dec. 31.
Horizon League Men's Basketball Co-Players of the Week - Dec. 27
A.J. Graves
Butler
Guard
Freshman
Switz City, Ind.
Quin Humphrey
Youngstown State
Guard
Sophomore
Ellenwood, Ga.
A.J. Graves of Butler and Quin Humphrey of Youngstown State have been named the Horizon League Men's Basketball Co-Players of the Week for Dec. 27.
Graves, a freshman guard, scored a career-high 29 points, including 14 of Butler's final 16 points, in the Bulldogs' 74-68 victory over Ball State Dec. 22. He made 10-of-15 field-goal attempts and was a perfect 8-of-8 from the free-throw line with all of his charity tosses coming in the final 45 seconds. His 29 points were the most by a Butler player since January 2001.
Humphrey, a sophomore, guard, scored a career-high 26 points in Youngstown State's 76-68 victory over Loyola Dec. 21 in the only Horizon League game of the week. He connected on 9-of-15 field-goal attempts, 2-of-3 three-pointers and 6-of-7 free-throw tries while adding seven rebounds and three steals.
Justin Bowen
UIC, Junior, Forward, Chicago, Ill.
Bowen averaged 12.5 points and 10 rebounds per game last week as UIC went 1-1. In a 79-47 win over Saginaw Valley State Dec. 23, he posted his second career double-double with 15 points and 11 rebounds. He had 10 points and nine rebounds as the Flames lost to UW-Parkside earlier in the week.
Brandon Cotton
Detroit, Sophomore, Guard, Detroit, Mich.
Cotton, a transfer from Michigan State, burst onto the Horizon League scene with a bang, scoring 27 points in his first game in a Detroit uniform to lead the Titans to an 88-83 victory over Eastern Michigan Dec. 20. He then had a team-high 12 points in UDM's 62-47 loss at Chicago State Dec. 23. For the week, he averaged 19.5 points per game and converted 18-of-29 field-goal attempts.
Ed McCants
UW-Milwaukee, Senior, Guard, Marian, Ohio
McCants netted a career-high 26 points in UW-Milwaukee's 73-62 loss to #2/2 Kansas Dec. 22 at Kansas City, Mo. A preseason first-team All-Horizon League selection, he made 10-of-18 field-goal attempts, including 6-of-12 from three-point range, while adding two steals, two assists and two rebounds.
Blake Schilb
Loyola, Sophomore, Forward, Rantoul, Ill.
Schilb poured in a career-high 25 points in Loyola's 76-68 loss at Youngs-town State Dec. 21, hitting 10-of-15 field-goal attempts, including 4-of-9 three-point tries, in the weeks' lone Horizon League game. His all-around effort also featured four rebounds, four steals, three assists and three blocked shots.
