Horizon League Hoops News

Detroit Titans Court Report Nominated for Michigan Emmy

Thu, 16 May 2013 10:19:00 +0000

DETROIT (5/16/13) – Over the last three years, the Detroit Titans Court Report has profiled and followed the University of Detroit Mercy men's basketball team from the start of the season all the way through its postseason achievements. For its extraordinary programing over this past year the series on FOX Sports Detroit has been nominated for another Michigan Emmy.

McCallum to Participate in NBA Pre-Draft Camp

Bill Potter — Thu, 16 May 2013 04:00:00 +0000

CHICAGO -- Former Detroit guard Ray McCallum (Beverly Hills, Mich./Detroit Country Day) will take part in the National Basketball Association’s (NBA) Pre-Draft Camp this Thursday and Friday.

McCallum, the 2013 Horizon League Player of the Year and Lute Olson All-American, will take part in the camp's measurements, individual skill drills, interviews and weight lifting.

This past season McCallum helped lead Detroit to its second-straight postseason appearance with a trip to the NIT, along with recording its second-straight 20 win season finishing 20-13 overall.

He led the Titans in points (18.7), assists (4.5) and steals (1.9) for the third-straight season as well as minutes played (36.6). He also led the Horizon League in scoring and steals, while finishing second in assists, assist-to-turnover ratio (2.2) and minutes played. McCallum was sixth in field goal percentage (49.1) and had at least one steal in all but six games, while scoring in double figures in all but five games on the season.

McCallum recorded one of the best single game performances of last season with 16 points, 13 rebounds, eight assists and four steals in Titans win over Cleveland State. The last player to put up similar statistics in a single game was Connecticut's Ben Gordon with 17 points, 16 rebounds, 11 assists and five steals vs. Iona in December 2003.

In addition to All-Horizon League first team honors, he was named to the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) District 12 first team and was one of 10 student-athletes to be named to the Division I-AAA Athletics Directors Association Scholar-Athlete Team.

An All-Horizon League first teamer as a sophomore and second team member as a freshman, McCallum played with Team USA at the 2011 World University Games in Shenzhen, China. The U.S. went 7-1 at the tournament and took home fifth place. McCallum played in all eight games, averaging 4.5 points and 0.9 assists in just over 10 minutes per contest.

McCallum compiled 1,618 points to rank eighth on Detroit's all-time scoring list, while also ranking fourth in steals (175) and seventh in assists (451). He is just the second Titan to rank among the top-10 in all three of those categories. Among Horizon League men’s basketball players, McCallum concludes his career 39^th on the conference’s all-time scoring list.

ESPN2 and ESPNU will televise portions of the Chicago camp from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Thursday and Friday. ESPNU will broadcast the camp's happenings from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on both days with coverage going over to ESPN2 for the final hour.

The 2013 NBA Draft is scheduled for Thursday, June 27 at Madison Square Garden in New York City and will air at 7:00 p.m. on ESPN.

Crusaders Announce Addition of Gueye for 2013-2014 Season

Thu, 16 May 2013 01:00:00 +0000

Valparaiso men’s basketball head coach Bryce Drew announced today that 7-0 center Moussa Gueye (Thies, Senegal/Alabama/Lake Land [Ill.] College) will join the Crusader program for the 2013-2014 season. Gueye graduated from Alabama this spring and will be immediately eligible at Valpo for his final season of eligibility.

McCallum to Attend NBA Pre-Draft Camp

Wed, 15 May 2013 10:16:00 +0000

DETROIT (5/15/13) – Former University of Detroit Mercy All-American guard Ray McCallum will attend the NBA's annual pre-draft camp in Chicago this week on Thursday and Friday. McCallum is one of 63 players that were invited to the camp.

Former Rambler Robinson Named Player Of The Year In Iraqi League

Tue, 14 May 2013 00:31:36 +0000

Tracy Robinson, a 2008 graduate of Loyola University Chicago and former member of the Ramblers' men's basketball team, was recently named Player of the Year in the Iraqi D1 League. The 6-foot-7 forward helped his Al Kahraba squad to the league title by winning the championship series versus Al Karkh.

Season In Review: Panthers Hope Lessons Learned Will Pay Off

Mon, 13 May 2013 17:36:45 +0000

The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee men's basketball team finished a challenging 2012-13 season at 8-24 overall and 3-13 in the Horizon League. The Panthers struggled with injuries and lineup changes throughout the season. Twelve different players started at least one game for Milwaukee, with eight of those players making their first collegiate starts during the year. Five players who started games during the year also missed time due to injury.

Interview: Greg Kampe

Horizon League — Wed, 08 May 2013 04:00:00 +0000

High School Varsity Team Shootout Is Sold Out

Tue, 07 May 2013 19:17:58 +0000

The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee men's basketball program's High School Varsity and Junior Varsity Team Shootouts are sold out. The events, set for June 1 at the Klotsche Center, reached capacity earlier this week and already have a waiting list. Spots in a number of other camps are still available. There is a day camp June 17-20 which is open to grades 3-8, and a shooting camp June 21 open to grades 4-12.

Tevin Findlay Signs to Play Basketball at Green Bay

Sun, 05 May 2013 20:43:00 +0000

Toronto native Tevin Findlay has officially joined the Green Bay men's basketball recruiting Class of 2013, as the versatile combo guard signed a National Letter of Intent (NLI) to play for the Phoenix on Saturday afternoon, head coach Brian Wardle announced on Sunday.

Birt, Three-Star Recruit from Texas, Joins UIC Basketball Program

Fri, 03 May 2013 15:47:43 +0000

UIC head men's basketball coach Howard Moore announced the addition of 6-foot-5 wing Pat Birt from Plano East High School in Plano, Texas on Friday. Birt, who is a three-star recruit according to Rivals.com, will have four years of eligibility with the Flames beginning next season.

Porter Moser To Sing Take Me Out To The Ballgame At Cubs Game On May 6

Fri, 03 May 2013 15:13:51 +0000

Loyola University Chicago head men's basketball coach Porter Moser will lead the crowd in the singing of "Take Me Out to the Ballgame," during the seventh-inning stretch at the Chicago Cubs game versus the Texas Rangers on May 6. Game time is 7 p.m. at Wrigley Field.

Green Bay to Play in 2013 Great Alaska Shootout

Thu, 02 May 2013 22:24:00 +0000

The Green Bay men's basketball team will appear in the 2013 Carrs/Safeway Great Alaska Shootout from Nov. 27-30 at Sullivan Arena, head coach Brian Wardle announced on Thursday. The eight-team field in the 36th annual event also includes tournament host Alaska Anchorage, Harvard, TCU, Denver, Indiana State, Tulsa and Pepperdine.

Men’s Basketball Adds Forward Kyle Steward During Late Signing Period

Thu, 02 May 2013 04:00:00 +0000

The Youngstown State men’s basketball program signed Kyle Steward (Detroit, Mich./Cass Tech) to a National Letter of Intent, Head Coach Jerry Slocum announced on Thursday. Steward joins Marcus Keene (San Antonio, Texas) and Jalon Plummer (Belleville, Mich.) in the 2013-14 recruiting class.

Cleveland State to Play at Kentucky on Nov. 25

Wed, 01 May 2013 20:42:36 +0000

Cleveland State will travel to Rupp Arena for a game against Kentucky on November 25 as part of the Keightley Classic.

Brown, Perry Speeches Highlight Scholar-Athlete Banquet

Wed, 01 May 2013 04:00:00 +0000

Passionate speeches about two student-athletes coming to Youngstown State University from miles away highlighted an enjoyable evening at the 26th Annual Scholar-Athlete Ring Banquet presented by Northside Medical Center.

Members Of Loyola's 1963 NCAA Champs Team Honored By Chicago Cubs

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 20:19:16 +0000

Members of Loyola University Chicago's 1963 NCAA Championship men's basketball squad were honored during pregame ceremonies prior to last night's Chicago Cubs game versus the San Diego Padres. In addition, John Egan, Rich Rochelle, and Chuck Wood led the crowd in the singing of Take Me Out to the Ballgame during the seventh inning stretch.

Harris Will Start NFL Career With Kansas City Chiefs

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 18:37:27 +0000

Demetrius Harris' NFL dream will start with the Kansas City Chiefs. The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee basketball standout was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Chiefs, the first team to look at him for a football career after the college basketball season ended. Harris wound up working out for about 10 teams prior to this past weekend's NFL Draft, and scouts have him projected as a tight end. He was a highly-touted football player in high school and originally signed to play the sport at Arkansas State.

Third Annual Titan Club Basketball Camp For Special Needs Players Set For June 28

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 12:57:00 +0000

DETROIT (4/30/2013) -- After very successful and fun camps the past two years, the Titan Club, along with Detroit Titan Athletics, is excited to announce that the Third Annual Titan Club Basketball Camp for Special Needs Players will take place on Friday, June 28, 2013.

Milwaukee's Harris Moves from Basketball Court to Football Field

Horizon League — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 04:00:00 +0000

MILWAUKEE, Wis. – Former Milwaukee forward Demetrius Harris' NFL dream will start with the Kansas City Chiefs.

The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee basketball standout was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Chiefs, the first team to look at him for a football career after the college basketball season ended.

Harris wound up working out for about 10 teams prior to this past weekend's NFL Draft, and scouts have him projected as a tight end. He was a highly-touted football player in high school and originally signed to play the sport at Arkansas State.

Chiefs' rookies, including Harris, are expected to take part in a three-day mini-camp that starts May 10. The rest of the team then joins them the following week for the start of organized team activities. The Chiefs then hold their training camp in St. Joseph, Mo., starting in late July.

The 6-foot-7 Harris was a standout on the basketball court for the Panthers this past season, averaging 9.1 points and 5.3 rebounds per contest while making 28 starts.

Should Harris play in an NFL game, he would become the first Panther to do so since 1983, when Mike Reinfeldt finished off his eight-year pro career.

Loyola Men's Basketball Signs Cody Johnson

Mon, 29 Apr 2013 19:05:24 +0000

Cody Johnson (Draper, Utah/Air Force Prep/Western Nebraska CC), a 6-foot-10, 245-pound center, has signed a National Letter of Intent to play basketball at Loyola University Chicago beginning next fall, Ramblers men's basketball coach Porter Moser announced today. Johnson, who will have three years of eligibility at Loyola, averaged 13 points and 8 rebounds at Western Nebraska Community College in Sidney, Neb., last season.

McCallum Declares for Early Entry to NBA Draft

Sat, 27 Apr 2013 18:51:00 +0000

DETROIT (4/27/13) - University of Detroit Mercy junior guard Ray McCallum announced today (Saturday, April 27) that he will forgo his final year of eligibility and submit the necessary paperwork to declare for early entry into the 2013 National Basketball Association (NBA) Draft.

