Men's Basketball Weekly Release #8

Dec. 26, 2006

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Horizon League Player of the Week

DaShaun Wood, Wright State
Senior * Guard * Detroit, Mich. (Crockett H.S.)
Wood hit two free throws with five seconds remaining to push Wright State past Chicago State, 63-62, on Thursday. The charity tosses capped a 25-point performance as he averaged 21 points, 6.5 rebounds and 4.5 assists in two outings last week. The late heroics versus CSU marked the third time this year Wood has won the game on free throws late in the contest and the fourth time he won the game with last shots on the Raiders' final possession. His week also featured 17 points, seven rebounds and five assists in a victory over Marist on Tuesday.

Other Top Performances for the Week Ending December 24
A.J. Graves, Butler
Jr. * G * Switz City, Ind.
Graves scored a game-high 22 points to lead Butler past Evansville, 76-65. He scored 10 points to help Butler build a 37-30 halftime lead and added 12 more points after intermission. Graves hit five of 10 shots from the field, including three of seven from beyond the three-point arc.

Raheem Moss, Cleveland State
Sr. * G * Columbus, Ohio
Moss registered his first double-double of the season with a game-high 28 points and ten rebounds in an overtime loss to Chicago State on Tuesday. Moss canned 11 of 20 shots from the field including three three-pointers in 41 minutes.

Ryvon Covile, Detroit
Sr. * C * Detroit, Mich.
Covile averaged 18.5 points and 11.5 rebounds per game in two contests last week, shooting 52 percent (15-of-29) from the field. He logged his League-high ninth double-double of the year with 16 points and 16 rebounds in UDM's victory over Northeastern on Saturday.

Othyus Jeffers, UIC
Jr. * F * Chicago, Ill.
Jeffers posted a pair of double-doubles, averaging 17 points and 9.7 rebounds in three game slast week. He collected 27 points with 14 caroms at Penn on Thursday and registered his fifth double-double with ten points and ten boards against Illinois State on Saturday.

J.R. Blount, Loyola
So. * G * Milwaukee, Wis.
Blount averaged 16.0 ppg, 3.5 rpg and 3.5 apg as Loyola split a pair of contests last week. In an 82-73 loss at Bradley, he scored 17 points and added four rebounds and three assists. Blount tallied 15 points, four helpers and three boards in the Ramblers' 72-69 victory over UC Irvine.

Keston Roberts, Youngstown State
Sr. * G * Brooklyn, N.Y.
Roberts became the first Penguin since 1990-91 to score 20 points in five consecutive games during the same season with a season-high 27-point performance at James Madison and a game-high 22 points at Kent State in two road wins during the week.

News From Around the League

Bulldogs continue historic run
Butler carries a 12-1 record and the nation's No. 15 (AP and ESPN/USA Today) ranking into the holidays following a 76-65 victory over Evansville last Friday. The Bulldogs extended their homecourt winning streak to 15 games, while the attendance of 8.027 was Butler's largest home crowd in three seasons.

The Bulldogs return to action Saturday, visiting UW-Milwaukee in a re-match of last year's League Championship contest. Butler, picked in the preseason poll to finish sixth in the League, is the first team in Horizon League history to be ranked in the Top 20 of the Associated Press poll for four consecutive weeks. Loyola was ranked in the Top 20 for three straight weeks in 1984-85, and Xavier made the Top 20 for three consecutive weeks in 1987-88.

Junior guard A.J. Graves could etch his name in Butler history Saturday. Graves needs ten points to become the 31st player in Bulldogs annals to score 1,000 points, and the League's leading scorer (18.2 points per game) has reached double figures in all 13 games this year.

Graves ran his streak of consecutive free throws made to 41 in a row. He has hit 69 of 70 free throws this season, a .986 clip which leads the nation.

Junior guard Mike Green scored 16 points versus Evansville. It was the eighth consecutive game in which he has scored at least 16 points, and Green's 15.0 points-per-game average ranks tenth in the League. Green also stands second in the circuit with an average of 4.31 assists per contest.

As a team, Butler tops the League charts in scoring defense---allowing 57.5 points per game. Only three of Butler's first 13 opponents have reached the 70-point mark, while five failed to score 50 points. BU also led the nation (through games of Dec. 17) in free-throw percentage and fewest turnovers per game. Butler has finished with single-digit turnover counts seven times this season.

Ramblers avoid skid
Loyola moved to 9-4 on the season, defeating UC Irvine 62-59 Friday after an 82-73 loss at Bradley on Tuesday. The Ramblers have not dropped back-to-back games since losing four straight in the middle of last season (Jan. 2-11, 2006).

