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Horizon Connection

Great Effort, But No "W" in Milwaukee

2/12/04
by John C. Thomas
The league’s best offense and the league’s worst defense squared off against each other Thursday night at U.S. Cellular Arena in Milwaukee. While the Ramblers held UWM below their scoring average and outrebounded the Panthers, turnovers cost Loyola the game, 77-71. The Ramblers fall to 7-16 overall and 3-10 in league play while firming their death grip on eighth place in the conference.

One figured that the Panthers weren’t quite themselves when Loyola led 10-5 just over five minutes into the game. Yet UWM responded with a 14-4 run that put Milwaukee on top 19-14 with 10:23 left in the half.

Turnovers kept Loyola from gaining a lead through the middle of the first half. After Loyola tied it up at 24, UWM spurted ahead to post a 28-24 lead with just over five minutes before the break. After the Ramblers seemed to find a handle on the ball and put together an 11-4 run to gain a 35-33 lead with 2:36 on the clock, UWM shook themselves out of their fog and scored four unanswered points to take a 36-35 halftime lead.

With the score knotted at 45 and 14:35 left to play for the game, Loyola gave the Panthers a taste of their own medicine with a full court press that led to a 49-45 Loyola advantage with just over 13:00 to play. But Milwaukee, as though they flicked a switch, answered back with an 11-3 run to take a lead they would never relinquish.

With just over three minutes remaining, Dylan Page hit a three pointer and a layup sandwiched around a Loyola one-and-done to give the Panthers a 68-57 lead with 3:34 left to play. A few free throws and layups were exchanged through the remainder of the game to account for the final score.

Paul McMillan led Loyola with 18 points and all rebounders with 15 boards. Demetrius Williams added 13, DaJuan Gouard and Louis Smith each had 11, and Terrance Whiters came off the bench for 10 points.

Dylan Page-- who looks to be a pretty sure bet for Horizon League Player of the Year-- finished with a game high 26 points on 9-of-14 shooting in spite of a bandaged ankle. His teammate Ed McCants-- who looks like a solid bet for Newcomer of the Year-- added 21 points. Although Page and McCants were nearly unstoppable in scoring 47 points on 58% field goal shooting, the Ramblers did a pretty good job on the rest of the Panthers in holding them to 36% from the field and 2-of-7 from behind the arc.

Given the records and the locale, the Ramblers could have chosen to mail in tonight’s game. To their credit, they didn’t. Instead, it was Milwaukee that looked like the outcome was a fait accompli.

LU’s effort was excellent tonight, but where was it in most of the 11 losses in this 12 game string? If not for a disputed call with .3 seconds left at the Gentile Center, this could be a 12-game losing streak. A defensive effort like the one tonight’s might have yielded wins in the home games against UWGB and UW-Milwaukee, and in the road games against Butler and Youngstown State.

Loyola now heads to second place UW-Green Bay for a Saturday night game. The Phoenix are 9-1 at home this year.