McCallum Declares for NBA Draft

Horizon League — Sat, 27 Apr 2013 04:00:00 +0000

DETROIT -- University of Detroit Mercy junior guard Ray McCallum (Beverly Hills, Mich./Detroit Country Day) announced today that he will forgo his final year of eligibility and submit the necessary paperwork to declare for early entry into the 2013 National Basketball Association (NBA) Draft.

“I want to thank the University of Detroit Mercy, my coaching staff and my teammates. I've enjoyed my three years with them,” said McCallum. “It has been very special playing for my father and helping to build the basketball program to a championship level.”

“It has been an outstanding experience coaching Ray. I am proud to see his growth over the last three years,” stated head coach Ray McCallum. “As his coach and father I am supporting him in his pursuit to becoming a professional basketball player.”

McCallum, the 2013 Horizon League Player of the Year and Lute Olson All-American, helped lead Detroit to its second-straight postseason appearance with a trip to the NIT, along with recording its second-straight 20 win season finishing 20-13 overall.

This past season he led the Titans in points (18.7), assists (4.5) and steals (1.9) for the third-straight season as well as minutes played (36.6). He also led the Horizon League in scoring and steals, while finishing second in assists, assist-to-turnover ratio (2.2) and minutes played. McCallum was also sixth in field goal percentage (49.1) and had at least one steal in all but six games, while scoring in double figures in all but five games on the season.

McCallum recorded the best single game performance of the last decade in division I basketball with 16 points, 13 rebounds, eight assists and four steals in Titans win over Cleveland State. The last player to put up those numbers was Connecticut's Ben Gordon with 17 points, 16 rebounds, 11 assists and five steals vs. Iona in December 2003.

The 2013 NBA Draft is scheduled for Thursday, June 27 at Madison Square Garden in New York City and will air at 7:00 p.m. on ESPN.

Members Of Loyola 1963 Team To Be Honored At Cubs Game April 29

Fri, 26 Apr 2013 13:31:22 +0000

Three members of the Loyola University Chicago 1963 men's basketball team, which won the NCAA Championship, will be honored prior to the Chicago Cubs game versus the San Diego Padres on April 29 at Wrigley Field. The 1963 Rambler squad was scheduled for recognition prior to the Cubs game on April 10, but that game was postponed due to inclement weather.

Fouse Named to CollegeInsider.com Freshman All-American Team

Wed, 24 Apr 2013 19:02:00 +0000

Green Bay freshman Jordan Fouse (Racine, Wis.) has been named to the CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Freshman All-American Team. The versatile 6-foot-7 forward's rookie campaign with the Phoenix included breaking the program's freshman records for rebounds and steals in a season.

Loyola To Hold Annual Basketball Banquet On May 2

Wed, 24 Apr 2013 18:24:55 +0000

Loyola University Chicago basketball fans are invited to join men's coach Porter Moser, new women's coach Sheryl Swoopes, and Assistant Vice President and Director of Athletics Dr. M. Grace Calhoun for the annual basketball postseason banquet, which will be held in the Sr. Jean Dolores Schmidt Room in the Damen Student Center on the Loyola Lake Shore Campus on May 2. Cocktails (cash bar) will be available at 6 p.m., with dinner to be served at 7 p.m.

Video: Harris Getting Ready For His Shot At The NFL

Wed, 24 Apr 2013 15:47:52 +0000

University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee men's basketball standout Demetrius Harris will be watching the NFL Draft closely this weekend. The former high school football star has caught the attention of league scouts and could find himself drafted by the time the three-day event ends. If not, he is expected to sign with a team as an undrafted free agent and have a very real chance of landing on an NFL roster.

Crusaders to Hold Summer Camps

Wed, 24 Apr 2013 15:38:00 +0000

Valparaiso’s men’s basketball team will be hosting three basketball camps this summer for youths of all ages and skill levels.

Green Bay's Brown Back for Senior Year

Horizon League — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 04:00:00 +0000

GREEN BAY, Wis. -- Green Bay men’s basketball junior Alec Brown (Winona, Minn./Winona) has declared his decision to remain in school and return for his senior season with the Phoenix.

A native of Winona, Minn., the 7-foot-1 Brown has produced at a high level since starting all 32 games as a freshman in 2010-11. Brown has averaged in double figures in each season, including scoring a career-best 14.1 points per game as a junior this past season. The Second-Team All-Horizon League and Second-Team All-District selection also averaged six rebounds and 1.7 blocks per game.

After making just six threes combined (6-25) in his first two seasons, Brown showed his versatility by shooting 42.9 percent from long range and making 30 three-pointers in 2012-13. Brown also had career-best numbers as a junior in field goals (170), free throws (109) and assists (42). In Horizon League play, he ranked fourth in scoring (15.6 ppg) and three-point percentage (44.4) and second in blocks (2.6 bpg). Brown finished the season with six-straight games scoring 15 or more points.

In three seasons with the Phoenix, Brown has played in all 96 games, starting 95 times. He ranks 15th all-time in career points (1218) and is just outside the top-10 in career rebounds (629). A Horizon League All-Defensive selection in 2012-13, Brown holds the program records for blocks in a game (11), season (89) and career (215).

The two-time All-Horizon League selection, who does not turn 21 until July, is one of just two players in conference history to surpass 1,200 points, 600 rebounds and 200 blocks.

Quote from Alec Brown:
“It is my senior year, my last go at it, and I’m excited to see what our team can do. We have our core guys coming back, and we still have some guys injured that will be coming back stronger. I think we are going to be really good. We are going to be both fast and big, and I think that is going to be tough for teams to deal with on both ends of the floor. I think we are going to be a really fast and athletic team and it is going to be exciting to play with these guys.

“It is a huge goal of mine to play in the NBA, and I will be working on it as much as I can this offseason and do whatever it takes to be prepared heading into next year’s season and next year’s draft.

“One thing people we're excited about was that my three-point shot has improved a lot and they were excited to see I could do some more things off the dribble. I still need to focus on adding weight and strength as well as improving my post game.

“I really worked to try to get more well-rounded as a player and not just do one thing well, and I think I was able to do that this past year by adding a three-point game, running hooks and other moves in the post and off the dribble. It was good to see that pay off in games, and I want to continue to improve in all of those areas as well as adding counters to those moves. I think I will continue to get better with my back to the basket, and adding strength will obviously help with that.”

Quote from Brian Wardle:
“After the season, I talked with Alec and his family and decided to gather as much information as possible regarding Alec’s prospects for this year’s NBA Draft. I spoke with a number of NBA general managers and scouts that had seen Alec play this past season to gauge their thoughts, and we sought input from the NBA Draft Advisory Committee. The majority of the GMs and the scouts were consistent in what they said and projected as a middle-to-late second round pick if he were to enter this season’s draft.

“The consensus is that there is a lot of interest in Alec due to how his skill level translates to today’s NBA game, which features big men who have the ability to shoot and face the basket. His continued improvement and ability to move into open space, shoot the basketball and extend his range to the three-point line makes him very intriguing. He is in a very select group of seven footers out there, and a lot of NBA teams are looking forward to watching him during his senior season.”

Alec Brown Looking Forward to Senior Season

Wed, 24 Apr 2013 01:59:00 +0000

Green Bay men's basketball junior Alec Brown (Winona, Minn.) has announced his decision to remain in school and return for his senior season with the Phoenix.

Lyle Signs Letter Of Intent To Play Basketball In Milwaukee

Tue, 23 Apr 2013 19:14:49 +0000

JeVon Lyle of Kansas City, Mo., has signed a National Letter of Intent to play men's basketball at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, head coach Rob Jeter announced today. Lyle played this past season at Iowa Western Community College and spent a redshirt season at Northern Iowa. The 6-foot-2, 175-pound guard also starred at Archbishop O'Hara High School in Kansas City. Lyle will have three years of eligibility in Milwaukee.

Rick Malnati Resigns As Loyola Assistant Men's Basketball Coach

Mon, 22 Apr 2013 23:15:52 +0000

Rick Malnati, who has spent the last two years on Porter Moser's men's basketball staff at Loyola University Chicago, has resigned from his post as assistant coach it was announced today. Malnati is leaving to take the head varsity boys basketball job at Fenwick High School.

Six Titans Earn Horizon League Winter Academic All-League Honors

Mon, 22 Apr 2013 17:10:00 +0000

INDIANAPOLIS (4/22/13) -- The Horizon League announced its Winter Academic All-League teams and six Titans were recognized. Five members of the indoor track and field team in Taylor Hennrick, Chris Smalley and Bob Radlich from the men's side and Katrina Oberski and Sara Taylor from the women's team in addition to Ray McCallum from men's basketball were all honorees.

Nine Crusaders Earn Academic All-League Recognition

Mon, 22 Apr 2013 16:03:00 +0000

Valparaiso placed nine student-athletes over six sports on the Horizon League's 2012-13 Winter Academic All-League Teams, as announced by the league office today.

Horizon League Announces Winter 2012-13 Academic All-League Teams

Horizon League — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 04:00:00 +0000

INDIANAPOLIS – Honoring student-athletes for their success both in competition and in the classroom, the Horizon League announced its 2012-13 Winter Academic All-League Teams on Monday. A total of 75 student-athletes from six winter sports were honored in balloting by the League’s faculty athletics representatives and sports information directors.

Milwaukee led the Horizon League with 13 selections, followed by Green Bay’s 12 honorees and UIC’s 10. Valparaiso placed nine student-athletes while Loyola and Youngstown State both took seven spots. Detroit and Wright State rounded out the voting with six honorees apiece.

The Horizon League recognizes student-athletes with seasonal Academic All-League Teams in each of its 19 championship sports. To be eligible for Academic All-Horizon League consideration, a student-athlete must have a cumulative grade-point-average of 3.20 or higher (based on a 4.00 scale) and have completed at least one year at the member institution, having earned 24 semester-hour or 36 quarter-hour credits.

