Game Data

Loyola University Maryland will make its second appearance in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Championship Game, and its first since March 7, 1994, when it takes on Fairfield University on Monday, March 5, at 7 o’clock.

Springfield, Mass., and the MassMutual Center will host all games in the tournament.

Watch Or Listen

The game will be broadcast on ESPN2 with Bob Wischusen calling the play-by-play and Len Elmore providing the analysis. It will also be broadcast worldwide on ESPN3.com.

Been A Little While

Loyola is making its first trip to the MAAC Championship Game in 18 seasons, a span of 17 years, 11 months and 27 days. In all, it will have been 6,573 days between MAAC Championship Games for the Greyhounds.

This year’s freshmen – Tyler Hubbard and R.J. Williams – were less than one year old the last time Loyola played in the title match.

MAAC Championships History

Loyola is competing in the MAAC Championships for the 23rd year. The Greyhounds are 10-21 all-time in the championships.

Sunday was just Loyola fifth trip to the MAAC semifinals, joining the teams from 1994, 1998, 2007 and 2008. The Greyhounds are now 2-3 all-time in the semifinals.

The Greyhounds won their only MAAC Championship Game appearance, as the late Skip Prosser coached Loyola to an 80-75 win over Manhattan.

Series History

Loyola and Fairfield will meet for the 53rd time on the hardwood Monday night with the Stags entering the game with a 36-16 advantage in the previous meetings.

The teams split the regular-season meetings with each winning on the other’s home court.

Fairfield defeated Loyola, 68-51, when the Stags visited Reitz Arena on February 12. Four Stag starters scored in double figures, led by Rakim Sanders’ 13. Robert Olson and Erik Etherly both finished with 17 for the Greyhounds.

The Greyhounds won the first meeting between the two, 66-63, on January 13, at the Webster Bank Arena at Harbor Yard in Bridgeport, Conn. Loyola rallied form a 15-point halftime deficit in the second half to win.. The Greyhounds trailed by seven with 2:07 left when Olson scored seven in a row to tie the game with 1:19 to go. Five of his points came as the direct result of Dylon Cormier steals in the backcourt. Etherly led all players with 17 points and 10 rebounds, while Olson finished with 15, Cormier added 12, and Justin Drummond scored 10. Sanders had 17 for Fairfield.

Hitting 21 Twice

Erik Etherly has posted back-to-back 20-point games for the first time in his career over the Greyhounds two MAAC Championships games. He finished with 21 against both Niagara and Siena, leading Loyola against the Saints.

In the two games, Etherly has made 16-of-26 (.615) field goals and 9-of-12 (.750) from the foul line. On Sunday against Siena, Etherly drained the third 3-pointer of his collegiate career, all this season, with the shot clock winding down on a second-half possession.

Hot Shooting

Loyola recorded its best shooting performance of the season on Saturday night against Niagara, going 29-of-46 from the floor, good for 63-percent.

The outing was 10 percentage points better than the Greyhounds’ previous best this season when they shot 52.9-percent from the field (27-of-51) at Bucknell on December 28, 2011.

Loyola’s 29 field goals made were its second-most of the year, behind the 32 it made on February 10 against Iona.

The Greyhounds continued their good shooting in the MAAC Semifinal against Siena, making 50.9-percent of their shots (27-of-53). Loyola also converted on 7-of-13 3-pointers, for its second-best 3-point percentage of the season, 53.8-percent.

Sharing The Rock

Loyola matched its season-high with 18 assists against Siena, tying the mark it posted in two games against Canisius and in a non-conference game versus Florida Gulf Coast, all Greyhound wins.

Three Loyola players – Robert Olson (6), R.J. Williams (5) and Anthony Winbush (3) – combined for 14 of the assists.

Olson’s six were a career-best, and it brought his MAAC Championships total to five after he matched his previous career-high with five in the quarterfinal.

The Greyhounds improved to 8-0 this season when Williams has four or more assists.

Big Buckets By Bush

Anthony Winbush has scored only nine points in the Greyhounds’ two MAAC Championships games, but three of his field goals have come at critical junctures in the victories.

On Sunday, he tallied Loyola’s fifth and sixth points of the game, scoring in the paint at 12:13 to stop an 11-0 Siena run that had the Saints ahead 11-4. He then made a jumper at 6:31 that put the Greyhounds ahead 17-16 in the first half.

In Friday night’s victory, Winbush’s first half basket with 2:32 on the clock broke a 31-31 tie.

Stretch Of Threes

When Kyle Downey cut through the lane and laid in a basket with 16:42 to go in regulation, it pulled Siena within three, 32-29. Robert Olson responded for the Greyhounds, however, knocking down a three at 16:25 that started a 12-4 Greyhounds run that saw the Greyhounds go 4-of-4 from 3-point range.

Dylon Cormier and Shane Walker each hit threes during the span, and Olson capped it with a three off the dribble at 14:12, making Loyola’s lead 44-33.

Against The Nation’s Leading Rebounder

Loyola held Siena’s O.D. Anosike, the leading rebounder in NCAA Division I, to a season-low five boards. It was just the fourth time this season Anoskie, who entered the game averaging 12.8 rebounds per game, was held to single-digits on the glass. His previous low this season was eight.

Last Time Out

Siena, which led by eight early in the first half, cut Loyola’s second-half advantage to 32-29 on a Kyle Downey layup, but Robert Olson hit a three on the ensuing possession, triggering a 12-4 Loyola run that saw the Greyhounds make four-straight threes.

The Saints got within seven at two points after Olson’s second three capped the run, but they could not draw closer.

Erik Etherly led all scorers with 21 points, and three other Greyhounds joined him in double-figures. Shane Walker and Robert Olson each had 12 points, and Justin Drummond added 10.

Cormier & Etherly Over 20

For the third time this season, Dylon Cormier and Erik Etherly both eclipsed the 20-point mark in the same game. Cormier finished with a game-high 23, and Etherly had 21.

The duo previously topped 20 together at UMBC and at home against Iona, both Greyhounds’ wins. Etherly now has four 20-point games this season after tallying 21 against Siena. Cormier has hit the plateau eight times this year.

Walker’s Double-Double

Shane Walker notched his third double-double of the season on Saturday night, going for 13 points and 12 rebounds. He scored nine of his points in the first half, scoring seven of Loyola’s first nine points of the game. He also had four assists and blocked two shots in 37 minutes of action.

Bouncing Back From Three

It took over 22 minutes of game action against Niagara, but the Greyhounds hit their first 3-pointer since Justin Drummond made one with 7:59 to play at Rider on Friday, February 24. The Greyhounds snapped a streak of 331 games with at least one 3-pointer last Sunday when they went 0-of-8 against Manhattan.

In all, the Greyhounds went more than 70 minutes without sinking a three until Dylon Cormier hit one with 17:51 to play in regulation. That shot also gave Loyola the lead for good in the game.

Loyola broke out of the slump in the second half, going 5-of-7 from behind the arc after the break.

First Time As A Two

Loyola entered the MAAC Championships as a No. 2 seed for the first time in 23 trips to the tournament. Prior to this year, the Greyhounds had never been higher than a three seed, the slot they held in 2006-2007.

Best MAAC Finish

Loyola defeated Manhattan last Sunday afternoon to earn its 13th Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference victory of the season, setting a program record in the process.

The Greyhounds twice finished their MAAC schedule 12-6 (2006-2007 and 2007-2008), a game shy of this year’s record.

Loyola also finished alone in second place in the conference standings, improving on its previous best finish when it tied for second with a 10-4 league mark in 1996-1997.

20-Win Season

The Greyhounds’ victory over Boston University on February 19 was their 20th of the season, setting a school Division I record.

Loyola, which moved to NCAA Division I in 1981-1982, had won 19 games in 2007-2008 and 18 in 2006-2007.

The overall school record for victories, 25, game in 1948-1949.

Patsos Named Coach Of The Year

On Thursday night, Jimmy Patsos became the first Loyola coach to earn The Rock/Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Coach of the Year honors by a vote of his peers in the league.

Patsos has guided the Greyhounds to a school Division I high 23 wins and a program MAAC record 13 victories. He earned his 100th career coaching victory in November and led the Greyhounds to the No. 2 seed in the MAAC Championships.

Drummond Picks Up 6th Man Award

Justin Drummond became the fifth Loyola player to earn MAAC 6th Man Of the Year honors in the last eight seasons when he picked up the award on Thursday night. He led all bench players in the league with 11.1 points, fourth on the team, and he was third on the squad with 4.2 rebounds per game.

Drummond joins Charlie Bell (2005), Michael Tuck (2007), Marquis Sullivan (2008) and J’hared Hall (2011) as Jimmy Patsos-coached players to win the award.

All-MAAC Honors

For the first time since the league expanded to three All-MAAC teams in 1998, four Greyhounds received all-league honors, topping all teams in the conference. Erik Etherly was named to the All-MAAC First Team, Dylon Cormier to the Second, and Justin Drummond and Robert Olson to the Third.

Loyola led all teams in the MAAC with its four selections, just in front of Iona’s three.

The Greyhounds’ previous high was at the end of the 1997-1998 season when Mike Powell (1st), Jason Rowe (2nd) and Roderick Platt (3rd) earned All-MAAC honors.