With nine wins before Christmas, the Ramblers have posted their highest total before the holiday since 1947-48.

Senior guard Majak Kou needs 30 points to reach 1,000 for his career. Kou's 11 points versus UC Irvine marked his seventh double-figure performance of the year and lifted his season pace to 11.5 points per game.

Senior guard Blake Schilb ranks sixth in the League with a 15.9 points-per-game norm, following a 17-point outing versus UC Irvine. Schilb grabbed a season-best nine rebounds at Bradley to become the 18th player in Loyola history to collect over 1,000 points and 500 rebounds for his career. Schilb has scored in double figures in 32 of his last 33 games at the Gentile Center.

Sophomore guard J.R. Blount has canned a three-point field goal in a career-best six straight outings. Blount averages 13.5 points per game for the season.

Over the last three games, freshman forward Andy Polka has averaged 11 points, 6.3 rebounds and 3.3 assists per outing. He scored 12 points at Bradley and handed out a career-best five assists against UC Irvine. In five games since joining the starting line-up, Polka is averaging 9.2 points and 7.2 rebounds after a scoring pace of just 4.9 points a night during his first eight collegiate contests.

Polka's season rate of 6.5 reounds per game is fourth-best in the League. Sophomore forward Leon Young leads the League with a .600 field-goal percentage and ranks sixth off the glass at 6.2 reounds per contest.

Loyola leads the League in scoring offense, averaging 74 points per game with a circuit-best .470 field-goal percentage.

Raiders keep winning the close ones
Wright State improved to 5-5 on the season, defeating Marist, 63-53, on Tuesday and edging Chicago State, 63-62, on Thursday.

Four of the Raiders' five victories have come by a total of five points, with senior guard DaShaun Wood providing the difference in each of those contests. Wood, who capped a 25-point performance by hitting two free throws with five seconds left versus Chicago State, also hit the winning jumper to defeat Miami [Ohio] on Nov. 11, plus the decisive free throws versus Detroit (Dec. 2) and at St. Bonaventure (Dec. 9). Wood ranks third in the League with an average of 17.9 points per game, while his pace of 1.80 steals per outing is second and his rate of 3.30 assists per contest is seventh.

Freshman guard Vaughn Duggins added 17 points against Marist and finished with 15 versus Chicago State. His 11.4 points-per-game pace leads all League freshmen and ranks 17th in the circuit overall.

Junior forward Jordan Pleiman recorded 11 points and seven rebounds against CSU. He stands seventh in the League at 5.7 rebounds per game, with fellow senior Drew Burleson 12th with an average of 5.3 per contest.

Wright State travels to Baton Rouge, La., for the Hispanic College Fund Classic, hosted by LSU. It is WSU's first three-game tournament since the San Juan Shootout in 1994 and first tournament with games back to back since a Louisville tournament in 2002. WSU played in the Preseason NIT in 2004 but not back to back dates.

Junior guard Junior Scottie Wilson is still sidelined with a broken hand but could be back in action at the tournament in Louisiana. Wilson averaged seven points and 6.3 rebounds per game in six appearances before being sidelined.

Wright State ranks second on the loop's team charts, allowing only 65.9 points per contest. The Raiders are 5-1 when holding opponents under 65 points, but 0-4 when allowing 65 or more.

Flames bumped on the road
UIC dropped to 6-8 on the season after losing three road games last week. The Flames were outscored 77-64 at Mississippi on Tuesday before suffering a 90-78 defeat at Penn on Thursday and losing at home to Illinois State, 77-69, on Saturday.

Junior forward Othyus Jeffers recorded a pair of double-doubles, scoring a season-high 27 points with 14 rebounds at Penn before logging ten points and ten caroms against ISU. Jeffers has scored in double figures in 13 of 14 games this year, including each of the last 11.

Jeffers' five double-doubles this season rank second to Detroit's Ryvon Covile (nine) among League players this year. The League's reigning Newcomer of the Year stands eighth in the circuit this year with an average of 15.6 points per game, while his 8.9 rebounds are behind only Covile (11.4) on the loop charts, while his .506 field-goal clip is third-best in the League.

Two transfers have made immediate impacts for the Flames. Junior guard T.J. Gray averages 10.6 points per game on 44.6 percent shooting from three-point range (third-best in the League), while sophomore forward Scott VanderMeer heads the loop charts wtih 2.71 blocked shots per game. Vander Meer also pulls down 4.9 rebounds per game, while senior forward Jovan Stefanov is ninth in the circuit at 5.9 caroms per contest.