Horizon League Academic All-Horizon League Teams – Winter 2012-13
(listed alphabetically by school)

Men’s Basketball (5)
Name                        School                    Yr.       GPA       Major(s)
Ray McCallum            Detroit                      Jr.       3.48       Communication Studies
Ben Averkamp           Loyola                     Sr.       3.80       Biology
Ryan Broekhoff         Valparaiso                Sr.       3.45       Kinesiology
Blake Allen                Youngstown State    Sr.       3.57       Accounting
Kendrick Perry           Youngstown State    Jr.       3.36       Criminal Justice

Women’s Basketball (5)
Name                        School                    Yr.       GPA       Major(s)
Lydia Bauer               Green Bay                Sr.       3.74       Business Administration
Adrian Ritchie            Green Bay                Sr.       3.49       Business Administration
Sami Tucker               Milwaukee                Sr.       3.84       Psychology
Tabitha Gerardot        Valparaiso                Jr.       3.91       French and Spanish
Brandi Brown             Youngstown State    Sr.       3.75       Communication Studies

Men’s Swimming and Diving (17) (Note: Ties are not broken)
Name                        School                    Yr.       GPA       Major(s)
Brian Ferro                 Cleveland State        Jr.       3.51       Mechanical Engineering
Justin Kermack          Cleveland State        Jr.       3.77       Environmental Science
Robert Gorycki          Green Bay                Sr.       3.70       Human Biology
Brian Heiser               Green Bay                Jr.       4.0         Business Administration/Economics
Mitchell Spaeth          Green Bay                Sr.       3.67       Business Administration
David Dvorak            Milwaukee                Sr.       3.44       Education
Chris Jenkyns            Milwaukee                Jr.       3.61       International Studies and Political Science
Rob Miller                  Milwaukee                So.      3.72       Bio Chemistry
Mike Schalla              Milwaukee                Sr.       3.61       Business
Brian Vernik               Milwaukee                Sr.       3.40       Civil Engineering
Vince Errichiello         UIC                          So.      3.65       Chemical Engineering
Woody Lord              UIC                          Jr.       3.50       Undeclared
Brian Sivak                UIC                          Jr.       3.57       Undeclared
Fernando Aguilar        Valparaiso               So.      3.52       Mechanical Engineering
Kile Aukerman            Wright State             So.      3.29       Biological Sciences
Pawel Grzebala          Wright State             Sr.       3.75       Computer Engineering
Mark Johnson            Wright State             So.      3.65       Mechanical Engineering

Women’s Swimming and Diving (17) (Note: Ties are not broken)
Name                        School                    Yr.       GPA       Major(s)
Alexandra JohanssonCleveland State        Jr.       3.63       Pre-Nursing
Joanna Olson            Cleveland State        Sr.       3.67       Communications
Alice Sommerville      Cleveland State        Sr.       3.61       Civil Engineering
Heather Bodin            Green Bay                Sr.       3.52       Spanish/Human Biology
Megan Burley             Green Bay                Sr.       3.55       Human Biology
Carrie Dinelli              Green Bay                Jr.       3.92       Human Biology
Kendra Rottier            Green Bay                Jr.       3.67       Mathematics/Business Administration
Jessica Stolfi             Green Bay                Sr.       3.95       Biology
Taylor Trelka              Green Bay                Sr.       3.86       Education
Parker Wolf               Green Bay                Jr.       3.55       Business Administration
Erika Pliner                Milwaukee                Jr.       3.96       Engineering
Sierra Townsend        Milwaukee                So.      3.98       Accounting
Becky Yokosh           Milwaukee                Jr.       3.64       Health Care Administration
Anna Yontz                Milwaukee                So.      3.64       Actuarial Science
Melanie Waszak         UIC                          Jr.       3.46       Pre-Nursing
Andrea Bretl               Valparaiso                Jr.       3.91       Psychology
Casey Hill                  Youngstown State    Sr.       3.71       Exercise Science

Men’s Indoor Track and Field (16) (Note: Ties are not broken)
Name                        School                    Yr.       GPA       Major(s)
Taylor Hennrick          Detroit                     Sr.       3.72       Physician Assistant
Bob Radlich               Detroit                     Gr.       3.67       Business (MBA)
Chris Smalley             Detroit                     Sr.       3.99       Engineering
Declan Murray            Loyola                     Sr.       3.47       Psychology/Economics
Sam Penzenstadler    Loyola                     So.      3.34       Mathematics
Ryan Van Portfliet      Loyola                      Jr.       3.51       Environmental Studies
Mike Wetzel               Loyola                     Sr.       3.60       History
Bobby Glotfelty         Milwaukee                Sr.       3.56       Economics
Dan Simon                Milwaukee                Sr.       3.27       Education
Angelos Karkalis        UIC                          Jr.       3.43       Psychology
Roy Mwale                 UIC                          Sr.       3.51       Architecture
Brad Somerfield         UIC                          So.      3.53       Biology
Wally Bradford           Valparaiso                Sr.       3.41       Elementary Education
Jacob Frey                Valparaiso               So.      3.67       Civil Engineering
Andrew Rixon            Valparaiso                Sr.       3.65       Civil Engineering
John Seaver              Youngstown State    Sr.       3.62       Integrated Social Studies Education

Women’s Indoor Track and Field (15)
Name                        School                    Yr.       GPA       Major(s)
Katrina Oberski             Detroit                       Sr.       3.86        Nursing
Sara Taylor                  Detroit                       So.       3.77        Biochemistry
Cadica Carajohn           Loyola                       Sr.       3.26        Biology
Gina Valgoi                Loyola                     Sr.       3.33       Accounting
Shelby Schaal            Milwaukee                Sr.       3.60       Conservation and Environmental Science
Andrea Crump            UIC                          Sr.       3.42       Nursing
Tess Ehrhardt            UIC                          So.      3.37       Biology
Aimee Schuh             UIC                          Sr.       3.38       Movement Sciences
Jessica Richardson    Valparaiso               So.      3.92       Economics
Kelli Wosick               Valparaiso               So.      3.94       English and Secondary Education
Jessica Berry             Wright State             Jr.       3.91       Accountancy
Joanie Ma                  Wright State             Sr.       3.47       Biological Sciences
J. Chicka Morah         Wright State             Sr.       3.49       Biological Sciences
Kendall Homan          Youngstown State    Jr.       3.43       Exercise Science
Anna Pompeo   Youngstown State         Jr.        3.91      Early Childhood Education

Allen, Perry Named to Men's Basketball Academic All-Horizon League Team

Mon, 22 Apr 2013 04:00:00 +0000

Senior Blake Allen and junior Kendrick Perry were both named to the Academic All-Horizon League Team, the league announced on Monday. The pair was two of seven Youngstown State student-athletes that earned academic all-league laurels.

Lepera and Hansen Take Home President's Award

Fri, 19 Apr 2013 12:34:00 +0000

DETROIT (4/19/13) -- The University of Detroit Mercy Athletics Department took an opportunity to recognize its student-athletes at the Annual Titan Academic and Athletic Honors Dinner held Thursday evening at the Compuware Center with dinner provided by the Hard Rock Cafe.

Forbes Named to CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Freshman All-America Team

Thu, 18 Apr 2013 20:31:57 +0000

Cleveland State freshman Bryn Forbes (Lansing, Mich.) was recently named to the CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Freshman All-America team.

Local Product Onwenu Signs NLI With Detroit

Wed, 17 Apr 2013 21:18:00 +0000

DETROIT (4/18/13) – The University of Detroit Mercy men's basketball team added its first piece to the frontcourt for next season as head coach Ray McCallum announced the signing of 6-8, 210-pound Patrick Onwenu (Detroit, Mich./Highland Community College) to a National Letter of Intent. Onwenu, a graduate of Southfield High School, will have two years of eligibility at Detroit.

Team Shootout Highlights Men's Basketball Summer Camp Schedule

Wed, 17 Apr 2013 19:06:30 +0000

The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee men's basketball program will again offer a variety of summer camps this year. The summer sessions begin with the High School Team Shootout in early June, while a day camp, a coed shooting camp and a one-day showcase are also scheduled. The team shootout included both varsity and junior varsity sessions, with the varsity event set for June 1 and the JV event scheduled for June 2.

Howard Moore Earns Three-Year Contract Extension

Wed, 17 Apr 2013 18:37:14 +0000

UIC Director of Athletics Jim Schmidt announced a three-year contract extension for UIC head men's basketball coach Howard Moore on Wednesday. The extension, pending University Board of Trustees approval, will keep Moore as the Flames' mentor through the 2017-18 season.

Men’s Basketball Adds Jalon Plummer During Late Signing Period

Wed, 17 Apr 2013 04:00:00 +0000

Jalon Plummer, a 6-foot-4 guard from Belleville, Mich., has signed a National Letter-of-Intent during the late signing period to join the Youngstown State men’s basketball program in 2013-14, Head Coach Jerry Slocum announced on Wednesday.

Men's Basketball Celebrates Another Outstanding Season

Mon, 15 Apr 2013 20:31:00 +0000

DETROIT (4/15/13) - The University of Detroit Mercy men's basketball team celebrated its 2012-13 achievements at the annual year-end banquet at the Fountain Lounge Monday evening. The team finished second in the Horizon League and advanced to the National Invitational Tournament (NIT) for the first time since 2002.

Men's Basketball 2013 Summer Camps Announced

Mon, 15 Apr 2013 14:14:00 +0000

DETROIT (4/15/13) – The University of Detroit Mercy men's basketball team has announced its summer camp dates including the widely renowned Ray McCallum Basketball Team Shootouts and the Elite Camp.

Anderson a Finalist in NCAA Dunk of the Year

Mon, 15 Apr 2013 11:44:00 +0000

DETROIT (4/15/13) - Three of the University of Detroit Mercy senior forward Doug Anderson's dunks from this past season have been nominated for the fourth annual NCAA Dunk of the Year Tournament, hosted by The Hoops Manifesto.

Men's Basketball Announces Award Winners at Annual Banquet

Mon, 15 Apr 2013 04:00:00 +0000

More than 150 people were in attendance for the Youngstown State Men's Basketball Annual Postseason Awards Banquet on Sunday at the Chestnut Room in Kilcawley Center.

Averkamp Named To Division I-AAA Scholar-Athlete Team

Thu, 11 Apr 2013 14:39:18 +0000

Ben Averkamp (Germantown, Wis./Germantown), a senior forward on the Loyola University Chicago men's basketball team, was named to the Division I-AAA Athletics Directors Association (DI-AAA ADA) Scholar-Athlete Team it was announced today. Averkamp, who also garnered the award in 2012, is one of 10 men's basketball players to be honored.

Averkamp, McCallum Earn DI-AAA Scholar-Athlete Honors

Bill Potter — Thu, 11 Apr 2013 04:00:00 +0000

CLEVELAND, Ohio – Loyola senior Ben Averkamp (Germantown, Wis./Germantown) and Detroit junior Ray McCallum (Beverly Hills, Mich./Detroit Country Day) each earned Division I-AAA Athletics Directors Association Scholar-Athlete Team honors, as announced by the Division I-AAA Athletics Directors Association (DI-AAA ADA).

Among the 10-man team, the Horizon League was the lone conference with two honorees, with Averkamp earning the distinction for the second straight season.

Averkamp became the first Loyola men’s basketball player to earn Academic All-America honors when he was named to the Capital One Academic All-America Second Team in February and capped his collegiate career by averaging 14.8 points, 6.5 rebounds, 1.7 assists, and 1.2 blocks per game despite missing six contests due to injury. The 6-foot-8 team captain, who was a Second Team All-Horizon League selection in each of his final two seasons, leaves Loyola as one of only 19 players in school history to have racked up over 1,000 points and 500 rebounds in his career, and he fell two blocks shy of becoming the first player in Loyola annals to total 1,300 points, 600 rebounds, 150 assists, and 150 blocked shots.