Etherly led Loyola in scoring (13.3) and rebounding (7.4) during conference play, and he is second overall on the team with 13.4 points per game. He also is tied for fourth in the league with teammate Shane Walker with 39 blocked shots, and he is fourth in field-goal percentage (.540).

Cormier has led the team throughout the season in scoring with a 13.9 points, and he has shot 46.5-percent from the field. Cormier is third in the conference with 1.7 steals per game, and he has topped the 20-point mark eight times this year.

Drummond has come off the bench in 26 of the Greyhounds’ 30 games this year and is fourth on the team with 11.1 points per game. The guard is also third in rebounding (4.2). He has scored in double figures 15 times this year.

Olson has been one of the top 3-point shooters in the conference this year. He has shot .440 from behind the arc, second-best in the MAAC, and has averaged 11.3 points per game. The junior guard entered the month of January averaging less than nine points per game, but since then he has been the team’s second-leading scorer at nearly 13 a contest.

More Than 60 Years

The last time the Loyola men’s basketball program won 20 games in a season, 1948-1949, the following things were going on in the world, 63 years ago:

Harry Truman began his first full term as President of the United States.

Arthur Miller’s Death Of A Salesman premiered on Broadway.

NATO was formed.

The Basketball Association of America and the National Basketball League merged to form the NBA.

The first jet-powered airliner, the de Havilland Comet, took flight.

Billy Joel, Joe Theismann, Bruce Springsteen & Meryl Streep were born.

Milestones And Firsts

Loyola has accomplished several milestones and firsts throughout the 2011-2012 season. Here is a sample of a few:

First 20-win season in Division I history.

Program MAAC record with 13 league wins and best conference finish (2nd).

Tied school Division I record with eight non-conference wins (1993-1994).

Longest winning streak in school Division I history (8, Nov. 14-Dec. 10). Also, second longest winning streak in D-I history (7, Jan. 19-Feb. 10).

First back-to-back sellouts of Reitz Arena since the venue opened in 1984 (Feb. 3 and 10).

Snapped Bucknell’s 18-game home court winning streak.

Winning Without A Three

Loyola completed a rare accomplishment at Manhattan, defeating the Jaspers despite not making a 3-pointer in the game. The Greyhounds attempted just eight from behind the arc.

The last time the Greyhounds won a game without making a 3-pointer was February 27, 1996, when they defeated Siena, 67-53, in Reitz Arena, a span of 438 games. Loyola was 0-of-9 in that win over the Saints.

No Starters In Double-Figures

Loyola also won the Manhattan game without a starter in double-figures. Dylon Cormier and Erik Etherly each scored nine from the starting line, but Justin Drummond (13) and Anthony Winbush (12) scored 25 of the Greyhounds’ 29 bench points in the win.

The last time no starters scored in double figures was on November 24, 2010, when the Greyhounds lost 51-48 at Vermont.

It was the first time Loyola had won a MAAC game without having a starter score 10 or more, going back to the 1989-1990 season when the Greyhounds joined the conference.

Rally Caps

The February 26 win at Manhattan was the third time this season that the Greyhounds came back from a 10-plus goal deficit to win. Manhattan led by 11 four times, including with 11:36 in the second half. The Greyhounds also rallied form 15-point deficits to defeat Boston University at home and Fairfield on the road.

Balanced Offense

Loyola overcame a low scoring afternoon in the Manhattan win when just two players, Justin Drummond (13) and Anthony Winbush (12) topped 10 points.

Loyola is 11-2 this season when four or more players score in double figures, and prior to the defeat at Rider, it had not lost since the season-opener on November 11 at Wake Forest. The Greyhounds are also 21-3 when three or more players top 10.

Transversely, the Greyhounds are just 2-5 when two or fewer players tally 10 or more with their only wins coming on December 7 at George Washington and at Manhattan.

45-Percent Or Better

Loyola improved to 13-1 this season when shooting 45.0-percent or better from the field with its win over Siena. The only loss the Greyhounds have suffered when shooting that mark or better was on February 24 when they went 25-of-55 (.455) from the field at Rider and lost by four.

Telling Stats

Loyola’s three most recent losses underscored the importance for the Greyhounds of capitalizing on a few areas of the box score. Seven of Loyola’s eight losses have come when scoring fewer transition points – and the eighth loss was in a game that the teams tied in the category – than its opponents.

The Greyhounds also dropped to 2-6 this year in the eight games they have shot fewer free throws than their opponents, compared to 19-2 when shooting more.

Loyola is also 4-8 when its opponents have a better field-goal percentage, compared to 18-0 when the Greyhounds shoot at a better clip.

Leading The Charge

Robert Olson and Erik Etherly paced the Greyhounds in their 18 MAAC games as the top two scorers. Etherly again is slightly ahead of Olson, scoring-wise, tallying 239 (13.3 per game) points to Olson’s 225 (12.5).The duo shot 48.6-percent from the field (159-of-327) during league play, and Olson was 42-of-94 (.447) from 3-point range.

Olson’s Last 16

Robert Olson entered the month of January averaging 8.9 points per game through Loyola’s first 11, and he stayed right on that track in the first two games of 2012, scoring a combined 17.

Since then, however, he has averaged 13.2 points per game, starting with a 16-point game on January 7 against Canisius. The game against the Golden Griffins started a stretch of 11-straight in which Olson scored 11 or more points and had 15 or more seven times. During the last 15 games, Olson has shot 75-of-150, 50.0-percent, from the field and 45-of-94 (.478) from behind the 3-point line.

Against Niagara, he hit two threes and moved into sole possession of 10th on the single-season threes list at Loyola.. His 136 career threes are sixth in school history.

Six Under Sixty

For the first time in its NCAA Division I history (since 1981-1982), Loyola held six consecutive opponents to fewer than 60 points.

During the span, all Loyola victories, the Greyhounds have held Siena, Saint Peter’s (twice), Niagara, Canisius and Rider to an average of 53.2 points per game.

The Greyhounds previously had held three teams to sub-60 performances just once since joining Division I, and that came during 1981-1982, their first season at this level.

The last time a Loyola team held six-straight teams under 60, regardless of division, came in January-February 1977 when it held six teams in a row – Southampton, Saint Peter’s, Randolph-Macon, Mount St. Mary’s, Baltimore and Philadelphia Textile – to 59 or fewer. The Greyhounds, however, were just 3-3 in that stretch.

Walker Moves Into Second

Shane Walker blocked two Fairfield shots in the first three minutes of the game, and he then swatted a Maurice Barrow layup with 13:58 on the clock, tying him for second all-time at Loyola in blocked shots. He now has 130 in his career, second all-time.

Running Away

Runs have been a big part of the Greyhounds’ success this year. Here is a look at some runs of note:

Century Mark

Head Coach Jimmy Patsos became the third coach in Loyola history to win 100 games when the Greyhounds defeated UMBC, 73-63, on the road. Patsos, who is in his eighth season, took over a team that finished 1-27 during the 2002-2003 season. He won his 100th game in his 215th career game.

Last season, Patsos moved into third-place all time at Loyola in victories, trailing only Lefty Reitz (349 wins, 1937-44, 1945-61) and Nap Doherty (165, 1961-74).

Two Of A Kind

Although unofficial, research shows that Jimmy Patsos is one of only two coaches in the last 20 years to take a team that won just one game the year prior to his arrival.

Brigham Young finished the 1996-1997 season with a 1-25 record. Steve Cleveland took over the following season and tallied 138 wins until his departure for Fresno State after the 2004-2005 season.

Baltimore Bred And More From Nearby

Since taking over as head coach in 2004, Jimmy Patsos has put an emphasis on recruiting locally, and it has never shown as much as on this year’s roster. Three players – sophomore guard Dylon Cormier (Cardinal Gibbons), sophomore forward Jordan Latham (City) and freshman guard R.J. Williams (St. Frances) are products of schools within the city limits.

Six more players played in high school within 50 miles of Loyola, as the crow flies (thanks daftlogic.com): Shane Walker & Tyler Hubbard, Montrose Christian, 32.6 miles; Robert Olson, Georgetown Prep, 33.9; Justin Drummond, Riverdale Baptist, 33.9; Anthony Winbush, T.C. Williams, 43.7; and Erik Etherly, Annandale, 47.9.

GREENSBORO, N.C. – Four members of the Maryland women’s basketball team were named to the 2011-12 Women’s Basketball All-ACC teams, as announced today by ACC Commissioner John Swofford.

The accolades are voted on by the league’s “Blue Ribbon Panel,” which consists of national and local media members, as well as school representatives.  Alyssa Thomas earned First Team honors, Tianna Hawkins was named to the Second Team, while Lynetta Kizer and Laurin Mincy earned Honorable Mention Honors.

Kizer also earned the fifth annual ACC Sixth Player of the Year honor. The ACC Sixth Player of the Year accolade is nominated and selected by a vote of the league’s 12 head coaches among players that started fewer than 33% of their team’s games.

Thomas, the ACC’s leading scorer, averaged 17.0 points per game and 17.7 points per conference game. Her 8.5 rebounds per ACC game are fifth-best in the league. She earned her fourth ACC Player of the Week honor Monday for a total of four weekly honors this season – more than any other player in the league.

