Jan. 21, 2009
Complete Release in PDF Format 
The Loyola Marymount men's basketball team will finally play its first home game of West Coast Conference play when they welcome the pair of schools from the Pacific Northwest, starting with the University of Portland on Thursday, Jan. 22 at 8 p.m. The game will be televised on ESPNU and is the fourth of five straight on TV for the Lions. The game is also on KXLU 88.9 FM and LMULions.com.
YOUTH MOVEMENT
Five newcomers on LMU's roster, including four true freshman, have been asked to carry the load for the Lions this season. And with injuries the freshman trio of Jarred DuBois, Kevin Young, and LaRon Armstead have been asked to play big minutes and they have become the heart of the Lions. DuBois, Young, Armstead along with sophomore transfer Vernon Teel and walk-on freshman Griffin Reilly have combined to play 2,173 of the 3,800 minutes played in 19 games this season, good for 57.2 percent. Armstead, DuBois and Young have carried the load due to the injuries, as Teel has not played since Nov. 21 and Reilly has averaged just over five minutes in eight games. The Freshman Trio are all averaging more than 30 minutes a game and all three played 40 minutes against USD last Saturday. DuBois leads the group with 35.7 minutes per game, on pace to snap the record by a freshman set by Forrest McKenzie with 29.8 minutes in 1981. Armstead had a stretch of 108 straight minutes, running from the final four minutes against UALR to the second half against UCSB. DuBois did one better, playing 115 consecutive minutes from the Mercer game through 16 minutes of the first half against CSUB. Armstead is averaging 32.4 minutes while Young is averaging 30.6, playing his fourth 40-minute game on Saturday, getting his first rest since the Pepperdine game when he was subbed for defense in the final minutes against the Toreros. The group has also combined for 702 of the 1,033 points (67.9 percent) and 361 of the 624 rebounds (60.1 percent) this season.
MAKING A POINT
Freshman Jarred DuBois has been quickly developing into the Lions' floor leader and as conference play progresses he doesn't look much like a freshman anymore. Through three games he leads the entire WCC in scoring by averaging 19.7 points per game, scoring 17 in the first two games and then eclipsing 20 points for the third time this year with 25 against USD. His recent scoring explosion has been highlighted by the last non-conference game of the year where he scored an LMU freshman record 39 points in the win over the Roadrunners. DuBois' point total came on 11-for-15 shooting from the field and 12-for-15 from the free throw line to snap Forrest McKenzie's freshman record of 29 points set against San Francisco on Jan. 16, 1982. DuBois was 5-for-7 from the three-point line as he scored the most points by any Lion since Wyking Jones had 39 against San Francisco on Jan. 20, 1994. In the USD game he went for 25, tied for fifth all-time in the record books, thanks in large part to an 11-for-12 effort from the free throw line. He hit his first 11 and his miss in his final attempt was his first since that CSUB game, a span of 22 made. DuBois first turned heads with his defense against No. 8 Notre Dame, helping LMU hold first-team All-Big East performer Kyle McAlarney to zero points (0-for-7), forcing him into four turnovers. DuBois also went for 16 points in that game and also added a 23-point effort against UALR, which ranks 13th among single game scoring by a freshman. He is averaging 13.7 points per game, raising his average over 3.2 points in the last month to rank eighth in the West Coast Conference in scoring (as of 1/19/09). He also entered the week second in the WCC in free throw shooting, hitting 84-for-98 (85.7 percent). He has more made free throws than anyone in WCC. He also leads the team with 58 assists (3.05 per game), good for seventh in the WCC (as of 1/19/09).
YOUNG AND THE REBOUNDS
Kevin Young is putting together some of the more impressive games by a freshman in LMU history on the boards, earning possibly the best against New Mexico State. He finished the game with his second double-double of the year with 16 points and 19 rebounds in 40 minutes. It was the most rebounds by a freshman in LMU history and the most rebounds in a game by a Lion since Ime Odouk had 22 on Jan. 7, 1994 against Buffalo. For Young it was an unofficial triple-double as he had 14 offensive rebounds. He now has 128 rebounds this season, moving him past Mark Armstrong for fifth all-time in LMU history for rebounds in a season by a freshman. Young has also has games of 13 (Wyoming), 11 (at Arizona, at UCSB) and 10 (vs. Notre Dame) on his resume, ranking third, tied for sixth and 13th respectively for freshman in LMU history. Young has 59 offensive rebounds, 3.35 per game this season, to lead the Lions and rank fourth in the WCC (as of 1/19/09). Overall, he is averaging 6.7 rebounds per game, sixth in the WCC (1/19/09). He is also sixth with 1.37 steals per game and seventh with 1.11 blocks per game (21 blocks), getting nine in the three WCC games and 14 in the last six games. He needs three more blocks to crack the top-20 in the LMU record books for blocks in a single season by all players. His 26 steals this season is fifth in the freshman record books at LMU.