In addition to his production on the court, the biology major has excelled in the classroom and carries a 3.80 grade-point average. A three-time Horizon League Male Scholar-Athlete of the Month selection during the 2012-13 season, Averkamp was also a member of the 2012 Horizon League Fall Academic Honor Roll. Last season, he collected a host of academic honors including Horizon League Men’s Basketball All-Academic Team, Capital One First Team Academic All-District V, National Jesuit Men’s Basketball All-Academic Team, and National Association of Basketball Coaches Honor Court status.

One of 30 candidates for the 2013 Senior CLASS Award, Averkamp is the President of the Horizon League Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) and is also a member of Loyola’s SAAC Executive Board.

McCallum, a fellow SAAC member, was voted the Horizon League Player of the Year after finishing with 18.7 points per game, ranking 35^th nationally. The junior collected accolades throughout the postseason, including Lute Olson All-America Team honors and a place on the NABC District 12 First Team. The junior was the first player since fellow Titan Rashad Phillips in 2000-01 to earn both Horizon League preseason and postseason Player of the Year honors.

Entering his senior season, McCallum checks in at 39^th on the Horizon League’s all-time scoring ledger with 1,618 career points. McCallum is the active leader in the Horizon League with 451 assists and 175 steals.

A communications major, McCallum holds a 3.48 GPA through three years at Detroit.

Joining Averkamp and McCallum on the Division I-AAA Scholar-Athlete Team was Luke Apfeld (Vermont), Travis Bader (Oakland), Kyle Boswell (UC Santa Barbara), Chase Hallam (Denver), Holton Hunsaker (Utah Valley), John Staurt Mann (Belmont), Isaac Sosa (Canisius), and Scholar-Athlete of the Year Kelly Olynyk (Gonzaga).

Basketball players from all Division I-AAA ADA member institutions were eligible for the award. Each nominee was required to have a minimum GPA of 3.20 (on a 4.00 scale) in undergraduate study, been a starter or important reserve that has participated in at least 50 percent of his team’s games, and reached junior academic standing at the institution. A special review committee of Division I-AAA athletics directors selected the winners.

Honors Pour In For Panther Recruits Wichmann, Prahl

Tue, 09 Apr 2013 18:47:42 +0000

The awards have been piling up for a pair of University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee men's basketball recruits. The latest addition to that list saw Pulaski's Cody Wichmann named Press-Gazette Media Boys Player of the Year. Wichmann and Brett Prahl, both of whom signed with the Panthers this past November, were also both named to all-state squads by both the Associated Press and the Wisconsin Basketball Coaches Association.

Detroit's Minnerath Joins Broekhoff at Portsmouth Invitational

Horizon League — Tue, 09 Apr 2013 04:00:00 +0000

PORTSMOUTH, Va. -- University of Detroit Mercy forward Nick Minnerath [Truro, Mass./Nauset (Jackson CC)] has been selected as one of 64 outgoing senior college basketball players to be invited to the 2013 Portsmouth Invitational Tournament. The tournament will run from April 10-13.

Minnerath, who was named to the All-Horizon League First Team, finished fifth in the league in scoring with 14.6 ppg, while also leading the Titans on the boards with 5.9 rpg. Minnerath, who returned this year from a season-ending knee injury last year, recorded the most points in a single-game this season in the Horizon League with 36 against Valparaiso on Jan. 17. Minnerath finished his career in Detroit with 913 points and 374 rebounds.

Minnerath’s eight-man squad at the PIT, the Portsmouth Sports Club, includes Andrew Smith (Butler), Colt Ryan (Evansville), Damen Bell-Holter (Oral Roberts), Mike Rasario (Florida), Abdul Gaddy (Washington), Jamal Olasewere (LIU) and Keven Foster (Santa Clara). The team is coached by Mark Hall and Walt Webb along with NBA assistant coach Scott Wedman.

Minnerath will look to follow in the footsteps of former UDM star Willie Green, who used a 2003 invite to the P.I.T. to showcase his all-around game. Green would later be selected with the 12th pick in the second round of the '03 NBA Draft by the Seattle Supersonics and is currently in his first season with the Atlanta Hawks and ninth overall in the NBA.

The forward is the second Horizon League player to join a PIT roster, as Valparaiso's Ryan Broekhoff is also participating in the tournament.

Each April for the last 60 years the P.I.T. has invited 64 of the best college basketball seniors from across the nation to participate in a four-day, twelve-game tournament in front of representatives from every NBA team.

The tournament drew the attention of NBA Scouts and General Managers in the mid-70's when players like Dave Cowens, John Lucas, Walt Szczerbiak and Bobby Cremins came to Portsmouth to play. Soon the word spread and approximately 200 Scouts, General Managers and Representatives of all 30 NBA teams began to come to see players like John Stockton, Dennis Rodman, Tim Hardaway, Scottie Pippen and others. Today scouts from numerous international leagues have joined in on the annual April pilgrimage to Portsmouth. Over the years the P.I.T. has been a showcase for five of the 50 greatest players in NBA History (Rick Barry, Earl "The Pearl" Monroe, Dave Cowens, John Stockton, Scottie Pippen) and for many others who have gone on to NBA stardom.

Members Of Loyola 1963 Team To Be Honored At Cubs Game April 10

Mon, 08 Apr 2013 12:39:12 +0000

Three members of the Loyola University Chicago 1963 men's basketball team, which won the NCAA Championship, will be honored prior to the Chicago Cubs game versus the Milwaukee Brewers on April 10 at Wrigley Field.

Broekhoff Heading to Portsmouth Invitational Tournament

Sat, 06 Apr 2013 14:14:00 +0000

Valparaiso forward Ryan Broekhoff (Frankston, Victoria, Australia/Australian Institute of Sport) is one of 64 collegiate seniors who will participate in the Portsmouth Invitational Tournament next week, in front of scouts from every NBA team and numerous international leagues.

Broekhoff Heading to Portsmouth Invitational Tournament

Horizon League — Sat, 06 Apr 2013 04:00:00 +0000

PORTSMOUTH, Va. -- Valparaiso forward Ryan Broekhoff (Frankston, Victoria, Australia/Australian Institute of Sport) is one of 64 collegiate seniors who will participate in the Portsmouth Invitational Tournament next week, in front of scouts from every NBA team and numerous international leagues.

Since 1953, the P.I.T has invited 64 of the best college basketball seniors from across the nation to participate in a four-day, twelve game tournament. Portsmouth has played host over the years to five players who would go on to be named among the 50 greatest players in NBA history, as well as many others who have gone on to NBA stardom.

Broekhoff has been assigned to the K&D Round’s Landscaping team, coached by Jim Markey and Patrick Dulin and NBA assistant coach Scottie Pippen. Broekhoff’s teammates include Mouphtaou Yarou (Villanova), Brandon Davies (BYU), Keith Clanton (UCF), D.J. Seeley (Cal State-Fullerton), Ian Clark (Belmont), Elijah Johnson (Kansas) and Mark Lyons (Arizona).

Broekhoff’s squad will begin tournament play at 6 p.m. CT this coming Wednesday, April 10. Fans can follow the tournament here for results and boxscores from each of the tournament games, and also follow @ValpoBasketball and @HorizonLeague on Twitter for Broekhoff’s performances.

Doug Anderson Wins Denny's College Slam

Horizon League — Fri, 05 Apr 2013 04:00:00 +0000

Detroit's Doug Anderson wowed the crowd at Georgia Tech, winning the Denny's College Slam. Anderson had perfect scores on all of his dunks.

Loyola To Be Featured On WTTW's Chicago Tonight On Thursday

Thu, 04 Apr 2013 00:55:43 +0000

John Egan and Rich Rochelle, two members of Loyola University Chicago's 1963 NCAA Championship men's basketball team, will join author Mike Lenehan on WTTW's (Channel 11) Chicago Tonight program Thursday night (April 4) at 7 p.m. Central. The guests will talk about that magical season for the Ramblers and all of the adversity the squad had to overcome to become the only team from the state of Illinois to have won the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Championship.

Jayson Gee Named Head Coach at Longwood

Wed, 03 Apr 2013 17:47:41 +0000

Associate Head Coach Jayson Gee is leaving the Cleveland State men's basketball program after seven seasons. He was named the head coach at Longwood University on Wednesday.

CSU's Jayson Gee Takes Head Coaching Job at Longwood

Horizon League — Wed, 03 Apr 2013 04:00:00 +0000

CLEVELAND, Ohio - Associate Head Coach Jayson Gee is leaving the Cleveland State men's basketball program after seven seasons. He was named the head coach at Longwood University on Wednesday.

"Jayson has been long overdue for an opportunity to show his skills and abilities as a head coach at the Division I level," CSU head coach Gary Waters said. "Now it's time for him to run his own program and put his stamp on it. I believe Jayson will do an outstanding job as the head basketball coach at Longwood University.

"We thank Jayson for the seven years he spent at Cleveland State and the tremendous impact he had on our program."

"I am extremely excited and blessed to have been afforded the opportunity to join the Longwood University family," Gee said. "This is truly a 'defining moment' for me and my entire family. I look forward to connecting with the Farmville community and the entire Lancer Nation."

Gee will formally be introduced on campus in Farmville, Va. on Wednesday, April 10 at 11:00 a.m. in Willett Hall.

During his time at CSU, Gee helped CSU to a pair of Horizon League Championships, one NCAA bid and four NIT berths. The 2009 squad advanced to the final 32 of the NCAA tournament after an opening round win over Wake Forest.

Gee played a significant role in virtually every aspect of the CSU program. On the court, he worked with the post players while also assisting Coach Waters in developing game strategy. Off the court, he served as the recruiting coordinator, was responsible for putting together the schedule and monitored the academic progress of the players.

The importance of Gee's role with the program was recognized once again at the conclusion of the 2011-12 season when he was selected as the 10th best assistant coach in the country by Daniel O'Brien in a Bleacher Report. In addition, Gee was selected to compete in the prestigious Villa 7 program in May of 2012. Villa 7 is a program which brings together university athletics directors and the country's elite assistant coaches in an effort to prepare the next generation of college basketball leaders.

Gee also garnered national recognition during the 2008-09 season when CollegebBasketballInsider.com rated him as the No. 5 mid-major assistant coach in the country.

In the spring of 2008, Gee was one of 18 individuals selected to take part in the ACE Program (Achieving Coaching Excellence), traveling to Indianapolis to take part in the four-day seminar that is sponsored by the NCAA's Black Coaches and Administrators Council. The ACE Program, founded in 1994, is committed to preparing minority collegiate basketball coaches for success as future head basketball coaches.