Sophomore guard Josh Mayo is the third Flame in double figures, averaging 12.0 points per game. He leads a UIC offense which ranks second in the League in scoring (73.4 points per game), although the Flames are last in the loop in scoring defense (72.6 points per outing).

Head coach Jimmy Collins was not on the sideline for the Illinois State contest, taking a personal leave of absence from the team. No timetable has been announced for his return, with associate head coach Mark Coomes taking the role of interim head coach until Collins rejoins the team.

Penguins register historic victory
Youngstown State enters the week at 6-7 overall after defeating James Madison, 78-58, on Tuesday, and edging Kent State, 62-58, on Friday. The victory at KSU was the Penguns' first on the Kent State campus since 1956.

Senior forward Keston Roberts became the first Penguin since 1990-91 to score 20 points in five consecutive games during the same season, logging a season-high 27 points at JMU and scoring a game-best 22 at Kent State. He played a key role in the second-half comeback at Kent State, scoring 14 points, including four crucial free throws in final 1:19 to secure the victory. Roberts' performance marked his 11th consecutive double-figure scoring performance.

During the past five games, Roberts is averaging 23 points per outing. His season rate of 17.2 per contest puts him fourth on the League charts.Senior guard Quin Humphrey has scored 1,356 career points to move into 14th place all-time at YSU. He moved ahead of Gerald Parks for 14th place following a 12-point outing at Kent State. Humphrey ranks second in the League this season, averaging 17.9 points per outing while also pulling down 6.0 rebounds (seventh in the League). The senior guard has scored in double figures in all 13 games this season and in 39 of his last 40 overall.

Junior guard Byron Davis' average of 3.62 assists per contest is fourth-best in the League. Sophomore forward Jack Liles posted his first career double-double with 13 points and 11 rebounds at Kent State.

Head Coach Jerry Slocum is seven wins shy of 600 for his career. Slocum's 593 career victories rank 13th among active NCAA coaches.

Youngstown State needs one more victory to match its total for the entire 2005-06 campaign, when YSU finished 7-21. The Penguins compiled a 34-107 record in their first five seasons in the League (2001-06), with a 9-20 mark in 2002-03 marking the team's best finish during that span.

Phoenix home for the holidays, and beyond
UW-Green Bay stands at 5-6 after a 76-64 loss at Michigan State last Saturday, a setback which snapped a three-game winning streak for the Phoenix. UWGB attempts to start a new run this week, hosting the annual Oneida Casino Holiday Classic to open a five-game homestand. Tod Kowalczyk's crew, which is 4-0 at home thus far in 2006-07, doesn't play away from the Resch Center until Jan. 11.

The Phoenix trailed 45-43 early in the second half but fell short against Michigan State despite 14 points from sophomore guard Mike Schachtner and 11 by senior guard Ryan Evanochko.

Evanochko reached double figures for the eighth consecutive game and the tenth time in 11 outings this season. He stands fifth in the League with his 16.2 points-per-game scoring pace, and also tops the circuit with an average of 6.1 assists per contest.

Schachtner has averaged 19.5 points in his last four games, including a League-season-high 36 versus Chicago State on Dec. 12. For the season, the sophomore is 13th in the League in scoring at 13.3 points per outing.

UW-Green Bay boasts the League's most efficient perimeter game, featuring a 42.1 percent mark from three-point range. Schachtner leads the way with his 57.6 percent mark, with freshman guard Troy Cotton (.477) right behind him on the loop charts. Schachtner also rates among the League's leaders at the free-throw line, carrying a .886 rating at the 15-foot stripe to stand fourth on that list.

Sophomore forward Terry Evans is also atop a League statistical chart, leading the circuit with an average of 1.82 steals per outing. A member of the League's All-Defensive Team in 2006-07, Evans also ranks third on the League rebounding list at 7.2 caroms per contest, while his 1.09 blocks-per-game average is fourth-best on that chart.

The team leading at halftime has won all 11 games involving UW-Green Bay this season.

Vikings working overtime without a bonus
Cleveland State dropped to 6-8 on the season after an 82-77, overtime loss to Chicago State on Tuesday. It was the Vikings' fifth consecutive defeat, and came on the heels of a 78-76, double-overtime setback at Central Michigan on Dec. 17, marking the fifth time in program history that CSU has played back-to-back overtime contests.

Senior guard Raheem Moss poured in 28 points and grabbed ten rebounds against Chicago State, while sophomore forward J'Nathan Bullock collected a dozen caroms and scored eight points. Moss lifted his season scoring average into double figures at 10.7 points per game, joining Bullock (14.8) in that group. Bullock's scoring pace ranks 11th in the League, while his 6.5 rebounds-per-contest count is fourth-best in the circuit.