STARK IMPROVEMENT
LaRon Armstead became the first Lion since Jim Williamson in the 1995-96 season to play a complete 40 minutes in back-to-back games. Armstead, who started the season averaging just 22 minutes a game at the Iowa State Tournament, is now averaging 32.4 minutes per game after going 40 minutes four times this season. Williamson averaged 35.7 minutes a game in 1995-96, logging 40 minutes in a 67-63 win over Cal State Fullerton on Dec. 16, 1995 and then 40 minutes on Dec. 19, 1995 in an 82-80 win at Hawaii. That season total ranked seventh all-time in LMU history. The all-time leader is Keith Smith, who logged 38.1 minutes per contest in 1984-85. That season he played 40 or more minutes in 12 games, including a stretch of three straight games of 40 minutes and three more times where he went back-to-back games with 40 minutes. And, for Armstead, the minutes have led to production. Since entering the starting line-up against Wagner, he has caught fire. He now averages 10.1 points (21st in WCC) and 5.9 rebounds on the season (12th in WCC), going for an average of 6.7 rebounds (101) and 12.2 points (183) in the last 15 games. His 113 rebounds this season is currently ranked eighth on the LMU freshman charts.
DEPLETED ROSTER
Five players on LMU's roster, which includes six newcomers and just three seniors, are now out for the season. Junior transfer Larry Davis (Seton Hall) and sophomore Drew Viney (Oregon) are redshirting the season due to transfer rules. The other three players out for the year are all due to injury. Redshirt sophomore Terron Sutton is out for the year due to a torn ACL suffered in practice this October, and Tim Diederichs, who had played limited minutes in the first three games, required surgery on his injured right shoulder suffered in the first weeks of practice this season. He will miss the remainder of the season and plans on applying for a medical redshirt. The third player in that group is Ashley Hamilton, who played in five games this season and will miss the remainder of the season with a stress fracture in his back. He will also apply for a medical redshirt. There is more. Leading scorer, rebounder and assist man through three games, Vernon Teel, broke his right foot against Notre Dame and had surgery Nov. 26 and has missed eight weeks. There might be a bright spot as Teel has been cleared to practice this week and is listed day-to-day heading into this weekend's games against Portland and Gonzaga. With the injuries, the Lions have been down to seven scholarship players, two of which - seniors Corey Counts and Chris Kanne - earned scholarships this summer after playing as walk-ons the last three seasons. Current walk-on Griffin Reilly is the eighth active player and saw his first minutes of action at Arizona. The Lions added two more players to the roster in walk-ons Daniel Latimer and the newest addition, Wes Libuit, who joined the team on Jan. 18.
SCHOLL PROMOTION
LMU Head Coach Max Good announced on Jan. 20 that Myke Scholl has been promoted to Associate Head Coach of the LMU men's basketball program. "Myke's roll in helping young men develop as human beings and as basketball players around the world has been truly inspiration. He brings a level of commitment and passion to this team that will help lead this program to a great deal of success." Scholl, who holds a law degree from Maryland, has worked with basketball programs in the U.S. Virgin Islands, at the junior college level in northern California, with the South Africa National and Under-20 teams, the Senegal Men's National Team, with a professional team in South Africa and as a scout for the Detroit Pistons. The list of players Scholl has coached and/or worked with who have played in the NBA is impressive. While with the Pistons, he worked with Rodney Stuckey, Jason Maxiel, Cheick Samb and Arron Afflalo. He has also coached Howard Nathan (Atlanta), Reggie Jordan (Washington), Chris King (Utah), Priest Lauderdale (Denver), Junior Burrough (Boston), Devin Gray (Houston), Sam Cassell (Boston), DeSagana Diop (New Jersey), Roy Tarpley (Dallas) and Shawnta Rogers (New Jersey). Scholl, a graduate of Jesuit High School in Sacramento where he played for LMU alum Steve Smith, played at Sacramento State for two seasons before finishing his career at Ohio Wesleyan University and earning a double major in Sociology and History in 1991.
TOUGH NON-CONFERENCE
When it rains, it pours never fit better. Playing with just seven scholarship players, experiencing a midseason coaching change and seven of their first 10 games on the road, the Lions have had to do this with a murderous schedule. The Lions' non-conference opponents heading into WCC play combined for a record of 116-71 (62.0 percent). In addition, this was the first time since the 2004-05 season the Lions have played at least two ranked teams in non-conference play. In addition, the Lions began conference play with the first three straight on the road and five of their first seven away from home.
IT COUNTS
Senior Corey Counts made sure the Lions didn't go long without a three-pointer, going 5-for-6 from long range against Iowa State. He had another five three-pointer game against New Mexico State, going 5-for-8, giving him three games in his career to hit five in a game, hitting the mark while going for 21 points against Gonzaga in the WCC opener a year ago. Counts is 37-for-99 (37.4 percent) from the three-point line in 2008-09, moving his career total to 86-for-229 (37.6 percent) in his career. On the season, he is ranked 4th the WCC in three-pointers made per game (1.95) and 12th in three-point percentage (as of 1/19/09). His career three-point percentage entered the season ranked 11th. His 86 made three-pointers moves him to 11th all-time in LMU history past Per Stumer (1988-90). His 229 attempts is tied for 11th with Cobi McElroy (1991-95).