Gee joined the Vikings after three seasons at St. Bonaventure (2003-06), the last two as associate head coach. He began his collegiate coaching career at Youngstown State in 1989, becoming one of the youngest Division I assistant coaches in the country.

After four seasons in Youngstown, Gee moved to Ohio University as associate head coach. During his three seasons in Athens (1993-96), the Bobcats won the 1994 MAC regular season and tournament crowns and the 1994 Preseason NIT title. He played an instrumental role in the development of Gary Trent, who played nine seasons in the NBA.

Gee earned the head coaching job at the University of Charleston, his alma mater, in 1996 and guided the Golden Eagles to a 160-55 record over the next seven seasons, posting six 20-win campaigns and receiving four NCAA berths.

An inductee in two of his alma mater halls of fame, he was honored by both Springfield South High in 2000 and by the University of Charleston in 2008.

A native of Springfield, Ohio, Gee played four seasons at Charleston, helping the team to a 92-30 record, including a 30-5 mark as a sophomore. Voted team captain as both a junior and senior, he finished his career ranked third in program history in both rebounding (844) and games played (122).

Loyola 1963 Men's Basketball NCAA Title Team To Be Inducted Into National Collegiate Basketball Hall Of Fame

Tue, 02 Apr 2013 13:22:12 +0000

Fifty years after knocking off the University of Cincinnati to capture the NCAA championship, the 1963 Loyola University Chicago men's basketball team will be inducted into the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame on November 24 in Kansas City, Mo. The 1963 Rambler squad is the first team ever to be enshrined in the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame.

1963 Loyola Squad to be Inducted Into College Basketball Hall of Fame

Horizon League — Tue, 02 Apr 2013 04:00:00 +0000

CHICAGO – Fifty years after knocking off the University of Cincinnati to capture the NCAA championship, the 1963 Loyola University Chicago men’s basketball team will be inducted into the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame on November 24 in Kansas City, Mo. The 1963 Rambler squad is the first team ever to be enshrined in the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame.

Also part of the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame Class of 2013 are players Tom McMillen (Maryland), Bill Walton (UCLA), Marques Johnson (UCLA), and Bob Hopkins (Grambling State); coaches Gene Keady (Purdue) and Rollie Massimino (Villanova); and contributors George Raveling (Nike) and George Killian (FIBA).

“The induction of our team into the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame is a tremendous honor for all of us,” center Les Hunter, a member of the 1963 Loyola team, said. “Loyola helped tear down the color barrier in college basketball and our national championship game against Cincinnati, which was the first nationally televised NCAA title game, showed that the brand of black basketball was exciting and it provided for more exposure and recruiting for future players. We are very proud and humbled by this great honor.”

Under the direction of legendary head coach George Ireland, the 1963 Ramblers, who were led by a starting lineup known as the “Iron Five,” played an electrifying style of basketball and led the nation in scoring with 92.3 points per game after opening the season ranked No. 3 in the Associated Press Poll. Loyola , which began the year by winning 20 consecutive games, earned the program’s first-ever NCAA Tournament berth and promptly set a record for margin of victory in a 111-42 over Tennessee Tech in the opening round.

Despite the team’s NCAA championship, it may be remembered most for its role in a NCAA Regional contest against Mississippi State, which later became known as the Game of Change. On that important day - March 15, 1963 – Loyola and Mississippi State played a game that changed college basketball and integration in the South. The Ramblers had a starting lineup that featured four African-Americans and the all-white Mississippi State team had previously been unable to compete in postseason play against integrated teams due to an unwritten state law.

Determined to play the game and give its players the opportunity to compete for a national championship, Mississippi State snuck out of town under the cover of darkness before Governor Ross Barnett could serve an injunction that would have prevented the team from playing an integrated Rambler squad.

Loyola won that historic contest, 61-51, behind 20 points from two-time All-America selection Jerry Harkness, and would go on to win the 1963 NCAA Championship.

Loyola knocked off two-time defending champion Cincinnati in the title game by staging one of the most memorable comebacks in NCAA Tournament history as it erased a 15-point deficit with just 10 minutes remaining in regulation to force overtime. Vic Rouse’s tip-in of a missed shot as the buzzer sounded in overtime gave the Ramblers a 60-58 victory and the chance to call themselves champions, and to this day, Loyola remains the only school from the state of Illinois to have won the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship.

“The 1963 Loyola men’s basketball team played a pivotal role in helping change college basketball,” Loyola Assistant Vice President and Director of Athletics Dr. M. Grace Calhoun said. “To be recognized for the remarkable courage they displayed while dealing with the racial tension they faced on daily basis, their fantastic accomplishments on the court, including bringing the only NCAA Division I men’s basketball title to the state of Illinois, as well as their many academic and professional achievements off the court, is a tremendous and most deserved honor.”

The National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame honor is just one of many for this beloved team, which forever changed college basketball. Earlier this year, the Ramblers’ NCAA title game versus Cincinnati was named the No. 1 contest in NCAA Tournament history by the Ultimate Book of March Madness, and the Game of Change was named as one of the top moments in NCAA March Madness history.

Loyola’s 1963 men’s basketball team, which was led by Ireland and assistant coach Jerry Lyne, featured starters John Egan, Jerry Harkness, Les Hunter, Ron Miller, and Vic Rouse, as well as reserves Dan Connaughton, Jim Reardon, Rich Rochelle, and Chuck Wood. All of those individuals are members of the Loyola Athletics Hall of Fame and each of the five starters has also had his jersey number retired.

Induction ceremonies for the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame will take place on Sunday, November 24, at the Midland Theatre in Kansas City as part of a three-day celebration of college basketball.

(Release courtesy LoyolaRamblers.com)

Phoenix-Packers Steak Fry Set for April 23

Mon, 01 Apr 2013 19:13:00 +0000

On Tuesday, April 23, the Green Bay Phoenix Athletics Department and the Green Bay Packers will partner again to host the 13th Annual Phoenix-Packers Steak Fry at the Lambeau Field Atrium beginning at 5 p.m.

Men's and Women's Basketball to Hold Awards Banquet April 14

Mon, 01 Apr 2013 04:00:00 +0000

The Youngstown State men's and women's basketball teams will be holding their end of the year awards banquet, Sunday, April 14, at 4 p.m. in the Chestnut Room of Kilcawley Center.

Howard Moore Basketball Camps Now Open for Registration

Sat, 30 Mar 2013 14:32:52 +0000

The 2013 Howard Moore Basketball Camps are now open for registration. Moore and his coaching staff will host three camps, including a shooting camp, a day camp and an advanced skills camp. All sessions will be held at the Flames Athletic Center or Physical Education Building, located within walking distance of each other on UIC's campus.

Men's Basketball Announces Individual Camp Dates

Fri, 29 Mar 2013 04:00:00 +0000

The Youngstown State men's basketball team has announced the dates for two summers boys' basketball camps in June. The Penguins will have a Full Court Camp, June 10-13, and a Half Court Camp, June 17-20.

Raiders Fall to Santa Clara in CBI Semifinals

Wed, 27 Mar 2013 05:00:00 +0000

The men's basketball team led for most of the first half and had a 36-34 halftime advantage, only to see Santa Clara explode for 47 points in the second half en route to an 81-69 win in the CBI semifinals Wednesday night at WSU's Nutter Center.

Broekhoff, Van Wijk Garner All-District Accolades

Wed, 27 Mar 2013 04:59:00 +0000

For the second straight year, Valparaiso seniors Ryan Broekhoff (Frankston, Victoria, Australia/Australian Institute of Sport) and Kevin Van Wijk (Hoofddorp, Netherlands/Katholieke Scholengemeenschap Hoofddorp) have earned All-District 12 honors from the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC). Broekhoff was a First Team selection this season after earning Second Team accolades last year, while Van Wijk repeated as a Second Team honoree.

Wright State Comes Up Short in CBI Semifinal

Michael Raines — Wed, 27 Mar 2013 04:00:00 +0000

DAYTON, Ohio -- An improbably successful season for the Wright State men's basketball team came to an ubrupt end on Wednesday night at the Nutter Center as the host Raiders fell 81-69 to Santa Clara in CBI semifinal action.

The Broncos were led by Kevin Foster, who scored a game-high 33 points -- including 21 in the second half. Evan Roquemore added 16 points and five assists. Santa Clara advances to face George Mason in a best-of-three CBI championship series.

Trailing by two at the break, Santa Clara started the second half with a 12-4 run and didn't look back, outscoring Wright State 47-33 in the period. Eleven second-half giveaways by the Raiders led to 17 points off turnovers by the Broncos in the period, including six fast break points. Santa Clara also took advantage of 11 second-chance points in the win.

AJ Pacher led Wright State with 17 points and eight rebounds in the loss. Jerran Young added 13 points and Miles Dixon poured in 10 off the bench.

Wright State, which was picked to finish last in the Horizon League preseason poll, finished the regular season in third place and was runner-up to Valparaiso in the Horizon League Tournament. Coach of the Year Billy Donlon's squad ends the season with a 23-13 record and will not lose any players to graduate or lack of eligibility.

The Raiders and Broncos jumped out to a 10-10 tie at the 14:17 mark of the first half, but a missed free throw that would have given Santa Clara the lead led instead to an 8-0 run by the Raiders. The Broncos battled back to take a brief 29-28 lead at the 3:30 mark, but JT Yoho hit a pair of free throws with 3:03 to go, putting Wright State back ahead, 30-29.

Santa Clara tied the game again less than a minute before halftime, but Reggie Arceneaux fed Pacher for a monsterous slam dunk to put the Raiders ahead 36-34 heading into the locker room.

Detroit's Anderson Selected for Dunk Contest

Michael Raines — Wed, 27 Mar 2013 04:00:00 +0000

ATLANTA -- Detroit senior Doug Anderson has been selected to participate in the dunk contest portion of the State Farm Slam Dunk and 3-Point Championships during the week of the Final Four, Intersport announced today via Twitter.

Anderson averaged 12.1 points and 4.6 rebounds per game this season for the Titans and received national attention for his above-the-rim abilities. Four if his 77 dunks this season were featured on ESPN's Top 10 Plays, including three at the No. 1 ranking. The Horizon League Network also did a feature video on Anderson's airborne antics.

The 25th annual event will take place at McCamish Pavilion on the campus of the Georgia Institute of Technology and will be broadcast live on ESPN at 7 p.m. on Thursday, April 4. The event will feature the talents on 24 of the nation's top basketball players in four contests: Hampton Hotels Men's 3-Point Championship, State Farm Women's 3-Point Championship, Pepsi Max Battle of the Champions and Denny's Slam Dunk Championship.

The event will be hosted by a broadcast team including Brad Nessler, Dan Dakich, Jimmy Dykes and Samantha Ponder.