Thomas, who was named ACC Rookie of the Year last season, has scored in double figures in 25 of 28 games this season with eight double-doubles. The Terrapins won four straight to end the regular season. In that four-game span, Thomas averaged 17.0 points, 13.3 rebounds and four assists per game.

Hawkins, a junior forward, leads the nation with her field goal percentage of 64.4 and is the league’s best offensive rebounder with 4.7 per contest. She is No. 9 in the ACC in scoring with 14.0 points per league game and second in overall rebounding with 9.5 a contest.

Mincy proved to be one of the league’s best shooters with her three-point field goal percentage of .390, which was good for No. 2 in the conference. She finished 11th in the league in scoring with 13.4 points per game and seventh with her free throw percentage of 82 percent. Mincy was easily one of the ACC’s most improved players, after she averaged 4.9 points per game as a freshman, to 13.4 points per contest this year as a sophomore.

Kizer ranks 21st in the league with 11.6 points on 46.4% shooting this season after only starting one of the Terrapins’ 26 games. She added 5.8 rebounds per game, fourth-most on the Maryland roster.

A senior from Woodbridge, Va., Kizer posted three double-doubles and had eight consecutive games with double-figure points during conference play. She recorded 16 points and a season-high 12 rebounds, including the 900th of her career, against No. 6 Miami in mid-February.

The Terrapins (25-4, 11-4 ACC) will open play in the 35th Annual ACC Women’s Basketball Tournament Friday evening at approximately 8 p.m. as the No. 3 seed. They will play either sixth-seeded Virginia or 11th-seeded Boston College, depending on Thursday’s result.

All eight games on Thursday and Friday will be broadcast on the league’s regional sports network (RSN-Comcast SportsNet/Comcast SportsNet PLUS in Baltimore). The entire tournament can also be seen on ESPN3.

For more information, visit the official site of the 2012 ACC Women’s Basketball Tournament at www.theACC.com/SheCanPlay. Fans can also follow the upcoming Tournament games on Twitter at @ACCwbb.

Maryland is ranked No. 6 in both the latest Associated Press and ESPN/USA Today Division I Top 25 Coaches’ polls.

All-ACC First Team
Chelsea Gray, Duke
Shenise Johnson, Miami
Alyssa Thomas, Maryland
Elizabeth Williams, Duke
Riquna Williams, Miami

All-ACC Second Team
Sasha Goodlett, Georgia Tech
Tianna Hawkins, Maryland
Tyaunna Marshall, Georgia Tech
Ariana Moorer, Virginia
Chay Shegog, North Carolina

All-ACC Third Team
Cierra Bravard, Florida State
Bonae Holston, NC State
Natasha Howard, Florida State
Haley Peters, Duke
Stefanie Yderstrom, Miami

All-ACC Honorable Mention (More than 15 points)
Laura Broomfield, North Carolina; Lakevia Boykin, Wake Forest; Ataira Franklin, Virginia; Marissa Kastanek, NC State; Lynetta Kizer, Maryland; Laurin Mincy, Maryland

Terps will play six home games in 2012, including matchups with Florida State, Georgia Tech and Connecticut

GREENSBORO, N.C. – The 2012 Maryland football schedule, which includes league home games against Florida State and Georgia Tech, and a nonconference tilt with Connecticut, was announced jointly Monday by the Atlantic Coast Conference and the University.

Maryland will open 2012 season, the second under head coach Randy Edsall, on Saturday, Sept. 1 with a game against William & Mary, the first of six home contests.

The Terps, who face eight bowl teams from last year, will not play consecutive road or home games throughout 2012.

After a road trip to Temple on Sept. 8, the Terps return home on Sept. 15 to face Connecticut, where Edsall spent 12 years as head coach.

The Terps will face interstate rival West Virginia on Sept. 22 in Morgantown. Maryland and WVU will be facing each other for the third straight year after taking two years off in the series.

Maryland will enjoy a bye (Sept. 29) before entering conference play with a home game against Wake Forest (Oct. 6).

The Terps will play at border rival Virginia on Oct. 13 before facing a pair of Atlantic Division foes in NC State (Oct. 20 at home) and Boston College (Oct. 27 on the road).

Georgia Tech then visits College Park for the first time since 2007 on Nov. 3 and a road game against defending Atlantic Division champion Clemson follows on Nov. 10.

The Terrapins will face Florida State on Nov. 17, the final home contest for its senior class, before closing out the regular season at North Carolina on Nov. 26. The Terps and Tar Heels have not faced each other since 2008.

Game times will be announced at a later date. League home games are selected on a 12-day option by ESPN or the ACC Network. During the season, ESPN can choose certain ACC games on a six-day window. Times for early-season nonconference home games are announced in the summer.

Season tickets are now available for purchase and renewal.  A variety of season ticket options are available starting as low as $114. There are also family 4-packs available for $420 and season-ticket holders have the ability to spread their cost over six monthly installments.

Fans can purchase tickets by going to www.umterps.com or by calling the Terrapin Ticket Office at (301) 314-7070 or 1-800-IMA-TERP. Single-game tickets will be available at a later date.

2012 Schedule

Sept. 1    William & Mary

Sept. 8    @ Temple

Sept. 15   Connecticut

Sept. 22   @ West Virginia

Sept. 29   Open

Oct. 6      Wake Forest

Oct. 13    @ Virginia

Oct. 20    NC State

Oct. 27    @ Boston College

Nov. 3     Georgia Tech

Nov. 10    @ Clemson

Nov. 17    Florida State

Nov. 24    @ North Carolina

Home games in bold and played at Capital One Field at Byrd Stadium; Times are TBA

Schedule Notes:

• Nine bowl teams from last year appear on Maryland’s 2012 schedule: West Virginia (Discover Orange Bowl), Temple (Gilden New Mexico Bowl), Wake Forest (Franklin American Mortgage Music City), Virginia (Chick-fil-A Bowl), NC State (Belk Bowl), Georgia Tech (Hyundai Sun Bowl), Clemson (Discover Orange Bowl), Florida State (Champs Sports Bowl) and North Carolina (AdvoCare V100 Independence Bowl).
• Maryland and William & Mary will be meeting for the fifth time. The series is even at 2-all. The last meeting occurred in 2006 with the Terps posting a 27-14 victory in College Park. The teams hadn’t met since 1946.
• Maryland leads the all-time series with Temple, 6-1. The Owls won their first game in the series last season, downing the Terps, 38-7.
• Maryland and West Virginia are playing for the third straight season after taking two years off in the series. The two schools met annually from 1980 to 2007. The Mountaineers hold a 25-21-2 advantage in a series that dates back to 1919.
• Connecticut and Maryland will be meeting for the just the second time. The Terps downed the Huskies, 34-0, in 1946. Randy Edsall was the head coach at UConn from 1999-2010.
• Maryland owns a 42-17-1 advantage in the series against Wake Forest, including victories in nine of the last 13. The Terps have won five of the last six in College Park.
• The Terps lead the all-time series with Virginia, 42-32-2. Maryland has won two of the last three in Charlottesville.
• The all-time series with NC State is tied, 32-32-4. The Terps have won eight of the last 12 in the series.
• Boston College leads the all-time series 6-3. Maryland and Boston College met for the first time in 21 years in Massachusetts in 2006 with the Eagles winning, 38-16 (in Chestnut Hill). Maryland’s 42-35 home victory in 2007 over the eighth-ranked Eagles snapped a three-game BC winning streak in the series. Maryland won the last time it visited Chestnut Hill (2010), its first victory in three trips.
• Georgia Tech leads the series with the Terps, 14-6, having won four of the last five meetings. Five of the last seven games have been decided by five points or less.
• Clemson holds a 32-26-2 advantage over Maryland in the series, but the Terps have won six of the last 11.
• Florida State has a 20-2 edge in the all-time series, but both Maryland wins have come at home in the last eight meetings.

Maryland (16-11, 6-7) at Georgia Tech (9-18, 2-11)
Saturday, Feb. 24, 2012 | 2:30 p.m. | Atlanta, Ga. (Philips Arena)
ACC Network-WNUV 54 in Baltimore | Terrapin Sports Radio Network

Game Data

Loyola University Maryland plays its penultimate game of the 2011-2012 regular-season on Friday, February 24, 2012, when it takes on Rider University in Lawrenceville, N.J. Tip-off is slated for 7 o’clock.

On The Tube

The game will be televised live on ESPN2, the Greyhounds’ 11th televised game of the season. Doug Sherman will call the play-by-play, and former North Carolina State star Dereck Whittenburg will provide color analysis.

The game is Loyola’s first on ESPN2 since December 31, 2008, when it played Duke in Cameron Indoor Stadium.

Series History

Loyola and Rider will meet for the 39th time in series history when the teams take the floor on Friday with the Broncs holding a 22-16 lead in the previous 38 games.

The Greyhounds have won five of the last eight meetings between the teams.

The teams played just three weeks ago with Loyola coming out with a 63-46 win in front of a national television audience on ESPNU and sell-out crowd at Reitz Arena. Loyola held Rider to 13-percent shooting from the field in the first half and 12 points before the break.

Rider, which never led in the game, got back to within 13 points with less than 13 minutes to go in the game, but the Broncs would draw no closer.

