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Blake Schilb

Better Defense, But Streak Hits Six

1/22/04
by John C. Thomas
The Ramblers returned home Thursday night to face UW-Green Bay with a golden opportunity to put an end to their five game losing streak. With 3:02 left in the game, Louis Smith had a chance to put the Ramblers ahead at the free throw line, but he missed both shots and the Phoenix pulled away for a 60-55 win.

The Phoenix took an early 2-0 lead. Then came the tip off. Loyola was called for a technical foul before the game began for dunking in the warm-ups. Matt Rhode sank both free throws for the Phoenix before the tip-off whistle.

Paul McMillan After giving up an average of more than 83 points per game in their previous five contests, the Ramblers held UWGB to only eight points in the first seven minutes of the game. The trouble was, the Ramblers only managed two points in that span. Eleven and a half minutes into the game, the Ramblers had only five points. It looked like the rout was on. At the break it was UWGB 29, Loyola 18, thanks to 19.2% shooting from the field by LU.

Coach Farmer must have given the Ramblers quite a talk at halftime. Loyola came out of the break and went on a 17-3 run to open the second half, and the Ramblers led 39-35 with 15:48 left to play. The Phoenix answered with a quick 7-0 run to take the lead, but the Ramblers tied the ball game at 45 with 7:50 remaining.

Louis Smith After Blake Schilb cut a UWGB lead to 53-52 with a three pointer, the Ramblers got a rare defensive stop, and Louis Smith found himself at the line seconds later for two big free throws that could have put the Ramblers on top. He missed both of them, and the LU tried in vain to stay within striking distance while the Phoenix hit their free throws down the stretch.

Loyola played their best defense since the Valparaiso game, holding the opposition to 39% shooting from the field, forcing 15 turnovers, making 7 steals, and blocking four shots. The Ramblers hadn’t held an opponent under 69 points all season.

In a game where the Ramblers’ leading scorer could not find the basket (Paul McMillan was 1-for-9 from the field and scored only 5 points), Demetrius Williams led Loyola with 20 points, and Blake Schilb added 17. Matt Rhode led the Phoenix with 13 points.

To illustrate the offensive futility, McMillan, Jason Telford, Majak Kou, DaJuan Gouard and Andre Knox combined to go 2-for-28 from the field in 104 minutes on the court. The Ramblers missed nine of their 24 free throw attempts after improving their free throw shooting over the past several weeks, and making just a few of those nine misses would have turned the game. Finally, Loyola’s 18 points in the first half has got to be one of the worst halves by a Ramblers team since the opening of the Gentile Center.

The Ramblers fall to 6-11 on the year and 2-5 in conference. Loyola has proven it can play respectable defense, and it has proven it can play respectable offense-- the problem seems to be doing it in the same game.

Time is running out on the Ramblers. After Monday night's game against UIC at the Gentile Center, the conference season will be halfway completed.



 


Copyright 2004, John C. Thomas.