A four-person celebrity panel will serve as on-site judges while fans on Twitter will serve as a collective fifth judge by tweeting the hashtag #CollegeSlam along with the player's name and score -- for example, #CollegeSlam #Anderson10. The four judges at the event will be Atlanta Falcons wide receivers Harry Douglas, Julio Jones and Roddy White, joined by former Georgia Tech star and current Denver Broncos receiver Demaryius Thomas.

Per a release, alumni of the State Farm College Slam Dunk & 3-Point Championships include Gary Payton (Oregon State), Steve Nash (UC-Santa Clara), Allan Houston (Tennessee), Bobby Hurley (Duke), Michael Finley (Wisconsin), Wes Matthews (Marquette), and Mario West (Georgia Tech). Six current members of the Harlem Globetrotters are alumni of this event: Kris Bruton, William Bullard, Herb Lang, Bryan Narcisse, Darnell Wilks and John Williams.

Seven Men's Basketball Players Named to NABC All-District Team

Michael Raines — Wed, 27 Mar 2013 04:00:00 +0000

INDIANAPOLIS -- The National Association on Basketball Coaches on Tuesday unvieled its All-District selections for the 2012-13 season, naming seven Horizon League men's basketball players to the District 12 First and Second Teams.

The conference featured by three First Team honorees, led by Valparaiso senior Ryan Broekhoff, who led the Crusaders to a Horizon League tournament title and berth in the NCAA Tournament while averaging 15.7 points per game, fourth-highest in the Horizon League. The Aussie also averaged 7.3 rebounds per game, ranking second, and was tied for third with a 41.7 3-point percentage while leading the conference with an 88.1 free throw percentage. Broekhoff was a First Team All-Horizon League honoree for the second year in a row.

Horizon League Player of the Year and Detroit senior Ray McCallum was also named First Team All-District. McCallum led the Horizon League in scoring (18.7 ppg) and tied for first in steals (1.9 spg) while finishing second in assists (4.5 apg) and sixth in field goal percentage (49.1). He was the first player to earn both Preseason Player of the Year and Player of the Year honors in the Horizon League since the 2000-01 season.

Youngstown State junior Kendrick Perry was the Horizon League's third First Team All-District selection. Despite battling injuries near the end of the season, Perry ranked second in the conference in scoring (17.3 ppg) and sixth in assists (4.1 apg) while tying McCallum for the League-lead in steals (1.9 spg). Perry finished fifth in field goal percentage (84.5) and was a First Team All-Horizon League honoree for the second consecutive season.

Rounding out the District 12 First Team were Nate Wolters of South Dakota State and Travis Bader of Oakland.

The Horizon League nearly swept the Second Team, taking four spots as Western Illinois' Terrell Parks was the only honoree from a different conference.

Green Bay lead the Second Team charge with sophomore Keifer Sykes and junior Alec Brown. Sykes finished third in scoring (15.9 ppg, fourth in assists (4.3 apg) and eighth in free throw percentage (81.5) to earn First Team All-Horizon League honors. Brown rounded out the top 10 in scoring (14.1 ppg) and finished sixth in rebounding (6.0 rpg) and second in blocks (1.7 bpg) while being named Second Team All-Horizon League and to the All-Defensive Team.

Detroit senior Nick Minnerath quietly put together an impressive season, deferring to the star power of McCallum and the high-flying antics of fellow senior Doug Anderson while finishing seventh in both scoring (14.6 ppg) and rebounding (5.9 rbg). Minnerath earned First Team All-Horizon League honors this season.

Rounding out the Second Team is Valpo senior Kevin Van Wijk. The native of the Netherlands led the Horizon League with a 63.3 field goal percentage and finished in a three-way tie for eighth in rebounding (5.5 rpg). Van Wijk was also a Second Team All-Horizon League honoree.

Annual Senior Salute Set For April 18

Tue, 26 Mar 2013 15:22:24 +0000

The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee men's basketball team will hold its annual Senior Salute next month. The sixth-annual event is scheduled for Thursday, April 18, from 6-8 p.m. at Joey Buona's, located at 500 N. Water Street in downtown Milwaukee. The gathering will provide a chance for fans to thank seniors Paris Gulley, James Haarsma, Ryan Haggerty, Demetrius Harris and Christian Wolf for their contributions to the program.

Raiders to Host Santa Clara Wednesday

Tue, 26 Mar 2013 05:00:00 +0000

The men's basketball team will host Santa Clara in the CBI semifinals on Wednesday, March 27, at 9:00 Eastern at WSU's Nutter Center.

YSU’s Kendrick Perry Named NABC All-District First-Team

Tue, 26 Mar 2013 04:00:00 +0000

Youngstown State junior guard Kendrick Perry has been named to the 2013 National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) All-District 12 First-Team, the association announced on Tuesday (March 26).

Broekhoff Named to Lou Henson All-America Team

Mon, 25 Mar 2013 19:11:00 +0000

Valparaiso senior Ryan Broekhoff (Frankston, Victoria, Australia/Australian Institute of Sport) was one of 25 players named to the Lou Henson All-America Team, as announced by CollegeInsider.com on Monday. The team honors the nation's best mid-major players.

Raiders Slip Past Richmond 57-51

Mon, 25 Mar 2013 05:00:00 +0000

Down five with 10 minutes remaining, the men's basketball team outscored Richmond 23-12 the rest of the way to post a 57-51 win over the Spiders in the CBI quarterfinals Monday night at WSU's Nutter Center.

Men's Basketball Final Shot: March 25: Onto the Semifinals

Bill Potter — Mon, 25 Mar 2013 04:00:00 +0000

Men’s Basketball Scoreboard (March 25)
Wright State 57, Richmond 51 (CBI)

Picked to finish ninth in the Horizon League, Wright State extended its season into the semifinals of the CBI, presented by Buick, closing the game on a 12-3 run to knock off visiting Richmond, 57-51, at the WSU Nutter Center.

Wright State (23-12) trailed the visiting Spiders, 48-45, following Cedric Lindsey’s layup with 4:13 to play. However, once their subsequent possession, the Raiders came away with a key offensive board, kicking the ball out to Reggie Arceneaux.

Arceneaux caught the ball in stride on the left wing and buried a three, knotting the game at 48 and swinging momentum into the home team’s corner.

The stout Wright State defense would hold on the next Richmond possession, and once more an offensive rebound provided second-chance points for the Raiders. This time it was Miles Dixon capitalizing, driving to the left block and pump-faking to earn a wide-open layup that gave WSU a 50-48 advantage.

Again, the defense would hold, with Jerran Young drawing a turnover on Richmond’s Derrick Williams. Young would get into the lane with a jumper before another turnover led to a spinning breakaway dunk by the junior, sending Wright State in front, 54-48, with 1:08 to play.

Richmond, however, would not go quietly, slicing the deficit in half on a Greg Robbins three with 43 seconds remaining. Employing a full-court press, the Spiders were on the receiving end of a Wright State turnover, giving Richmond a chance to tie the game in the final minute of regulation.

However, Robbins’ next attempt was short, and Matt Vest corralled the rebound. Young would hit 3-of-4 attempts at the line to seal the result.

With both teams employing methodical offenses and stingy defenses, scoring was balanced, as 17 of the 19 players who appeared in the game scored, but only three finished in double figures. Dixon led all scorers with 14 off the bench, while Young added 13 for Wright State, which shot 45.5 percent on the night.

Robbins was the lone Spider in double figures, posting 12 points.

Broekhoff, McCallum Collect College Insider All-American Honors

Horizon League — Mon, 25 Mar 2013 04:00:00 +0000

BOSTON – Valparaiso’s Ryan Broekhoff (Frankston, Victoria, Australia/Australia Institute of Sport) and Detroit’s Ray McCallum (Beverly Hills, Mich./Detroit Country Day) were each recognized as All Americans by CollegeInsider.com, the website announced on Monday.

Broekhoff was named a Lou Henson Mid-Major All-American, while McCallum was recognized on the Lute Olsen All-America Team.

McCallum, the 2013 Horizon League Player of the Year, finished his junior campaign averaging 18.7 ppg, which ranked 35th nationally. McCallum also handed out 4.5 assists per game while grabbing 5.1 rebounds and 1.9 steals. The junior was the first player since fellow Titan Rashad Phillips in 2000-01 to earn both preseason and postseason Player of the Year honors.

McCallum has 1,618 points (eight), 451 assists (seventh) and 175 steals (fourth) in his career. The last Titan to rank among the top-10 in all three of those categories was Phillips. Phillips finished his career with 2,319 points (first), 548 assists (fourth), and 190 steals (second). McCallum is also close to becoming the first Titan ever to record 1,600 points (1,618), 500 rebounds (486), 500 assists (451), and 200 steals (175) in a career.

Rather than assemble a first team, second team, third team and honorable mention; the Lute Olson All-America team is one squad consisting one 21 players.

The team includes Anthony Bennett (UNLV), Trey Burke (Michigan), Ian Clark (Belmont), Ramon Galloway (La Salle), Erick Green (Virginia Tech), Shane Larkin (Miami), Ray McCallum (Detroit), Doug McDermott (Creighton), Ben McLemore (Kansas), Shabazz Muhammad (UCLA), Mike Muscala (Bucknell), Victor Oladipo (Indiana), Kelly Olynyk (Gonzaga), Mason Plumlee (Duke), Otto Porter, Jr. (Georgetown), Marcus Smart (Oklahoma State), Russ Smith (Louisville), Deshaun Thomas (Ohio State), Jeff Withey (Kansas), Nate Wolters (South Dakota State), Cody Zeller (Indiana).

The Lute Olson Award is presented annually to the nation's top Division I player who has played at least two seasons with his respective team. Freshmen and first-year transfers can be named to the All-America team, but are not eligible to receive the Player of the Year honors.

The award is named in honor of coaching great Lute Olson, who won 780 games in 34 seasons, 24 of which were spent at the University of Arizona. During that stretch he led the Wildcats to 11 Pac-10 Conference titles, 23 consecutive NCAA Tournaments, four Final Four appearances and a National Championship in 1997.

Broekhoff was the recipient of the Lou Henson Award midseason honor and is eligible for the postseason Lou Henson Award, presented annually to the top Mid-Major player in Division I college basketball.

The award is named in honor of Lou Henson who retired after a spectacular coaching career that lasted 41 years.

Broekhoff earned his spot on the Lou Henson All-America Team, the only Horizon League representative on the squad, after averaging 15.7 points and 7.3 rebounds per game while helping lead the Crusaders to a school-record 26 victories and a spot in the 2013 NCAA Tournament.

The senior finished his Valpo career sixth in program history in scoring, tied for second in rebounding and among the Crusaders' all-time top-10 in five other categories.

