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Ramblers Flat in Overtime

2/14/04
by John C. Thomas
The Ramblers missed two free throws in the final forty seconds of regulation to allow overtime Saturday night at the Resch Center in Green Bay. But it was all Phoenix in the extra period, as Loyola lost for the 12th time in the last 13 games, 80-73. The Ramblers fall to 7-17 overall and 3-11 in the league.

With the Phoenix ahead 17-15 and just over 7 minutes left in the half, Loyola took control of the pace of the game and went on a 13-5 run to take a 28-22 lead with 2:55 left to play. The Ramblers led 32-28 at the break.

Ever since UWGB entered the conference, they’ve been famous for creating a slogging pace on the court. The Phoenix demonstrated that talent to begin the second half, as they took control of the game rhythm and tied the score at 33 with 17:48 left to play.

After Mike King made a free throw on an intentional foul call against Demetrius Williams to give UWGB a 38-37 lead, Loyola responded with an 11-4 run over a five minute span to gain a 48-42 advantage with eight minutes left to play.

The Phoenix had a chance to tie the game at 52, but Anthony Smith took a charge, and the Ramblers scored the next four points capped by a Louis Smith jam off a miss by Williams to lead 56-50 with 2:38 left. When DaJuan Gouard hit a desperation three pointer with the shot clock about to expire, it was 61-55 Loyola with only 50 seconds left.

Ten seconds later, Terrance Whiters made one of two free throws to give LU a 62-57 lead. Javier Mendiburu hit a quick three pointer for the Phoenix, and Gouard made one of two free throws to make it 63-60 with 27 seconds left. King buried a three with only seven seconds left, and Gouard’s attempt and the other end went off the rim to send the game to OT. It was the first tie or lead for Green Bay since the 13:09 mark of the second half. King led off the overtime scoring with another three pointer, and the Ramblers never got closer. King scored seven of UWGB’s 17 points in the extra period-- on top of his late regulation three that sent the game to overtime-- en route to a game and season high 23 points.

Whiters led the Ramblers with 15 points off the bench, including six in overtime. Paul McMillan and Gouard each had 12 points, and Smith and Williams each had 11.

The Ramblers had a golden opportunity to become only the second team to defeat the Phoenix this year in 11 games at the Resch Center, in spite of making 19 turnovers in regulation and 22 for the game. But it was late missed free throws that did in the Ramblers. Loyola was 9-of-13 from the line for the game, but the timing of the misses couldn’t have been worse.

Although LU shot 50% from the field and 40% (6 of 15) behind the arc, the 22 turnovers compared to UWGB’s 11 was a major factor in the game. UWGB shot 41% for the game, but much less than that in regulation.

Wednesday night, the Ramblers travel to Detroit for a preview of their likely matchup in the Horizon League Tournament.