Miss. Valley State Preview — 11/21/2017

Posted on November 20, 2017 | By: John C. Thomas | Leave a comment

Tuesday, November 21, 2017 7:00 p.m.
Gentile Arena, Chicago, Ill.

Just about 53 hours after a grueling, shorthanded 88-67 win over Samford, the Ramblers will be back at it against Mississippi Valley State on Tuesday. Loyola moved to 4-0 on the season by solving the Samford full-court press, getting solid outings from Marques Townes and Donte Ingram, and witnessing a breakout performance from freshman Lucas Williamson. Even without defensive mainstay Ben Richardson, injured and out for 4-6 weeks with a broken hand, it was a very good performance against a team that may finish atop the Southern Conference.

The MVSU Delta Devils also had a game on Sunday, at Kent State, as part of the Savannah Invitational. The school in the SWAC conference, located in Itta Bena, Mississippi (very close to Greenwood), is primarily noted for its football, which produced Hall of Famers Deacon Jones and Jerry Rice. They were last in the NCAA Tournament in 2012. Despite an 0-3 record entering the game, with an average losing margin of 35 points, the Delta Devils gave Kent State a pretty good game (tied up at 38 early in the 2nd half) before losing 80-67. Coach Andre Payne is in his fourth season, and is still experimenting with lineups, playing 12 players an average of double-digit minutes, and starting different combinations.

The better performance at Kent State on Sunday might result in a repeat of that starting group—guards Tereke Eckwood and Jordan Evans; center Emanuel Ejeh; and forwards Dante Scott and Arinze Anakwenze. Dante Scott, a 6’4” junior small forward who transferred from Howard is the only player on the Devils who has started all four games. Scott averages 8.0 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 2.5 assists per game. Anakwenze, a 6’6” junior forward from Los Angeles, is also likely to start but only plays an average of less than 11 minutes per game.

Emanuel Ejeh, a 6’8” junior center from Nigeria averages 7.0 points per game and leads the team in rebounds with 4.3. Ejeh had a fantastic game at Kent State, where he was 9-for-12 from the field for 21 points and eight rebounds, before fouling out in the final minute on a double technical.

Junior Tereke Eckwood is a 6’2” point guard who leads the team in points (10.0 per game), three pointers (6 made on 11 attempts), and steals. He rebounds well for a guard (3.3 per game) and takes care of the ball well—only six turnovers. Eckwood had 17 points, five assists, and two steals at Kent State. Joining him in the backcourt is shooting guard Jordan Evans, a 6’2” junior who averages 7.5 points and handles the ball well. He has not been shooting well early in the season, only 28% from the field, but he scored 10 points vs. Kent State.

Six players have appeared in every game and average double-digit minutes, all averaging between 2.0 and 5.8 points. Even in the relatively close game at Kent State, 10 players saw nine minutes or more on the court. Among the notable bench players are 6’9” center Jamal Watson (4.3 points, 2.8 boards per game) and 6’5” freshman guard Jeffrey Lewis (4.3 ppg and the team’s most prolific three-point shooter).

The last time MVSU won a non-conference game was on November 29, 2014, a 66-63 win over North Carolina A&T. They are 0-37 since. Their average margin of defeat this season– against BYU, Utah, Utah State, and Kent State– is 29.75 points. But one day soon, if their play on Sunday at Kent State is any sign, they’ll win another non-con game. Maybe really soon, like when they play SE Louisiana Saturday, on a neutral court. But hopefully the Ramblers can keep them waiting until after Thanksgiving for that win.

Loyola game notes: http://www.loyolaramblers.com/documents/2017/11/20//MVSU_Notes_2.pdf?id=3733

MVSU game notes: Pending

TV/Streaming video: http://www.espn.com/watch/_/id/3200129/mississippi-valley-state-vs-loyolachicago-m-basketball

Vegas odds: N/A

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Samford Preview — 11/19/2017

Posted on November 18, 2017 | By: John C. Thomas | Leave a comment

Sunday, November 19, 2017 2:00 p.m.
Gentile Arena, Chicago, Ill.

Loyola will be facing Samford for the first time ever on Sunday as part of the Savannah Invitational. Samford is a small private school with about 5400 students (only 3300 undergrads) situated in a suburb a few blocks from the Birmingham, Ala. city limits. The school dates back to 1841, making it the 87th oldest college in the United States.

For the 2017-18 season, Samford was voted 2nd in both the Southern Conference Coaches poll, and the SoCon media poll. The Bulldogs finished 20-16 last season, with their first winning season since 2005-06 and their first postseason win (78-74 over Canisius in the CIT), despite finishing 7th in the SoCon. All five starters return, with two making the all-conference preseason team. Coach Scott Padgett is beginning his fourth year with the Bulldogs, and has combined for a 45-57 record. You might remember Padgett as a Kentucky player under Rick Pitino, an NBA player from 1999-2006, or a Kentucky assistant under John Calipari in 2009-10.

Despite the high expectations, the Bulldogs have looked shaky in the early going. Samford was blown out in their season opener at Arkansas, 95-56. A home win against Alabama State was followed by 105-86 drubbing at LSU. All-conference junior center Wyatt Walker has been bothered by injuries throughout his career, and missed the postseason last year with knee problems. He did not play in the game at LSU. When everyone is able to play, the Bulldogs spread the minutes fairly evenly between 10 players.

Samford will likely start Eric Adams (if Wyatt Walker is unable to play) and Alex Thompson at forward, with Christen Cunningham, Josh Sharkey and Darius Denzel-Dyson at guard. Denzel-Dyson is a 6’5” senior shooting guard who transferred from UMass after his sophomore season. He was named to the Southern Conference preseason team, and averages 12.3 ppg and 4.0 rebounds– including 21 points to lead all scorers in the LSU game. Sophomore Josh Sharkey (5’10”) and junior Christen Cunningham (6’2”) are both listed on the roster as point guards, and from the numbers so far on the season it looks like Cunningham is better offensively, and Sharkey is better handling the ball and on defense.