FREE THROWS
The Lions throughout the season have slowly established themselves as one of the better free throw shooting teams in the West Coast Conference. Entering the Portland game the Lions are 72.9 percent (239-328) from the charity stripe, ranking second in the WCC (as of 1/19/09). The Lions struggled early from the stripe and in the final two games of the five-game/10-day stretch they shot 53.8 and 54.5 percent against Tulsa and Mercer, respectively. However, since then the Lions have shot better than 72 percent since then, a stretch of six games. Leading the way is the freshman Jarred DuBois at 85.7 percent. He is 84-for-98 from the line this season and is within range of cracking the top-20 in free throws made and attempted in a single season. Brandon Worthy set the freshman record with 149 made (ranked 11th) and 197 attempted (ranked 12th) in 2002-03. The year prior, the 2001-02 season, the LMU squad set the all-time team record, hitting 77.7 percent while ranking in the top-five nationally that season.
SHOOTING TOUCH
Against Arkansas-Little Rock in game two of the three-game road trip, the Lions shot 56.8 percent from the field (21-for-37), 58.3 percent from long range and 83.3 percent from the free throw line. It was the best shooting performance for the Lions in over two seasons and ranks seventh overall in the last decade. The Lions held UALR to just 41.7 percent shooting (25-for-60) and out-rebounded one of the best rebounding teams in the nation by nine (34-25).
TAKE A GOOD LOOK
The Australian forward Marko Deric is the only senior on the Lions' roster who came to the Lions on a scholarship. He enters the game against Portland with 101 games as a Lion, averaging 4.1 per game in his first three-plus seasons. Fellow senior guards Corey Counts and Chris Kanne are former walk-ons who earned scholarships this summer. Kanne is a fifth-year senior who earned his Business degree in May and is now in graduate school at LMU for Business Law. Kanne turned heads this offseason with his shooting and is expected to play more as he enters the Portland game with 50 career games in three-plus seasons. Counts had a breakout year last season, starting 22 games, leading the team with 88 assists while hitting on 39 percent from the three-point line (37-for-95). Counts has played 78 games as a Lion. Take a good look at seniors this season as Counts, Kanne and Deric will be the only three seniors in the LMU men's basketball program for the next two years as the roster has only one junior and that is redshirt Larry Davis.
HISTORICAL THREE
Since the three-point field goal was introduced in the 1986-87 season, LMU has had just one game where they have not had a three-pointer. Well, in the first game with the three-point line pushed back a foot they had their second, snapping a streak of 375 games snapped. The Lions went 0-for-8 against Wisconsin-Milwaukee, marking just the second time they went without a three. The only other "miss" came on Dec. 19, 1995 when the Lions went 0-for-6 in an 82-80 win over Hawaii. That game snapped a 271 consecutive three-pointer streak for the Lions. Heading into the game against Portland, in the 666 games the Lions have played since the three-point line was instituted, the Lions have hit three-pointers in 664 of them. The Lions have never gone without a three-pointer in WCC play.
DEFENSE
It might not show in the record, but the Lions and their zone defense has frustrated opponents. First it was No. 8 Notre Dame, holding first-team All-Big East performer Kyle McAlarney to zero points. The senior McAlarney averaged 15.1 points a year ago and hit 108 three-pointers (hitting 44 percent) and then went on to hit 39 against No. 1 North Carolina a week later. Freshman Jarred DuBois and senior Corey Counts held him to 0-for-7 from the field and 0-for-4 from long range, forcing him into four turnovers. The Lions then held Arizona's Chase Budinger to just 10 points in 27 minutes, more than 12 points less than his average entering the game. Then against Wyoming, holding the Mountain West Conference's highest scoring team more than 20 points under its season average. The Lions held Preseason All-American Honorable Mention selection, Brandon Ewing, under double digits for the first time in 21 games, dating back to the middle of last season. On top of that, the Lions held a Cowboys team that averages better than 48 percent from the field to 40 percent and 28 percent from behind the arc. Against UC Riverside, they limited the Highlanders to a season low 59 points on 25.9 percent shooting from the three-point line (7-for-27) while at No. 12 UCLA, the Lions held the Bruins to their lowest shooting percentage at Pauley Pavilion, 39.4. It was also the lowest shooting percentage by any opponent against LMU this season.
THE TEEL DEAL
Sophomore Vernon Teel was named to the World Vision Classic All-Tournament team after an impressive opening act for the Lions. The native of Jamaica Queens, New York, averaged 19.3 points and 9.3 rebounds in the three games in Ames, Iowa. He finished with 58 points in the tournament, going for 23 points, six rebounds and three assists against UC Davis; 17 points, 13 rebounds and three assists against Iowa State; and putting in 18 points with nine rebounds and two assists in his debut against Wisconsin-Milwaukee. He has not played since he suffered a broken foot against Notre Dame. He has been cleared to practice this week.
- GO LIONS -