The team includes Travis Bader (Oakland), Billy Baron (Canisius), Jerrelle Benimon (Towson), Tommy Brenton (Stony Brook), Ryan Broekhoff (Valparaiso), Isaiah Canaan (Murray State), Jackie Carmichael (Illinois State), Will Cherry (Montana), Jake Cohen (Davidson), D.J. Cooper (Ohio), Matthew Dellavedova (Saint Mary's), James Ennis (Long Beach), Shane Gibson (Sacred Heart), Juan'ya Green (Niagara), Corey Hawkins (UC Davis), Tyler Haws (BYU), Troy Huff (North Dakota), Lamont Jones (Iona), Zeke Marshall (Akron), Jake Odum (Indiana State), Jamal Olasewere (LIU-Brooklyn), Keith Rendleman (UNC Wilmington), Augustine Rubit (South Alabama), Colt Ryan (Evansville), Taylor Smith (Stephen F. Austin).

The 2013 awards will be presented at the CollegeInsider.com awards banquet in Atlanta, site of the men's NCAA Basketball Championship.

Historic 2012-13 Men’s Basketball Season Highlights

Mon, 25 Mar 2013 04:00:00 +0000

The Youngstown State men’s basketball team just wrapped up one of the most successful and historic seasons since the program joined the Division I ranks in 1981-82. Finishing with an overall record of 18-16, the Penguins posted the most wins since 2000-01 and secured the first postseason tournament berth.

Award Winners Announced at Postseason Banquet

Sun, 24 Mar 2013 22:14:07 +0000

The Cleveland State men's basketball team held its annual end of the season awards banquet on Sunday afternoon at the Wolstein Center.

UIC Comes Up Short at UNI, Ends Season with 18 Wins

Sun, 24 Mar 2013 03:07:12 +0000

The UIC men's basketball team stifled host Northern Iowa to just a 37.0 percent shooting effort, but the Panthers broke a 41-41 tie with a 22-10 run and defeated the Flames, 63-51, in the second round of the CollegeInsider.com Tournament (CIT) at the McLeod Center Saturday night. The loss ends UIC's record-setting season with 18 wins, the most since 2007-08.

Men's Basketball Final Shot: March 23

Horizon League — Sat, 23 Mar 2013 04:00:00 +0000

Men’s Basketball Scoreboard (March 23)
CIT – Canisius 84, Youngstown State 82 (ot)
CIT – Northern Iowa 63, UIC 51

After each notched their respective program’s first Division I postseason victories earlier in the week, Youngstown State and UIC each bowed out of the CollegeInsider.com Tournament in the second round, suffering tough losses to Canisius and Northern Iowa, respectively.

CIT – Canisius, 84, Youngstown State 82 (ot)
Youngstown State suffered a tough loss to end the season, dropping an 84-82 overtime decision to Canisius on Saturday night in a second-round CollegeInsider.com Tournament game at the Beeghly Center.

The Penguins held a 22-point lead early in the second half only to watch it evaporate when the Golden Griffins scored 20 unanswered points during one stretch. From that point it was nip-and-tuck.

The Guins (18-16) led 53-31 with 18 minutes remaining before Canisius cut the large deficit to 53-51 by the the 11:23 mark. During the stretch, YSU missed seven field-goal attempts, five of which came beyond the 3-point arc, and turned the ball over six times.

The scoring drought finally ended when DJ Cole converted a free throw at the 11:08 mark. Kamren Belin ended the run of seven missed shots by draining a 3-pointer.

The Golden Griffins (20-13) finally tied the contest at 60 with 7:36 left on a 3-pointer by Alshwan Hymes. YSU went on to push the lead back to seven at 69-62 with 5:01 remaining and tried to hang on, but Billy Baron's long 3-pointer following an offensive rebound tied the game at 73 with 50.5 seconds remaining.

Blake Allen attempted an off-balance 3-pointer with 36 seconds left, setting up Canisius for a possible win in regulation. The Penguins defense held to force the extra session.

In overtime, Kendrick Perry scored seven of YSU's nine points, but it turned out not to be enough.

After not leading at all in regulation, Canisius took its first lead of the game with 2:28 left in overtime when Heath Jordan split a pair of free throws. YSU regained the lead as Perry drove the hoop to convert a layup at the 1:35 mark, but a Canisius free throw tied the contest again at 80.

Two Canisius free throws and a driving layup by Eargle tied the contest with 28 seconds left. However, with 2.1 seconds left, Baron was fouled by Cole on a 3-point attempt. He missed the first before knocking down the next two.

Perry tried a desparation shot from beyond half court, but it was off the mark.

For the contest, Allen led the way with 27 points while Perry had 20. Belin and Eargle both finished with 14 points and 11 rebounds in a losing effort. Allen was 10-of-18 from the field and 7-of-12 from behind the 3-point arc.

Baron finished with 30 points for the night while Hymes had 19 off the bench.

YSU ended the game shooting 44.6 percent (29-of-65), including 15-of-34 from behind the 3-point arc. Canisius was 28-of-75 (37.3 percent) and made 10 3-pointers. The Golden Griffins only had six turnovers in the contest.

In the first half the Penguins continued to have the hot hand with a carry over from their victory over Oakland. YSU made 18-of-35 shots (51.4 percent), including 9-of-16 from beyond the 3-point arc (56.3 percent).

Canisius was 10-of-35 in the first half, with 11 misses coming from behind the arc.

The game was tied at two early before the Guins used a 9-2 spurt to take a 11-4 advantage.

Leading 11-7, YSU scored the next eight points to extend the advantage to 19-7. Eventually Canisius pulled within 25-24 with 6:44 left in the half.

Then the Guins went on their major run closing the half by scoring 20 of the final 24 points, including 11 consecutive at one time. YSU led 45-28 at the break before scoring the first five of the second half to go ahead by 22 at 50-38.

Northern Iowa 63, UIC 51
UIC stifled host Northern Iowa to just a 37.0 percent shooting effort, but the Panthers broke a 41-41 tie with a 23-10 run and defeated the Flames, 63-51, in the second round of the CollegeInsider.com Tournament at the McLeod Center Saturday night. The loss ends UIC’s record-setting season with 18 wins, the most since 2007-08.

With the setback, UIC (18-16) was eliminated from the 2013 CIT, ending the Flames’ first postseason run since 2004. UNI improved to 20-14 on the season, and moved onto the CIT’s Round of 8.

In his final game at UIC, senior center Josh Crittle was just one rebound shy of a double-double, scoring a team-high 12 points to go along with nine rebounds. Senior guard Daniel Barnes chipped in 10 points on four field goals. UNI was paced by leading scorer Anthony James, who scored 17 points on 5-of-10 shooting.

UNI led 25-24 at halftime, after the Flames held the Panthers to just a 33.3 percent (10-30) effort from the floor. The Panthers led 22-15 with 5:38 remaining, but UIC finished the frame on a 9-4 spurt to pull within one possession. Barnes’ drive and finish with 2:09 left completed the scoring in the opening half.

Crittle and junior forward Hayden Humes combined for five quick points in the opening 4:13 of the second half, helping the Flames claim a 29-28 lead at the first media timeout (15:02). UIC led three times in the ensuing seven minutes, and owned a 41-38 advantage with 8:42 remaining after a three-pointer by senior point guard Gary Talton.

UNI tied the game, 41-41. with a three on the ensuing possession, and took a 43-41 lead coming out of the under-8 media timeout (7:39) after a pair of free throws by James. The Panthers never relinquished the lead down the stretch, but UIC was within just five, 51-46, with 3:16 remaining. UNI went 7-for-8 from the charity stripe in the final 1:44 to push the final margin to double digits.

Penguins Come Up Short as Season Ends in 84-82 Loss to Canisius

Sat, 23 Mar 2013 04:00:00 +0000

The Youngstown State men's basketball team suffered a tough loss to end the season dropping an 84-82 overtime decision to Canisius on Saturday night in a second-round CollegeInsider.com Tournament game at the Beeghly Center.

Loyola Announces Men's Basketball Roster Changes

Fri, 22 Mar 2013 21:20:28 +0000

Cully Payne (Schaumburg, Ill./Schaumburg), a junior guard on the Loyola University Chicago men's basketball team, will not return to school for his senior season head coach Porter Moser announced today. Subsequently, incoming freshman Quinten Payne (St. Charles, Ill../St. Charles North), the younger brother of Cully who signed a National Letter of Intent in November, has asked for and been granted a release from his NLI.

Game #34: Flames Travel to UNI in CIT Round of 16 Saturday Night

Fri, 22 Mar 2013 20:56:24 +0000

The UIC men's basketball team (18-15) will look to keep its postseason run alive, when the Flames travel to Cedar Falls, Iowa to take on Northern Iowa (19-14) in the second round of the CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament Saturday night beginning at 7:00 p.m. CST.

Loyola Mourns The Passing Of Former Coach And Broadcaster John Tracy

Fri, 22 Mar 2013 19:43:34 +0000

John Tracy, a former assistant men's basketball coach and color analyst on Loyola University Chicago radio and television broadcasts passed away Saturday (March 16) at the age of 67. An Evergreen Park, Ill., native, Tracy served as an assistant coach at Loyola under Gene Sullivan during the 1988-89 season.

Men's Basketball Takes On Canisius in CIT Second Round

Fri, 22 Mar 2013 04:00:00 +0000

The Youngstown State men’s basketball team continues its postseason run when it hosts Canisius, Saturday, March 23, in the second round of the CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament. Tipoff is set for 7:05 p.m. EST at the Beeghly Center and the game can be heard on 570 WKBN-AM and iHeartRadio.

Crusaders’ Season Ends in NCAA Tournament

Thu, 21 Mar 2013 20:51:00 +0000

The Valparaiso men’s basketball team was even with third-seeded Michigan State through nearly nine minutes of their Second Round game in the Midwest Region of the 2013 NCAA Tournament Thursday in Auburn Hills, Mich., but the Spartans went on a 24-4 run to pull away as the Crusaders eventually fell by a final score of 65-54. The loss ends the Crusaders’ season at 26-8 and ends the careers of six Valpo seniors.

Record-Setting Season Comes to End for Valpo in NCAA 2nd Round

Bill Benner — Thu, 21 Mar 2013 04:00:00 +0000

Auburn Hills, Mich. -- Before his team took the Palace at Auburn Hills court to face Michigan State in the second round of the NCAA men’s basketball tournament Wednesday, Valparaiso Coach Bryce Drew said the Crusaders had to do three things to stay with the heavily favored Spartans.

Shoot well, rebound well and keep turnovers to a minimum.

Well, the Crusaders did tie a season low with only seven turnovers.

Mission one-third accomplished.

But they missed 26 of their first 34 shots and simply got overwhelmed on the boards.

The result was a 65-54 defeat that, truly, wasn’t that close.