Erik Etherly led all players with 15 points, and Robert Olson scored 14. Shane Walker had a game-high 12 rebounds for the Greyhounds.

20-Win Season

The Greyhounds’ victory over Boston University last Sunday was their 20th of the season, setting a school Division I record.

Loyola, which moved to NCAA Division I in 1981-1982, had won 19 games in 2007-2008 and 18 in 2006-2007.

More Than 60 Years

The last time the Loyola men’s basketball program won 20 games in a season, 1948-1949, the following things were going on in the world, 63 years ago:

Harry Truman began his first full term as President of the United States.

Arthur Miller’s Death Of A Salesman premiered on Broadway.

NATO was formed.

The Basketball Association of America and the National Basketball League merged to form the NBA.

The first jet-powered airliner, the de Havilland Comet, took flight.

Billy Joel, Joe Theismann, Bruce Springsteen & Meryl Streep were born.

Milestones And Firsts

Loyola has accomplished several milestones and firsts throughout the 2011-2012 season. Here is a sample of a few:

First 20-win season in Division I history.

Tied record with 12 MAAC wins (2006-2007 & 2007-2008).

Tied school Division I record with eight non-conference wins (1993-1994).

Longest winning streak in school Division I history (8, Nov. 14-Dec. 10). Also, second longest winning streak in D-I history (7, Jan. 19-Feb. 10).

First back-to-back sellouts of Reitz Arena since the venue opened in 1984 (Feb. 3 and 10).

Snapped Bucknell’s 18-game home court winning streak.

On Target

Robert Olson rebounded from a subpar shooting performance last Wednesday at Marist with one of his best shooting games as a Greyhound.

Olson scored just four points on 2-of-10 from the field against the Red Foxes, but he missed just one shot (6-of-7) to finish with 17 points against the Red Foxes.

The junior guard made 5-of-6 3-pointers, 4-of-4 in the second half, and also had three assists and four rebounds.

Second Half Shooting

Loyola started the game making just 3-of-11 shots in the first 12 minutes and was only 10-of-29 (.345) from the floor in the first half, but the Greyhounds picked up their percentage drastically in the second half.

Loyola made 15-of-21 shots after the break, going a season-best 71.4-percent from the field in the second half.

Back In Balance

During the Greyhounds’ two-game losing streak against Fairfield and Marist, several factors contributed to their demise, including lack of balanced scoring.

At Marist, Shane Walker (16) and Dylon Cormier (11) were the only Greyhounds in double-figures, and versus Fairfield, Erik Etherly and Robert Olson (both 17) were the only ones to top 10 points.

In the win over Boston U., four Greyhounds scored 11 or more: Olson (17), Cormier (14), Justin Drummond (12) and Etherly (11).

Loyola is 10-1 this season when four or more players score in double figures, having not lost since the season-opener on November 11 at Wake Forest when that occurs. The Greyhounds are 19-2 when three or more players top 10.

Transversely, the Greyhounds are just 1-5 when two or fewer players tally 10 or more with the only win coming on December 7 at George Washington.

Last Time Out

Robert Olson hit four of his five three points in the second half and helped Loyola pull away from Boston University for a 69-56 Bracketbuster victory on Sunday. Olson finished with 17 points, needing just seven shots to score that number.

Olson broke a 34-34 tie with his first three of the second half, sparking a 16-3 Loyola run that would put them in front by 13 with 11:28 to play. The Terriers would get it back to four with less than six minutes, but another Olson trey would push it to seven and start a 13-2 stretch for the Greyhounds.

Telling Stats

Loyola’s two most recent losses underscored the importance for the Greyhounds of capitalizing on a few areas of the box score.

Six of Loyola’s seven losses have come when scoring fewer transition points – and the seventh loss was in a game that the teams tied in the category – than its opponents.

The Greyhounds also dropped to 2-5 this year in the seven games they have shot fewer free throws than their opponents, compared to 15-2 when shooting more.

Loyola is also 4-7 when its opponents have a better field-goal percentage, compared to 15-0 when the Greyhounds shoot at a better clip.

Balance Abound

Loyola enters last week of its regular season as one of only two Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference teams (Rider) to boast four players with double-figure scoring averages, although the Broncs have six.

The Greyhounds are the only team with four players who have averages of 10.0 points per game or greater – Dylon Cormier (13.8), Erik Etherly (13.3), Robert Olson (11.8) and Justin Drummond (11.1).

Leading The Charge

Erik Etherly and Robert Olson have been the Greyhounds’ two most consistent scorers since the calendar flipped to 2012, averaging a combined 28.4 points per game since January 5, a span of 14 games in which they are 11-3.

Olson has scored three more points than Olson during those 14 games, 200-197 and averages 14.3 points to Etherly’s 14.1.

Combined, the duo is shooting 51.5-percent from the field (136-of-264). Olson is 43-of-79 (.544) from behind the 3-point line, as well.

Etherly also leads Loyola with a 7.4 rebounds per game mark during the last 13 games, while Olson is third on the team, averaging 4.0.

Tops In Conference Play, Too

Robert Olson and Erik Etherly have also paced the Greyhounds in their 16 MAAC games thus far as the top two scorers. Etherly again is slightly ahead of Olson, scoring-wise, tallying 216 (13.5 per game) points to Olson’s 212 (13.3).

Etherly has averaged 7.3 rebounds in 6 conference games, and Olson is third on the team with an average of 4.3.

Reitz Was Rockin’

The Greyhounds’ games in Reitz Arena against Rider and Iona were both been sellout crowds of 2,100. It marked the first time since Reitz opened in December 1984 that the gym has had back-to-back sellout crowds.

The crowd on February 3 against Rider was the building’s first sellout since November 14, 2008, against Mount St. Mary’s.

Still Crashing The Offensive Boards

The Greyhounds corrected one problem from the loss to Fairfield in which they had just 10 offensive rebounds in 36 opportunities. They pulled down 18 against Marist, their most since grabbing 22 on January 29 at Canisius. Shane Walker led the way with six, while Justin Drummond and Jordan Latham each had three.

Loyola leads the MAAC in offensive rebounding as a team, averaging 13.9, a full rebound more per game that second-place Canisius (12.9).

Despite the team ranking, no Greyhounds player is higher than seventh in the conference in offensive rebounds per game. Erik Etherly is seventh with 2.6, while Drummond is 13th with 2.1, and Walker is 15th with 2.0. No other team in the MAAC has more than two players in the top 15.

Offensive Onslaught

Loyola turned in season highs in points (87), field goals made (32) and field goals attempted (63) at home against Iona.

The Greyhounds’ 47 points in the first half were also the most they’ve scored in the first 20 minutes this season and were tied for the most in either half, matching the 47 scored on November 14 against Coppin State in the second half.

Eight Field Goals For Three

Three Greyhounds knocked down eight or more field goals versus the Gaels. Erik Etherly was 9-of-12 from the field, Justin Drummond 8-of-12, and Dylon Cormier 8-of-16.

It was the first time in the eight-year tenure of Jimmy Patsos as head coach that three or more players have made eight or more baskets in the same game.

Etherly, Cormier Top 20

For the second time this year, Erik Etherly and Dylon Cormier both topped the 20-point mark. The duo also accomplished the feat on November 17 at UMBC when Etherly scored a career-best 27, and Cormier finished with 20.

Against Iona, Etherly and Cormier’s combined 44 points were just over half of the Greyhounds’ 87.

Drummond Raises Efficiency

Justin Drummond had his best shooting night of the season versus Iona, making 8-of-12 shots (.667). Drummond, who shot .446 as a freshman last year, has seen his field-goal percentage dip to .387 this year.

His previous best outing of the season came on December 28 at Bucknell when he was 5-of-8 (.625) from the floor.

Defensive Presence

Jordan Latham did not play in the Greyhounds’ first meeting with Iona, an 11-point setback, but the sophomore forward made his presence known last Friday night.

He came off the bench and played 14 minutes and had four blocked shots. Three of his blocks were not just redirects, but true swats of the ball. Each of his blocked shots came against different Iona players and in different situations. Twice, Latham swatted shots by driving guards, and he twice denied post players.

The four blocks were a career-high for Latham.

R.J.’s Assists Equal Success

R.J. Williams recorded five assists in the win over Iona, the fourth time this year he’s dished out five or more. The Greyhounds are 7-0 this season in games that Williams has four or more helpers.

As a team, the Greyhounds are 4-0 this year when recorded 15 or more assists.

Six Under Sixty

For the first time in its NCAA Division I history (since 1981-1982), Loyola held six consecutive opponents to fewer than 60 points.

During the span, all Loyola victories, the Greyhounds have held Siena, Saint Peter’s (twice), Niagara, Canisius and Rider to an average of 53.2 points per game.

The Greyhounds previously had held three teams to sub-60 performances just once since joining Division I, and that came during 1981-1982, their first season at this level.

The last time a Loyola team held six-straight teams under 60, regardless of division, came in January-February 1977 when it held six teams in a row – Southampton, Saint Peter’s, Randolph-Macon, Mount St. Mary’s, Baltimore and Philadelphia Textile – to 59 or fewer. The Greyhounds, however, were just 3-3 in that stretch.

