Thursday, Nov. 26, 2015 1:00 a.m.
Alaska Airlines Arena, Anchorage, Alaska

Loyola heads northwest to Alaska for their first ever Great Alaska Shootout, in a multi-team event (MTE) spanning from Wednesday through Saturday. Just less than 11 months ago, Loyola was the surprise winner of the Continental Tire Las Vegas Invitational last December over Boise State, Texas Tech, Houston, and several others. The 2014 Vegas tournament win was part of a great season for Loyola men’s basketball’s away from Gentile Arena; the Ramblers were 8-6 in true road games in 2014-15, and 3-1 at neutral sites.

Loyola is coming off a come-from-behind home win over Toledo on Saturday night, winning by seven points after trailing by as much as 18 in the first half. The Ramblers improved to 3-1, but played only eight players against the Rockets, led by Milton Doyle’s 26 points on 8-for-9 shooting from the field and a perfect 6-for-6 from distance. Toledo is also participating in the Great Alaska Shootout, and they are likely to be the Ramblers’ opponent yet again on Friday night.

The Toreros of the University of San Diego are the first opponent in the 2015 edition of the Great Alaska Shootout. USD is coming off a 15-16 season where they finished 5th in the West Coast Conference. Under new head coach Lamont Smith, and just having graduated the school's best backcourt in history, the Toreros are expected to struggle mightily. USD was picked to finish 9th in the WCC preseason poll-- narrowly ahead of perennial doormat Loyola Marymount—and the results so far have matched expectations. USD arrives in Alaska at 0-3 on the season with their losses (to USC, Western Michigan, and Cal State Fullerton) coming by an average of 20.7 points per game. Their top offensive output on the year has been 62 points, and their stingiest defensive game this year allowed 67 points—but it’s not certain whether the improving defensive performance is due to the competition.

The Toreros are likely to start three guards: 6’0” sophomore Marcus Harris (the leading scorer at 10.3 ppg) , 6’5” guard Duda Sanadze (8.0 ppg), and 6’2” freshman Olin Carter III (4.3 ppg). Six-nine senior center Jito Kok, and 6’6” forward Brett Bailey fill out the starting lineup. Bailey is the top rebounder on the team at 4.7 per game, and Kok is the top shot blocker (seven in three games) and tops in free throws. Among the starters, not one shoots more than 40% from the field, and only Harris (35%)is above 20% on three pointers.

Coming off the bench are 6’7” junior forward/center Brandon Perry (7.0 ppg, 3.0 rpg), 6’5” freshman guard Tyler Williams (4.3 ppg, tops in assists), and 6’6” freshman forward Christian Oshita. Perry is a Cal State Northridge transfer, so all three were not playing college ball last season. Alex Floresca (6’8” freshman forward) and Cameron Neubauer (6’7” sophomore forward) are also inexperienced big bodies that may see a few minutes if Kok, Bailey, or Perry have foul trouble.

Although USD has some big kids, they’re not very experienced or especially skilled—particularly on the offensive end. USD is traditionally one of the most defensive-minded teams in the West Coast Conference. Coach Lamont Smith comes to USD from a top assistant’s position at New Mexico, but he was a guard for the Toreros from 1994-99 and was named the team’s defensive player of the year in 1997 and 1999. Probably one of the youngest teams in college basketball, the Toreros will likely have two or maybe three freshmen/newcomers on the court for stretches, and the inexperience coupled with lackluster offensive skills is going to show. As a team USD is shooting only 34.1% from the field, 25.3% from the arc, 51.9% from the free throw line, and they’ve been out-rebounded by an average of nine boards per game.

The Ramblers should be able to win comfortably if they stay focused on the game plan of good team defense, limiting touches in the paint, trapping young guards, and making San Diego pay for turnovers. Having sophomore guard Tyson Smith available will add extra depth for the first of three games in four days, and Loyola's newcomers and bench players should be able to help spread the minutes.


Loyola game notes: http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/loy ... 124aaa.pdf

San Diego game notes: http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/loy ... aa_usd.pdf

TV/Streaming video: CBS Sports Network

Vegas line: Loyola by 10

This game is the epitome of the rhetorical question of "If a tree falls in the forest..." I mean we're playing at 1 in the morning in Alaska? Honestly is this really a step up for the program?

Actually the game is the second of the session. There are two sessions tomorrow with two games to each session. Keep in mind there is a three hour difference in the time. Anchorage is three hours different from Chicago so 1am in Chicago is 10 pm in Anchorage.
Flew out here to Anchorage and the team was on the same flight. Staying at the Marriott. Just saw the coach in the lobby and they are doing some type of bus tour one hour outside of Anchorage. We all got in around midnight last night Chicago time which was 9pm here.
Anchorage is an interesting city to say the least.

Have a great time, Streak! We will be looking for you behind the bench.

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I wonder what effect the late tip-off will play. While that's an 1am central time, it's only 11pm for San Diego. I think we'll still win, but it might be a real ugly game. I can see the team not being as quick or sharp as normal.

We're up to a 10.5 favorite now.

Here's the complete schedule, and links to results from previous years:

http://www.goseawolves.com/ViewArticle. ... =210000208

2007 was the year Butler won by beating Michigan, Virginia Tech, and Texas Tech. That was the year they took the big step from a very good mid-major to a nationally known program. Matt Howard was a freshman, they won 30 games, and followed up the Shootout win by thumping Ohio State 65-46 in their next game.

OK !! 25 should--
--Visit the glacier--up the Seward Highway
--Might even see a whale breaching
--Will also see puffins--they just stand there --ugly little critters
--See and visit the Earthquake Bar--half in and half out of the ground on a tilt !! They used to slide the beer down to you
--Mt Ayalaska --Nice CAJUN Restaurant of all things --a story behind this

--Scenery along the way is outrageous
--Perhaps at the game 25 may spot my GREAT grandson LIAM, the World's great seven year old Hockey goalie. He most likely will be wearing his CAPITAL jersey (Grandpa lives in DC --my son BOB--

Have fun PAL !!!

Well, I will be up to watch the game...
Kind of hoping Toledo comes up short so we get a different team in the second round, assuming we take care of business.
Im glad the team had the opportunity to take the trip.
Im all in for this team, and all in for the coaching staff.
As we are all frustrated to once again be "small", I assume its not for lack of trying.
So we will go with what we have, a great group of kids, talented and eager to succeed.
Lets not forget where we were a few short years ago....
Im Rambler proud, through thick and thin. No whining from me!
PS I've been talking up the Ramblers at every opportunity. I hope you all do the same.

Go Ramblers

Good for you, Guy !! KEEP THE FAITH !! We , if we jell as did last years bunch, will be just fine. What Bigs we have are getting better with each game. We shall outshoot our opponents/ We have enough guns to do this--EIGHT to be exact. Look at Toledo game--we wore them down.

I have been a RAMBLER since 1947 --Jack Kerris days , through Harkness and 64--through the lean years Majak--til now.. This team has the look of being better than all but 1963 but who knows ? We may shock the world soon. Oh we may lose some now, but those losses will become less and less.

Porter is building something great.

GO RAMBLERS !!!

I'll be watching tonight too. Was thinking I should take a nap b/c I'll have to be up way past my bedtime.

Go Ramblers!