Senior point guard Carlos English ranks third in the League with an average of 3.85 assists per game, supplementing a stat line which also includes 7.4 points per outing. He is one of seven Vikings averaging at least 5.5 points per contest this season.

After using 13 different starting line-ups last season, CSU had opened with the same starting five in each of the first 11 games this season. That changed when senior guard Victor Morris went down with a foot injury and freshman Joe Davis moved into the starting lineup. Davis ranks third on the team in scoring at 9.3 points per contest.

Titans stop slide
Detroit improved to 3-8 on the season by defeating Northeastern, 60-51, on Saturday. That snapped a four-game skid which included Wednesday's 73-63 loss at Toledo.

Senior center Ryvon Covile continued his strong play last week, topping the 20-point mark for the second game in a row with 21 at Toledo, then coming back to establish a career-high with 16 rebounds in the Titans' victory over Northeastern. Covile added a game-high 16 points in the Northeastern victory to notch his ninth double-double of the season. Covile leads the League in rebounding (11.4 per game) and double-doubles, while ranking ninth in scoring at 15.5 points per contest and second in field-goal percentage (.560).

Senior swingman Muhammad Abdur-Rahim started the last three games for Detroit, after opening just two of the first eight games this season. He posted season highs of seven points and 27 minutes of court time, while equaling his one-game best of four rebounds.

Guard Brandon Cotton scored 14 points at Toledo, and then matched Covile for game-high with 16 more vs. Northeastern. That extended his streak of scoring in double figures to four games, two shy of his season-high. Cotton's 30 points last week pushed him to 1095 for his career as he passed Carl Pickett and Al Cech to move into 27th place on the all-time Detroit scoring list. This season, Cotton ranks seventh in the League at 15.7 points per game.

Panthers search for elusive victory
UW-Milwaukee saw its losing streak reach seven games with an 89-73 loss to Sam Houston State on Friday. The Panthers, who enter the week at 2-11 and who have not won since defeating South Dakota State on Nov. 22, meet Wyoming before hosting Butler in a re-match of last year's League Championship game.

The growing process for the young UWM squad is evident in a list of career-highs. Junior guard Allan Hanson entered the season with collegiate-bests of ten points and 17 minutes played. This year, he has equaled or surpassed his high in points four times while playing at least 17 minutes in ever game.

Meanwhile, junior guard Avery Smith has surpassed his previous best (ten points) eight times, including a 36-point outburst in one contest at Oakland. With 193 points this season, Smith has already eclipsed his total for all of last season (147).

Smith ranks 11th in the League with a 14.8 points-per-game scoring norm, followed by junior forward Paige Paulsen with 11.1 (18th in the circuit). Paulsen is seventh among League rebounders at 6.0 caroms per contest. Senior forward Kevin Massiah adds 6.7 rebounds per night.As a team, UW-Milwaukee led the League in scoring last season at 74 points per game. This year's group, however, is posting just 63.4 points per contest while shooting a loop-low 36 percent from the field.

Crusaders' slide continues
Valparaiso---which officially joins the Horizon League in 2007-08--finished seventh at the Outrigger Hotels Rainbow Classic. The Crusaders snaped an eight-game skid and salvaged a victory on the islands by outlasting San Francisco, 64-59, after losing to Creighton (68-43) and Charlotte (74-62). Valpo carries a 4-8 mark into the week prior to Saturday's match-up with former Mid-Continent Conference foe Chicago State.

Sophomore guard Brandon McPherson led the Crusaders in Hawai'i, averaging 17.7 points in the three games. He hit 10 of 13 attempts from three-point range and 13 of 14 free throws in the tournament. He has scored 20 or more points in three of his last four games, lifting his season average to 11.9 points per contest. That mark is aided by 61.3 percent (19-of-31) accuracy from the tri-light zone.

Junior guard Shawn Huff and freshman guard Samuel Haanpaa join McPherson in double figures, averaging 10.3 and 10.0 points, respectively. Haanpaa scored a career-high 21 points against Charlotte, including 18 in the first half. Sophomore forward Urule Igbavboa is close behind at 9.6 points per outing, while leading the team with 7.7 rebounds per contest.Valpo hit 30 three-pointers in the three games on the islands after averaging 6.5 triples per outing before the trip. As a team, the Crusaders are shooting 39.6 percent from three-point range with Huff shooting 43 percent and Haanpaa at 39 percent behind the arc.