During The Six

Loyola’s success during the six games was reflected in several statistics. Opponents were shooting .387, .046 lower than the season average of .433. Also, Loyola held foes to .241 from 3-point range, more than 10 points lower than the season mark of .350.

Following the Greyhounds’ game at Iona on January 15, Loyola was ranked 265th in field-goal percentage defense (.449), 325th in 3-point defense (.389), and 163rd in scoring defense (66.2).

After the six games the Greyhounds to 193rd in field goal percentage defense (.443), 215th in 3-point defense (.350) and 71st in scoring defense (62.8).

Olson’s January, Continued

After a stretch of not scoring in double figures for the last three games of December and the first two in January, Robert Olson was the Greyhounds’ leading scorer during the first month of the new calendar year, averaging 14.1.

In Loyola’s last 14 games, a stretch in which the Greyhounds are 11-3, Olson has averaged a team-best 14.3 points per game, most on the team.

Overall this season, Olson is shooting 46.1-percent from 3-point range, and his 59 threes made this season are 11th in school single-season history. His 3-point field goal percentage currently stands third in school single-season history.

Olson has made 131 threes in his career, good for sixth-best all-time at Loyola, passing Gerald Brown (2006-2008) in the game against Fairfield.

Something Had To Give

Entering the first meeting with Rider, Loyola had held four consecutive opponents to 57 or fewer points, while the Broncs were averaging 87.5 points in their previous three games.

Loyola’s defense prevailed in the contest, holding Rider to 12 points in the first half and just 46 overall. It was the Broncs’ lowest scoring game since February 2008 when Fairfield held them to 40.

Almost 20 Years

Rider’s 46 points were the fewest Loyola has allowed since the Greyhounds defeated Niagara, 68-45, on February 21, 1992, a stretch of 521 games.

Loyola has now held opponents to 49 or fewer points eight times since joining NCAA Division I in 1981-1982. The Greyhounds did it twice each in 1981-1982, 1984-1985 and 1991-1992 and once in 1983-1984.

Tied For fifth In Road Wins

As of the beginning of the week, Loyola’s 10 road wins had them tied for fifth in all of NCAA Division I for victories away from its home court.

Cleveland State, Wagner, Iona and Murray State are all tied for first with 11.

Walker Moves Into Second

Shane Walker blocked two Fairfield shots in the first three minutes of the game, and he then swatted a Maurice Barrow layup with 13:58 on the clock, tying him for second all-time at Loyola in blocked shots.

With five blocks against Canisius, Walker now has 124 blocks in his career and is all alone in second place. Brian Carroll (1997-2001) holds the school record with 213.

Thievery

Loyola caused 20 Siena turnovers, and the Greyhounds were credited with 19 steals. R.J. Williams led the way with a career-high five, while Erik Etherly, Dylon Cormier and Robert Olson each had three.

The 19 steals are the second-most in school history, one more than the Greyhounds posted in a November 29, 1997, game at Kent State. It is also the most Loyola has recorded against a Division I opponent. The school single-game record of 20 came on February 28, 1996, when the team closed the regular-season against St. Mary’s (Md.).

Running Away

Runs have been a big part of the Greyhounds’ success this year. Here is a look at some runs of note:

Century Mark

Head Coach Jimmy Patsos became the third coach in Loyola history to win 100 games when the Greyhounds defeated UMBC, 73-63, on the road. Patsos, who is in his eighth season, took over a team that finished 1-27 during the 2002-2003 season. He won his 100th game in his 215th career game.

Last season, Patsos moved into third-place all time at Loyola in victories, trailing only Lefty Reitz (349 wins, 1937-44, 1945-61) and Nap Doherty (165, 1961-74).

Two Of A Kind

Although unofficial, research shows that Jimmy Patsos is one of only two coaches in the last 20 years to take a team that won just one game the year prior to his arrival.

Brigham Young finished the 1996-1997 season with a 1-25 record. Steve Cleveland took over the following season and tallied 138 wins until his departure for Fresno State after the 2004-2005 season.

Men’s & Women’s Coaches With 100

Loyola University Maryland is one of just 26 mid-major schools that has men’s and women’s basketball coaches with 100 or more victories at their current school after Greyhound women’s coach Joe Logan got his 100th on December 18 in a win at George Washington.

Loyola is the only school in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference to have accomplished the feat, and it is one of only five institutions at which the coaches have both won 100 or more games in 10 or fewer seasons.

Getting To The Line

As a team, Loyola went to the free-throw line 46 times at UMBC, making 31. The 46 attempts are the sixth-most all-time and most since the 2004-2005 squad attempted 53 on December 5, 2004, against Niagara.

Loyola’s 31 free throws made rank 11th on the school single-game chart and were the most since making 32 on January 14, 2009, versus NJIT.

Although his shot was not falling at UMBC, Dylon Cormier still found ways to be productive on the offensive end of the floor. The sophomore guard was just 2-of-9 from the field, but he went to the free-throw line 17 times, making 15, and finished with 20 points.

Cormier’s 15 free throws made are tied for sixth in Loyola single-game history, matching the total made by Mike Powell at Saint Peter’s on December 6, 1997, and Donovan Thomas against Marist on February 23, 2003. The 15 makes were the most by a Loyola player since Jamal Barney set the school record with 18 on January 14, 2009, against NJIT. His 17 attempts rank tied for sixth all-time.

Baltimore Bred And More From Nearby

Since taking over as head coach in 2004, Jimmy Patsos has put an emphasis on recruiting locally, and it has never shown as much as on this year’s roster. Three players – sophomore guard Dylon Cormier (Cardinal Gibbons), sophomore forward Jordan Latham (City) and freshman guard R.J. Williams (St. Frances) are products of schools within the city limits.

Six more players played in high school within 50 miles of Loyola, as the crow flies (thanks daftlogic.com): Shane Walker & Tyler Hubbard, Montrose Christian, 32.6 miles; Robert Olson, Georgetown Prep, 33.9; Justin Drummond, Riverdale Baptist, 33.9; Anthony Winbush, T.C. Williams, 43.7; and Erik Etherly, Annandale, 47.9.

What’s Next

The Greyhounds stay on the road for their final game of the 2011-2012 regular-season when they take on Manhattan College at 4 o’clock on Sunday at Draddy Gymnasium in Riverdale, N.Y.

• Miami (16-9, 7-5) at Maryland (15-11, 5-7)
  Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2012 | 8 p.m. | Comcast Center
  ACC Network (WNUV 54 in Baltimore) | Terrapin Sports Radio Network

• Maryland plays its return match with Miami in a Tuesday-night test at Comcast Center. The Terrapins and Hurricanes played one of the best games of the season so far in the Atlantic Coast Conference on Feb. 1 when the `Canes prevailed in a 90-86 double-overtime game. The Terrapins are 15-11 after last Saturday’s 71-44 loss at 22nd-ranked Virginia, and come into the game tied for seventh place in the league with a 5-7 conference mark. The Canes are 16-9 overall and in a three-way tie for fourth in the league with NC State and Virginia at 7-5.
• The Terrapins got 33 points from Terrell Stoglin in the double-OT loss at Miami earlier in the season. The talented sophomore had six 3-pointers and went 9-for-9 from the free-throw line. Maryland came back from a 16-point deficit in the final seven minutes of regulation to send the game into overtime.
• Maryland is completing a tight turnaround in its schedule, with three games in six days. The Terrapins played host to Boston College last Thursday, traveled to Charlottesville for a game early Saturday afternoon and complete the whirlwind against Miami on Tuesday at 8 p.m.
• Stoglin continues to lead the Atlantic Coast Conference in scoring, now at 21.4 points per game. Stoglin has 24 straight games with double figures in points, and has 18 games with at least 20 points or more. The Terrapins are 12-6 in games in which he hits the 20-point mark. Against Boston College, Stoglin set the school record for 3-pointers in a season by a sophomore. Now with 72, he has surpassed the 64 of Greivis Vasquez in 2008.
• Nick Faust has been playing particularly well of late, taking over the point guard role after the season-ending knee injury to Pe’Shon Howard. Faust has averaged 14.0 points per game in his last three outings, scoring in double figures in the last three and four of the last five games. He has also stood out at the defensive end, getting 11 steals in the last six games. His five against Boston College marked the first time a Terp player had that many in a game since the ACC Quarterfinals in 2010 when both Greivis Vasquez and Landon Milbourne accomplished that feat.
• Maryland has won the last two straight over Miami in games played in Comcast Center, including an 81-59 victory on 1/26/2010 in the most recent matchup in College Park.
• After road games at Georgia Tech on Saturday and at North Carolina on Feb. 29, the Terrapins will play their final game of the regular season at Comcast Center on Sunday, March 4 on Senior Day against Virginia.
  