Alex Thompson, a 6’8” senior forward who transferred from Auburn, averages 10.3 points per game and is a rangy shooter prone to fouls. He fouled out in 16 minutes at LSU, and was 2 of 9 from three-point territory at Arkansas indicating he doesn’t like to mix it up. Eric Adams is a 6’7” senior forward who earned a start with Walker out at LSU, and has more offensive rebounds on the season (10) than field goal attempts (8). Preseason SoCon all-conference team member Wyatt Walker averages 9 points and 5 boards per game on the young season, playing only 17.5 minutes per.

Three players off the bench are impact players: 5’10” junior point guard Justin Coleman actually plays more minutes per game than starters Sharkey and Thompson. Coleman likes to shoot the ball, and is second on the team in scoring (11.3 ppg), and leads in assists. Three-point specialist Triston Chambers is a 6’2” sophomore guard that has only taken two of his 16 field goal attempts inside the arc, but when you shoot 50% from distance, why bother shooting a two? Chambers averages 7.7 ppg and plays about 20 minutes per game. Six-foot-seven junior forward Stefan Lakic played well at LSU (seven points, four rebounds in 16 minutes); he will likely get double digit minutes off the bench if Walker and senior forward Alex Peters (who also missed the LSU game) can’t play.

The Ramblers are coming off a game at UMKC where they had a terrible first half in which they managed to score only 20 points and were losing the rebound and turnover battle to a younger and shorter team. But they came out of the halftime break with some real energy, and played their best defensive half of the young season to get a road win. Now it’s time to put together the good halves into full games that are effective on both offense and defense. After the next two games, Loyola starts a stretch of four games in eight days in three different cities and three time zones. But in the meantime, Samford certainly won’t be a pushover.

Loyola game notes: Pending

Samford game notes: Pending

TV/Streaming video: http://www.espn.com/watch/_/id/3200140/samford-vs-loyolachicago-m-basketball

Vegas odds: Pending

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UMKC Preview — 11/16/2017

Posted on November 16, 2017 | By: John C. Thomas | Leave a comment

Thursday, November 16, 2017 7:00 p.m.
Municipal Auditorium, Kansas City, Mo.

The UMKC Kangaroos are coming off one of their best seasons in their 29 years in Division I, having won a game in the first round of the CBI over UW-Green Bay. Loyola has faced UMKC four times in the past, with the Ramblers winning three of four. Perhaps the key game in the two teams’ history was in Dec. 2003, when freshman Majak Kou scored 19 points in his second game as a Rambler to help Loyola to an 83-75 overtime win at Municipal Auditorium.

The streamline, art deco home of the UMKC basketball is also one of the most historic buildings in college hoops, hosting three of the first four NCAA Final Fours, has hosted the NAIA championships for many years, and has hosted the 2nd most NCAA tournament games of any venue. It was home court for the Kansas City Kings of the NBA for two and a half years.

Coach Kareem Richardson, an Evansville alum, lost his three top scorers from last year’s team but has restocked with some promising young players. Freshman Brandon McKissic is a three-start shooting guard who chose UMKC over Missouri State and DePaul. The core of the re-tooled ‘Roos team is built around young, super-quick guards with lots of athleticism.

UMKC was beaten badly at Wichita State in their season opener, 109-57, then returned home to similarly thrash Haskell, a primarily American Indian college, 110-59. On Tuesday night the ‘Roos put in a respectable performance at Kansas State, losing 72-51.

The ‘Roos are likely to start three guards and two forwards. Xavier Bishop is a 5’8” sophomore point guard out of Springfield, Illinois and leads a backcourt that includes 6’1” senior Broderick Robinson and 6’4” sophomore Isaiah Ross. Ross is the leading scorer at 11.3 points per game, and does most of his damage from behind the arc (8-of-19 on threes for the season). The starting forwards are 6’7” Jordan Giles and 6’9” junior Aleer Leek. Giles is the 2nd leading scorer at 10.3 ppg, and gets most of his points driving to the basket—he’s also 12 of 13 from the line on the season. The top players off the bench include 7’2” junior center Mo Ahmed 6’3” freshman guard Brandon McKissic, and 6’5” freshman guard/forward Tony Jackson.

There’s a lot of speed and quick hands on this UMKC team, but the execution and experience are lacking. Ross and Jackson are good shooters from distance, and Bishop and Giles are deadly free throw shooters (a combined 22 of 23). Other than those departments, scoring is a problem for the young ‘Roos. Defensively, the big men Leek, Ahmed, and Giles have combined for only three blocks and four steals on the season while committing 19 turnovers between them. The UMKC guards are adequate defending the three, holding opponents to 38.5% on the season and keeping Kansas State to only 30% last outing. It should be a good game for Krutwig, with his footwork and mobility and ability to pass from the paint, and someone on the perimeter should be able to find a comfortable seam to shoot threes.

The Ramblers have looked pretty good on offense, but a little shaky on defense in their two games. Loyola has allowed the opposition to shoot a staggering 42.9% on threes, and that’s with both games at home and one game against a Division III team. Hopefully, the 19 turnovers Loyola committed against Wright State will be a season high that can be attributed to first game jitters; the eight turnovers committed against Eureka was considerably better. Several times the Ramblers have looked ready to make an emphatic run, but an opponent’s three pointer or a player just getting into a groove needs to take a breather. A game on the road against a team with some young players might be enough to re-focus the mind and get into a different rhythm.

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