The Spartans, the Midwest Regional’s No. 3 seed out of the Big Ten, built a 17-point lead at halftime and pushed it to 27 early in the second half. To their credit, the 14^th-seeded Horizon League champions battled to the wire, led by little Erik Buggs, who repeatedly drove into the teeth of the Michigan State defense and got to the rim, finishing with 14 points.

But Michigan State, which starts a defensive tackle, a tight end and two linebackers (just kidding … sort of), simply had too much bulk and athleticism for Valpo.

The Spartans Windexed the glass by 49-23 advantage. At one point, Michigan State had more offensive rebounds (18) than Valpo had in total (16).

No one was more dominating than Michigan State’s 6-9, 270-pound Derrick Nix, a native of nearby Detroit. Despite being “sick as a dog,“ according to Spartan coach Tom Izzo, Nicks made the Crusaders absolutely ill with 23 points and 15 rebounds, including nine offensive boards.

“We knew he was a load coming in,” said Drew.

And going out, they had all the up-close-and-personal evidence they needed.

It was a tough afternoon for Valpo’s Ryan Broekhoff and Kevin Van Wijk, the mainstays of the Crusaders’ super senior class. Broekhoff, Valpo’s leading scorer, managed but eight points on 2-of-11 shooting. Van Wijk, unable to practice most of the week because of a bad ankle, got to the rim but missed all six of his shots as at least four of them hung agonizingly on the rim before falling out.

Valparaiso made just 6 of 26 shots in the first half. It was more of a case of bad shooting than bad shots.

“I thought we got quality looks,“ said Drew.

Buggs, Ben Boggs (15 points) and Matt Kenney (10 points) got it going in the second half and the Crusaders gamely closed with an 11-4 rush in the last three minutes to make it respectable.

“You know, it kind of boiled down to our character and I was really proud of our guys that they dug deep and finished the game out strong,” said Drew.

The Crusaders closed the books on a 26-8 season and said farewell to their senior class of Broekhoff, Van Wijk, Buggs, Boggs, Bogan and Kenney.

“They have a lot to be proud of,” said Drew. “A school record 26 wins, two straight conference championships, and then showing their character today. And we told them this will help them in life, what they did in the last five minutes, when things are bad in life and down, you can remember this and you fight through to the end.”

Valpo Looks to Experience in NCAA Matchup vs. Michigan State

Michael Raines — Thu, 21 Mar 2013 04:00:00 +0000

AUBURN HILLS, Mich. -- When the Valparaiso takes the floor early this afternoon in the NCAA Tournament, the 14th-seeded Crusaders face a daunting task in the No. 3 Michigan State Spartans.

It will be a challenge, but not a unwelcome one. The Crusaders have proven their salt time and again throughout the course of the season.

"If you look back at the Detroit game, we were down by [22] and in seasons past, there’s no way we would have responded like we did," star swingman Ryan Broekhoff said, reminiscing Valpo's come-from-behind win that stunned Horizon League rival Detroit and ended the Titans' 17-game homecourt winning streak. "We have a lot of trust and a lot of camaraderie between us."

The Crusaders continued to face adversity en route to their 2013 Horizon League tournament championship and the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. In the semifinals, Broekhoff hit a fall-away 3-pointer at the buzzer to beat Green Bay; in the finals, the Crusaders rallied in the last five minutes to claim the title on the strength of a career-high 22 points from senior Erik Buggs.

Now, Valparaiso hopes to rely on those experiences -- and experience, in general -- in the program's first NCAA Tournament appearance in nine years. The Crusaders start five seniors and depend on a core of upperclassmen off the bench, as well.

Michigan State head coach Tom Izzo, whose Spartans are making a 16th-straight NCAA Tournament appearance, has admitted several times to the media that Valpo's experience is what concerns him the most heading into the matchup. But Valpo head coach Bryce Drew just hopes his team has the right kind of experience.

"I think the experience works two ways," Drew said. "We have no NCAA experience on our team, but the good thing is that we have a lot of juniors and seniors. We’ve been playing eight players in our rotation lately, and all eight of them are juniors and seniors."

Drew said its hard to know just how his players will respond to their first experience in the Big Dance. He also added that the Crusaders haven't seen a team quite like Michigan State.

"They’re not only tall, but they’re physical and they move really well. Obviously, those are big challenges that we’re going to have to overcome. We know that they’re very versatile," Drew said. "They have four projected drafted picks in the next two years. We haven’t faced anybody like that this year."

"With a team that big, too many second chances can eat you alive," Buggs added, emphasizing the importance of rebounding on the defensive glass.

Another challenge Valpo will have to face is how Michigan State decides to guard Broekhoff, who can be a matchup nightmare for teams that are unprepared.

"We’ve seen all kind of matchups this year. We’ve seen Broekhoff have everybody 1-5 [point guard through center] guard him during the game," Drew said. "We’ll have to make adjustments accordingly."

"Throughout the whole year, I’ve kind of gone through the whole range of players defending me. It’s just going to be another little adjustment that we’ll make," Broekhoff echoed.

For all the challenges the Spartans impose, the Crusaders are confident they can present challenges to Michigan State, as well.

"We like to get out and score in transition. We shoot well from the outside. We’ve got guys who can really be effective at the rim. We’ve got a little bit of everything," Broekhoff said. "We may not be the biggest team in America, but we’re physical and we play hard and pretty much we leave it all out on the court."

And again, the Crusaders have experience.

"You can look at the Horizon League tournament, for example," Buggs said. "There were times when we got down that maybe a younger team – or even us last year – would have folded."

Today's game will be broadcast on CBS starting at 12:15 p.m. EST.

Men’s Basketball Hosts Canisius in CIT Second Round

Thu, 21 Mar 2013 04:00:00 +0000

The Youngstown State men’s basketball team will host Canisius in the second round of the 2013 CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament, Saturday, March 23, at 7:05 p.m. at the Beeghly Center.

UIC Defeats Chicago State for First-Ever Postseason Win, 80-69

Thu, 21 Mar 2013 03:14:45 +0000

The UIC men's basketball team built a 22-point first-half lead, and held off a second half rally by visiting Chicago State to post an 80-69 win over the Cougars in the first-round of the CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament Wednesday night at the Pavilion. The Flames advanced to the second round of the CIT, where they will take on Northern Iowa at the McLeod Center in Cedar Falls, Iowa on Saturday night.

Crusaders' Journey Continues With Press Conference, Open Practice Wednesday

Wed, 20 Mar 2013 12:49:00 +0000

Valparaiso's journey at the 2013 NCAA Tournament kicks into high gear on Wednesday, as the Crusaders participate in the traditional pre-tournament press conference and open practice.

Men Defeat Tulsa in CBI First Round

Wed, 20 Mar 2013 05:00:00 +0000

The men's basketball team picked up its first-ever Division I postseason win Wednesday night at WSU's Nutter Center, pulling away over the final 10 minutes for a 72-52 victory over Tulsa in the first round of the College Basketball Invitational Presented by Buick.

Game #33: Flames Begin CIT Against Chicago State Wednesday Night

Tue, 19 Mar 2013 19:34:23 +0000

The UIC men's basketball team (17-15) will begin its postseason run against crosstown rival Chicago State (10-21) in the first-round of the CollegeInsider.com Tournament (CIT) Wednesday night at the Pavilion beginning at 7:00 p.m. The Flames garnered an at-large berth into the tourney, while Chicago State secured the Great West Conference automatic berth after winning the conference tournament championship last Saturday at the Jones Convocation Center.

Valparaiso Game Notes - 2013 NCAA Tournament vs. Michigan State

Tue, 19 Mar 2013 14:42:00 +0000

Valparaiso makes its first appearance in the NCAA Tournament since 2004, as the Crusaders are the 14th seed in the Midwest Region and will face third-seeded Michigan State Thursday at 11:15 a.m. CT in Auburn Hills, Mich. The game will be televised live nationwide on CBS and is the first game of the Second Round to tip off.

YSU Sets 3-Pointers Record in 99-87 Win Over Oakland in CIT

Tue, 19 Mar 2013 04:00:00 +0000

Youngstown State rode a record-setting performance from the 3-point arc and contributions throughout the lineup to defeat Oakland 99-87 in the first round of the CollegeInsider.com Tournament on Tuesday evening at Beeghly Center.

Crusaders to Depart for NCAA Tournament at 11:45 Tuesday Morning

Mon, 18 Mar 2013 17:39:00 +0000

Join the send-off from the Athletics-Recreation Center on Tuesday morning, as the Valparaiso men's basketball team departs for Auburn Hills and the 2013 NCAA Tournament at 11:45 a.m! All are invited to help wish the Crusaders luck as they prepare to take on Michigan State Thursday morning at 11:15 a.m., live on CBS.

Men's Basketball Set to Host Oakland Tuesday Night in CIT

Mon, 18 Mar 2013 04:00:00 +0000

The Youngstown State men’s basketball team will host Oakland in its first Division I postseason tournament game in the first round of the CollegeInsider.com Tournament, Tuesday, March 19. Tipoff is set for 7:05 p.m. EST at the Beeghly Center and the game can be heard on 570 WKBN-AM and iHeartRadio.

UIC Draws Crosstown Rival Chicago State for CIT First Round

Sun, 17 Mar 2013 17:58:34 +0000

The first-round of the CollegeInsider.com postseason tournament will feature a little Chi-town flavor. It was revealed Sunday that UIC will host crosstown rival Chicago State for the CIT first-round next Wednesday (March 20) at the Pavilion beginning at 7:00 p.m. Single-game tickets are now on sale through the UIC Athletic Ticket Office.

Raiders to Host Tulsa in CBI Presented by Buick

Sun, 17 Mar 2013 05:00:00 +0000

The men's basketball team will enter the post-season for the third time as a Division I school as the Raiders will host Tulsa Wednesday night at the Wright State Nutter Center as part of the College Basketball Invitational presented by Buick. Game time will be 7 pm Eastern.

Men's Basketball to Host Former Mid-Con Rival Oakland Tuesday in CIT

Sat, 16 Mar 2013 04:00:00 +0000

The Youngstown State men's basketball team will host former Mid-Continent Conference rival Oakland, Tuesday, March 19, in the first round of the CollegeInsider.com Tournament at the Beeghly Center. Tipoff is slated for 7:05 p.m.

Averkamp And Thomas Recognized By College Sports Madness

Thu, 14 Mar 2013 21:36:04 +0000

Loyola University Chicago forwards Ben Averkamp (Germantown, Wis./Germantown) and Christian Thomas (St. Louis, Mo./Clayton) have been named to College Sports Madness' All-Horizon League Teams. Averkamp garnered first team accolades, while Thomas was selected to the fourth team.

Men's Basketball Individual Camps: June 17-20 // July 22-25

Wed, 13 Mar 2013 19:36:08 +0000

The Cleveland State men's basketball program will host two sessions of Individual Camps this summer.