  Scouting the Hurricanes

• Miami is 16-9 and 7-5 in the ACC following a 74-56 home win over Wake Forest on Saturday… The Hurricanes are 4-6 on the road this season, but have won three of the last four, beating Georgia Tech, Boston College and Duke while falling to Florida State.
• Junior guard Durand Scott is averaging a team-high 12.9 ppg and is one of four Hurricanes averaging double figures… junior forward Kenny Kadji (12.8), senior guard Malcolm Grant (11.6) and junior center Reggie Johnson (11.1) are the other three… Both Scott and Kadji had 18 points in the win over Wake Forest.
• Miami ranks second in the ACC in 3FG made per game (7.5), with Grant, Trey McKinney Jones and Shane Larkin leading the way… Grant has made 49 of 162 (.302), McKinney Jones 30 of 84 (.357) and Larkin 27 of 76 (.355)… Against Wake Forest the Hurricanes made 12 of 31 3FG attempts (.387).
• With the 6-foot-10, 284-pound Johnson and 6-foot-11, 251-pound Kadji, Miami has an imposing frontcourt… Johnson is averaging a team-high 7.1 rebounds per game, while Kadji has a team-best 40 blocks.
  

  Upcoming

  After road games at Georgia Tech on Saturday and at North Carolina on Feb. 29, the Terrapins will play their final game of the regular season at Comcast Center on Sunday, March 4 on Senior Day against Virginia.

  The Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament will be held March 8 to 11 at Phillips Arena in Atlanta.

Boston College (8-17, 3-8) at Maryland (14-10, 4-6)
Thursday, Feb. 16, 2012 | 9 p.m. | Comcast Center
ACC Network-WNUV 54 in Baltimore | Terrapin Sports Radio Network

Four Terps Named Academic All-ACC

Francis a three-time honoree, Fulper gains a spot for second straight season, Cierski and McDougle make it for first time 

GREENSBORO, N.C. – Running back Tyler Cierski, defensive lineman A.J. Francis, offensive linemen Bennett Fulper and defensive back Dexter McDougle were among 52 student-athletes named Wednesday to the 2011 Academic All-Atlantic Coast Conference football team.

Francis was selected for the third time and Fulper made it for the second straight season. Cierski and McDougle are first-time honorees.

To be eligible for consideration for Academic All-ACC, a player must have earned a 3.00 grade-point average for the previous semester and maintained a 3.00 cumulative average during his academic career.

Maryland’s four selections were tied for fourth-most in the league with Georgia Tech. Duke led the way with 18. Clemson and Wake Forest had five apiece.

Francis played in all 12 games (four starts) at defensive tackle last season. He posted 31 tackles, including three tackles for loss and two sacks. He also recovered one fumble and had one pass breakup. The junior has played in each of the last 37 games, including 23 starts.

Fulper, a junior, was one of the leaders of the offensive line. The 2011 Academic All-America nominee started the first 10 games at center before an injury sidelined him for the final two. He helped the Terps post the third-most rushing yards in the league (169.3 yards per game) and allow the fourth-fewest sacks (1.4 pg).

Cierski played in all 12 games as the No. 1 fullback and a special teams performer. The true freshman was a regular on the kickoff return and punt coverage teams.

McDougle started all 12 games at cornerback. The sophomore led the team with six pass breakups and tied for the team lead with three interceptions. He ranked tied for eighth in the ACC and tied for 70th nationally in picks (0.25 pg), and tied for 15th in the conference in pass breakups (0.75 pg).

Maryland linebacker Cole Farrand and defensive back Jeremiah Johnson were also nominated for Academic All-ACC honors.

A complete list of the team can be found here:

http://www.theacc.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/021512aaa.html

Upcoming Dates for Maryland Football:

March 10 – Spring practice begins

March 14 – Pro Timing Day

April 21 – Red-White Spring Game

– Terps –

Game Data

Loyola University Maryland wraps up a weekend set of games at Reitz Arena on Sunday, February 12, when it hosts Fairfield University at 4 o’clock.

Watch On The World-Wide-Web

Loyola and Fairfield take the court in a game that will be broadcast worldwide on the internet through ESPN3 as the MAAC National Game of the Week.

The game is Loyola’s third on ESPN3 this season following dates in November and December at Wake Forest and current No. 1 Kentucky, respectively.

Over The Airwaves

The game’s audio will be streamed live on LoyolaGreyhounds.com.

Series History

Loyola and Fairfield will meet for the 52nd time on the hardwood Sunday afternoon with the Stags entering the game with a 35-16 advantage in the previous meetings.

The Greyhounds won the most recent meeting between the two, 66-63, on January 13, at the Webster Bank Arena at Harbor Yard in Bridgeport, Conn.

Loyola rallied form a 15-point halftime deficit in the second half to win the first meeting this year. The Greyhounds trailed by seven with 2:07 left when Robert Olson scored seven in a row to tie the game with 1:19 to go. Five of his points came as the direct result of Dylon Cormier steals in the backcourt.

Erik Etherly led all players with 17 points and 10 rebounds, while Olson finished with 15, Cormier added 12, and Justin Drummond scored 10. Rakim Sanders had 17 for Fairfield.

Jesuit Basketball Spotlight

Sunday’s game against Fairfield is the sixth of six games the Greyhounds play this season as part of the Jesuit Basketball Spotlight.

As one of 28 Jesuit Catholic universities around the nation, Loyola is a proud participant in the Jesuit Basketball Spotlight again this season. The Greyhounds are 5-0 in Jesuit Basketball Spotlight games this season with wins over Canisius (twice), Fairfield and Saint Peter’s (twice).

Tying School Marks

Friday night’s win over Iona improved Loyola’s record to 19-5 overall and 12-2 in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference this season.

The Greyhounds’ 19 wins tie the 2007-2008 team’s school Division I record for most victories, and the 12 wins also tie the 2006-2007 and 2007-2008 squads for most wins in the league.

Loyola’s 19 wins are also tied for fourth-most all-time in school history.

Through 24

Loyola’s 19-5 start through its first 14 games of the season ranks is tied for the best start in that many games in school history, matching the record the 1947-1948 “Lefty” Reitz-coached team put forth.

Reitz Is Rockin’

The Greyhounds’ last two games in Reitz Arena have both been sellout crowds of 2,100. It marks the first time since Reitz opened in December 1984 that the gym has had back-to-back sellout crowds.

The crowd on February 3 against Rider was the building’s first sellout since November 14, 2008, against Mount St. Mary’s.

Offensive Onslaught

Loyola turned in season highs in points (87), field goals made (32) and field goals attempted (63) on Friday night against Iona.

The Greyhounds’ 47 points in the first half were also the most they’ve scored in the first 20 minutes this season and were tied for the most in either half, matching the 47 scored on November 14 against Coppin State in the second half.

Eight Field Goals For Three

Three Greyhounds knocked down eight or more field goals Friday night against Iona. Erik Etherly was 9-of-12 from the field, Justin Drummond 8-of-12, and Dylon Cormier 8-of-16.

It was the first time in the eight-year tenure of Jimmy Patsos as head coach that three or more players have made eight or more baskets in the same game.

Etherly, Cormier Top 20

For the second time this year, Erik Etherly and Dylon Cormier both topped the 20-point mark. The duo also accomplished the feat on November 17 at UMBC when Etherly scored a career-best 27, and Cormier  finished with 20.

On Friday night, Etherly and Cormier’s combined 44 points were just over half of the Greyhounds’ 87.

Drummond Raises Efficiency

Justin Drummond had his best shooting night of the season Friday versus Iona, making 8-of-12 shots (.667). Drummond, who shot .446 as a freshman last year, has seen his field-goal percentage dip to .387 this year.

His previous best outing of the season came on December 28 at Bucknell when he was 5-of-8 (.625) from the floor.

Strong Inside

Erik Etherly’s performance in the paint on Friday night was a key reason the Greyhounds defeated the Gaels after falling by 11 in New Rochelle, N.Y., to the same team last month.

In the January 15 loss, Etherly scored nine points and had seven rebounds, but Friday night he finished with a team-high 22 points and 10 rebounds for his seventh double-double of the season. He also had three assists, two blocked shots and a steal.

Defensive Presence

Jordan Latham did not play in the Greyhounds’ first meeting with Iona, an 11-point setback, but the sophomore forward made his presence known Friday night.

He came off the bench and played 14 minutes and had four blocked shots. Three of his blocks were not just redirects, but true swats of the ball. Each of his blocked shots came against different Iona players and in different situations. Twice, Latham swatted shots by driving guards, and he twice denied post players.

The four blocks were a career-high for Latham.

R.J.’s Assists Equal Success

R.J. Williams recorded five assists in the win Friday night over Iona, the fourth time this year he’s dished out five or more. The Greyhounds are 7-0 this season in games that Williams has four or more helpers.

As a team, the Greyhounds are 4-0 this year when recorded 15 or more assists, like they did Friday night.

Etherly’s Last Ten

Erik Etherly continued his solid play of late with 15 points against both Rider and Saint Peter’s, followed by 22 against Iona. The game against the Gaels marked the sixth straight game Etherly has scored 15 or more, raising his 10-game scoring average to 15.5 points, best on the team during that stretch.

Etherly also has averaged 7.8 rebounds, just above his season average, during the stretch that dates back to the Greyhounds’ first meeting with Canisius on January 7.

During the stretch, Etherly has scored in double figures nine times – he finished with nine at Iona – and he has scored 15 or more seven times.

Fastest To 19

Loyola’s win over Iona was the Greyhounds’ 19th of the season, marking their fastest path to 19 victories since joining Division I for the 1981-1982 season. The Greyhounds’ arrival at 19 wins after just 24 games came by a wide margin over the previous best.

The 2007-2008 squad, set the previous standard, reaching 19 wins in 30 games, six more than this year’s team.

Good MAAC Start

With wins in 11 of its first 13 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference games this season, Loyola is off to its best start in league play since joining the league in 1989-1990. The Greyhounds’ previous best starts were 9-4 in both 2006-2007 and 2007-2008.

Last Time Out

Loyola outscored Iona 36-20 in the last 13:40 of the first half to built a 17-point advantage at the break that it would extend to 25 on two second-half occasions.

Iona steadily chipped away at the Greyhounds’ advantage, pulling to within four with less than 30 seconds to play, but Robert Olson and Erik Etherly both hit 2-of-2 from the line in the last 21 ticks of the clock to secure an 87-81 win for Loyola.

Etherly finished with 22 points and 10 rebounds, while Dylon Cormier tallied 22 points, and Justin Drummond had 17.

Six Under Sixty

For the first time in its NCAA Division I history (since 1981-1982), Loyola held six consecutive opponents to fewer than 60 points.

During the span, all Loyola victories, the Greyhounds have held Siena, Saint Peter’s (twice), Niagara, Canisius and Rider to an average of 53.2 points per game.

The Greyhounds previously had held three teams to sub-60 performances just once since joining Division I, and that came during 1981-1982, their first season at this level.

The last time a Loyola team held six-straight teams under 60, regardless of division, came in January-February 1977 when it held six teams in a row – Southampton, Saint Peter’s, Randolph-Macon, Mount St. Mary’s, Baltimore and Philadelphia Textile – to 59 or fewer. The Greyhounds, however, were just 3-3 in that stretch.

During The Six

Loyola’s success during the last six games is reflected in several statistics. Opponents are shooting .387, .046 lower than the season average of .433. Also, Loyola has held foes to .241 from 3-point range, more than 10 points lower than the season mark of .350.

Following the Greyhounds’ game at Iona on January 15, Loyola was ranked 265th in field-goal percentage defense (.449), 325th in 3-point defense (.389), and 163rd in scoring defense (66.2).

The last six games have moved the Greyhounds to 193rd in field goal percentage defense (.443), 215th in 3-point defense (.350) and 71st in scoring defense (62.8).

Threes In The First

Robert Olson put on a shooting clinic in the first half of Sunday’s win at Saint Peter’s, making all four of his 3-point attempts and finishing the stanza with 14 points. While foul trouble limited him to nine second-half minutes, he finished with 19 points, two off his career-high, and he matched his season-high with five 3-pointers.

His only miss from behind the arc in the game came with 32 seconds left in the game. He fired a long three with the shot-clock expiring as Loyola was running out the clock.

Olson is now shooting 44.7-percent from 3-point range, and his 51 threes made this season are 14th in school single-season history. His 3-point field goal percentage currently stands third in school single-season history.

Olson has made 123 threes in his career, good for seventh-best all-time at Loyola. With two more, he will tie Gerald Brown (2006-2008) for sixth.

Olson’s January, Continued

After a stretch of not scoring in double figures for the last three games of December and the first two in January, Robert Olson was the Greyhounds’ leading scorer during the first month of the new calendar year, averaging 13.8. He continued his stretch of scoring with 14 against Rider, 19 at Saint Peter’s and 13 against Iona in February’s first three contests.

In Loyola’s last 10 games, a stretch in which the Greyhounds are 9-1, Olson has averaged a team-best 15.3 points per game, second-most on the team.

During those eight games, his low total is 11, coming at Niagara. He is shooting .520 from the field (51-of-98) and a more impressive .516 (32-of-62) from 3-point range.

Olson has made at least two 3-pointers in each of the 10 games and has three or more in all but three.

Senior Stepping Up

Shane Walker’s play over the Greyhounds’ wins against Canisius, Rider and Saint Peter’s was more in line with his season averages after tailing off some during the month of January.

Walker averaged 12.7 points and 9.3 rebounds against Canisius, Rider and Saint Peter’s, a stretch in which he also had eight assists, eight blocked shots and six steals.

In January’s first eight games, every contest that month except for the date at Canisius, Walker scored just 5.4 points per game, shooting 26.5-percent from the field and 23.5-percent from 3-point range. His rebounds per game also dipped to 5.1.

Over the last three, however, Walker has shot 48.6-percent from the field and a modest 33.3-percent from 3-point range. He had a double-double with 17 points and 11 rebounds at Canisius, a season-high 12 boards versus Rider, and then a 14-point, 5-steal performance at Saint Peter’s.

Something Had To Give

Entering last Friday night’s game against Rider, Loyola had held four consecutive opponents to 57 or fewer points, while the Broncs were averaging 87.5 points in their previous three games.

Loyola’s defense prevailed in the contest, holding Rider to 12 points in the first half and just 46 overall. It was the Broncs’ lowest scoring game since February 2008 when Fairfield held them to 40.

Almost 20 Years

Rider’s 46 points were the fewest Loyola has allowed since the Greyhounds defeated Niagara, 68-45, on February 21, 1992, a stretch of 521 games.

Loyola has now held opponents to 49 or fewer points eight times since joining NCAA Division I in 1981-1982. The Greyhounds did it twice each in 1981-1982, 1984-1985 and 1991-1992 and once in 1983-1984.

Bracketbuster Opponent Named

Loyola learned Monday that it will host Boston University of the America East Conference in its sixth appearance in the Sears’ Bracketbuster Event. The Greyhounds and Terriers will play Sunday, February 19, at 12 noon in Reitz Arena.

Tied For Second In Road Wins

As of the beginning of the week, Loyola’s 10 road wins had them tied for second in all of NCAA Division I for victories away from its home court.

Cleveland State leads the way with 11, while the Greyhounds are tied with Murray State, Friday’s foe Iona and Wagner.

Olson Scores In Bunches

Robert Olson scored seven points in a 23-second stretch versus Fairfield, going on a 7-0 run by himself. Fairfield led 62-55 when Olson pulled up for an 18-foot jumper with 1:42 left in regulation. He then hit a shot with his foot on the 3-point line 15 ticks later to make it a 3-point Stags lead. The junior guard tied the game at 62-62 with 1:19 on the clock with a three from the right side.

Olson finished with 15 points, 13 coming in the second half. Earlier in the stanza, an Olson three at the 14:38 mark cut Fairfield’s largest lead of 15 to 12, and he then knocked one down with 10:04 on the clock.

It was the second game in a row Olson has scored seven-straight points in the second half. He went on a personal 7-0 run against Canisius to move Loyola’s lead back to 11 after the Golden Griffins cut it to four.

The second half has often been a big one for Olson. Last year, he scored nine points in 83 seconds to help defeat Morgan State, and against Iona in Baltimore, Olson made a three pointer with seven ticks of the clock left to tie and send the game to overtime. He then scored the game’s last four points to secure the victory.

Walker Moves Into Second

Shane Walker blocked two Fairfield shots in the first three minutes of the game, and he then swatted a Maurice Barrow layup with 13:58 on the clock, tying him for second all-time at Loyola in blocked shots.

With five blocks against Canisius, Walker now has 124 blocks in his career and is all alone in second place. Brian Carroll (1997-2001) holds the school record with 213.

Everyone On The Offensive Boards

Loyola leads the MAAC in offensive rebounding as a team, averaging 13.9, more than a full rebound more per game that second-place Canisius (12.8).

Despite the team ranking, no Greyhounds player is higher than seventh in the conference in offensive rebounds per game. Erik Etherly is tied for sixth with 2.6, while Justin Drummond is 13th with 2.2, and Dylon Cormier is just behind, tied for 15th.

No other team in the MAAC has more than two players in the top 15 of the category.

Thievery

Loyola caused 20 Siena turnovers, and the Greyhounds were credited with 19 steals. R.J. Williams led the way with a career-high five, while Erik Etherly, Dylon Cormier and Robert Olson each had three.

The 19 steals are the second-most in school history, one more than the Greyhounds posted in a November 29, 1997, game at Kent State. It is also the most Loyola has recorded against a Division I opponent. The school single-game record of 20 came on February 28, 1996, when the team closed the regular-season against St. Mary’s (Md.).

Running Away

Runs have been a big part of the Greyhounds’ success this year. Here is a look at some runs of note:

Century Mark

Head Coach Jimmy Patsos became the third coach in Loyola history to win 100 games when the Greyhounds defeated UMBC, 73-63, on the road. Patsos, who is in his eighth season, took over a team that finished 1-27 during the 2002-2003 season. He won his 100th game in his 215th career game.

Last season, Patsos moved into third-place all time at Loyola in victories, trailing only Lefty Reitz (349 wins, 1937-44, 1945-61) and Nap Doherty (165, 1961-74).

Two Of A Kind

Although unofficial, research shows that Jimmy Patsos is one of only two coaches in the last 20 years to take over a team that won just one game the year prior to his arrival.

Brigham Young finished the 1996-1997 season with a 1-25 record. Steve Cleveland took over the following season and tallied 138 wins until his departure for Fresno State after the 2004-2005 season.

Men’s & Women’s Coaches With 100

Loyola University Maryland is one of just 26 mid-major schools that has men’s and women’s basketball coaches with 100 or more victories at their current school after Greyhound women’s coach Joe Logan got his 100th on December 18 in a win at George Washington.

Loyola is the only school in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference to have accomplished the feat, and it is one of only five institutions at which the coaches have both won 100 or more games in 10 or fewer seasons.

Getting To The Line

As a team, Loyola went to the free-throw line 46 times at UMBC, making 31. The 46 attempts are the sixth-most all-time and most since the 2004-2005 squad attempted 53 on December 5, 2004, against Niagara.

Loyola’s 31 free throws made rank 11th on the school single-game chart and were the most since making 32 on January 14, 2009, versus NJIT.

Although his shot was not falling at UMBC, Dylon Cormier still found ways to be productive on the offensive end of the floor. The sophomore guard was just 2-of-9 from the field, but he went to the free-throw line 17 times, making 15, and finished with 20 points.

Cormier’s 15 free throws made are tied for sixth in Loyola single-game history, matching the total made by Mike Powell at Saint Peter’s on December 6, 1997, and Donovan Thomas against Marist on February 23, 2003. The 15 makes were the most by a Loyola player since Jamal Barney set the school record with 18 on January 14, 2009, against NJIT. His 17 attempts rank tied for sixth all-time.

Baltimore Bred And More From Nearby

Since taking over as head coach in 2004, Jimmy Patsos has put an emphasis on recruiting locally, and it has never shown as much as on this year’s roster. Three players – sophomore guard Dylon Cormier (Cardinal Gibbons), sophomore forward Jordan Latham (City) and freshman guard R.J. Williams (St. Frances) are products of schools within the city limits.

Six more players played in high school within 50 miles of Loyola, as the crow flies (thanks daftlogic.com): Shane Walker & Tyler Hubbard, Montrose Christian, 32.6 miles; Robert Olson, Georgetown Prep, 33.9; Justin Drummond, Riverdale Baptist, 33.9; Anthony Winbush, T.C. Williams, 43.7; and Erik Etherly, Annandale, 47.9.

What’s Next

Loyola hits the road for a Wednesday, February 15, game at Marist.

Johnny Rhodes Named An ACC Tournament Legend

Former Maryland guard one of 12 players selected to 2012 class

    GREENSBORO, N.C.— Johnny Rhodes, one of the most versatile players in Atlantic Coast Conference history, who helped lead Maryland back to national prominence in the mid-1990’s, has been selected to the 2012 class of ACC Men’s Basketball Tournament Legends.

    The 12-man class was announced Tuesday by Commissioner John Swofford and includes a member of the ACC’s 50^th Anniversary basketball team, a National Player of the Year, three former All-Americas, six former All-ACC selections, ten former NBA Draft selections – including six first-round selections – and eight players who combined for 38 years of NBA experience.

    Rhodes, a native of Washington, D.C., is the ACC’s career steals leader and helped Maryland make three NCAA Tournament appearances in his four-year career. He is the only player in ACC history to score over 1,700 points (1,743) with over 700 rebounds (704), 400 assists (437) and 300 steals (344).

    Joining Rhodes in the class are former Wake Forest All-America Randolph Childress (Washington, D.C.), who led the Deacons to the 1995 ACC Championship, and former North Carolina All-America Kenny Smith (Queens, N.Y.), who led the Tar Heels to four straight NCAA Tournament appearances and was named the National Player of the Year by Basketball Times in 1987.

    Also in the class are Boston College’s John Bagley (Stratford, Conn.), who was named a third-team (NABC) All-America in 1982; Clemson’s Sharone Wright (Macon, Ga.), a powerful post player for the Tigers who earned All-ACC honors in 1993 and 1994; Duke’s Kenny Dennard (King, N.C.), one of the key cogs of the Blue Devils 1978 Final Four team who helped lead Duke to ACC titles in 1978 and 1980; Florida State’s James Collins (Jacksonville, Fla), a high-scoring wingman who was a three-time All-ACC selection in 1995, 1996 and 1997; Georgia Tech’s Malcolm Mackey (Chattanooga, Tenn.), a powerful post player who helped lead Georgia Tech to ACC Championships in 1990 and 1993.

    Completing this year’s ACC Legends Class are Miami’s Ron Godfrey (Coral Springs, Fla.), an Honorable Mention All-America forward for the Hurricanes in the 1960’s who also served as head coach for four seasons; NC State’s Todd Fuller (Charlotte, N.C.), a prodigious presence in the paint for the Wolfpack who earned All-ACC honors in 1994, 1995, and 1996; Virginia’s Lee Raker (Louisville, Ky.), a versatile forward who helped lead the Cavaliers to the 1981 NCAA Final Four; and Virginia Tech’s Dale Solomon (Annapolis, Md.), a high-scoring forward who helped lead the Hokies to two NCAA Tournament appearances and one NIT berth.

   The Legends will be honored at this year’s ACC’s Men’s Basketball Tournament at Philips Arena in Atlanta, Ga., March 8-11. They will be feted at the annual ACC Legends Brunch, which will be held Saturday, March 10, beginning at 10 a.m. at the Atlanta Marriott Marquis Hotel, and, later that day, will be introduced to the Philips Arena crowd at halftime of the first semifinal game. Ticket information for the ACC Legends Brunch is available on the ACC website at theACC.com.

   Rhodes (1992-96), the ACC’s career leader in steals, started four seasons for coach Gary Williams at Maryland, leading the Terrapins back to national prominence. An extremely versatile guard who played point or wing guard, Rhodes is the only player in ACC history to score over 1,700 points (1,743) with over 700 rebounds (704), 400 assists (437) and 300 steals (344). He helped the Terrapins post a 73-49 overall record during his four seasons in College Park, including three straight (1994, 95, 96) appearances in the NCAA Tournament. He was named to the 1993 ACC All-Freshman team, then earned 3^rd-team All-ACC honors as a junior and 2^nd-team All-ACC accolades as a senior in 1996. He still holds the ACC career record for steals per game (2.82), and his 110 steals and 3.7 steals per game in 1996 are still league standards. He totaled 704 rebounds in his career, the third-best mark by an ACC backcourtman, trailing only Georgia Tech’s Bruce Dalrymple (744) and Florida State’s Bob Sura (714). A native of Washington, D.C., Rhodes owns his own construction firm, Rhodes Construction, in the D.C. area, and is working towards starting the Johnny Rhodes Foundation.

   Bagley (1979-82), one of the top playmaking guards in Boston College history, played three seasons for the Eagles for Coach Dr. Tom Davis and led BC to a 64-27 record and one NIT and two NCAA tournament appearances. The first Eagle to earn Big East Player of the Year honors (1980-81), Bagley was an explosive scorer who averaged nearly 18 points per game and led BC in scoring in each of his three seasons at the Heights. A two-time All-Big East selection, he averaged 20.4 points per game in leading the Eagles to the 1980-81 Big East regular-season championship and the NCAA Tournament’s Sweet 16. The following year, Bagley upped his production to 21.1 points per game and led BC to the NCAA Tournament’s Elite Eight. He was named to the NCAA all-tournament teams for both the 1981 Mideast Regional and the 1982 Midwest Regional. Bagley left BC after his junior season and was the 12^th overall pick in the first round by the Cleveland Cavaliers in the 1982 NBA Draft. He enjoyed an 11-year career in the NBA for the Cavaliers, the New Jersey Nets, the Boston Celtics and the Atlanta Hawks. Inducted into the Boston College Varsity Club Athletic Hall of Fame in 1995, he currently resides in Stratford, Conn., and is working to reintroduce athletics into the middle school system of his hometown, Bridgeport, Conn.

   Wright (1991-94), a dominating 6-11 presence in the low post for the teams of Coach Cliff Ellis in the early 1990’s, still ranks 5^th on the ACC’s career list for blocked shots per game (3.13). An Honorable Mention All-America (AP) in 1994, he was one of 20 nominees for the Naismith Award that year. He led the ACC in blocked shots in 1992 and 1993 and finished 3^rd in 1994. He ranked 6^th on the Clemson career list for rebounds and 4^th in rebounds per game. He still holds the Clemson single-season record for blocked shots (124) and was the only player in the ACC to average in double figures in points and rebounds in both 1994 and 1995. Named a Freshman All-America by Basketball Weekly in 1992, he was named a 3^rd-team All-ACC selection in 1993 and 2^nd-team honors in 1994. As a member of the U.S. team which participated in the 1993 World Games, he shot 73 percent from the field and averaged 10 points a game in leading the U.S. to the gold medal. He was the first Clemson player to declare early for the NBA Draft and was the 6th overall selection on the first round of the 1994 draft by the Philadelphia 76’ers. He played five seasons in the NBA with Philadelphia and Toronto and was named to the 1994-95 NBA All-Rookie team. His NBA career was cut short by a severe auto accident early in his fifth professional season. Wright currently resides in Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., where he is involved in various basketball coaching projects.

   Dennard (1978-81), a versatile 6-8 forward who was effective inside or outside for the Duke teams of Bill Foster and Mike Krzyzewski of the late 1970’s and early ‘80s, helped lead Duke to the 1978 NCAA Final Four and two ACC Championships in 1978 and 1980. Dennard helped the Blue Devils compile a 90-37 record in his four seasons in Durham, including three NCAA Tournament appearances and one NIT berth. He was named to the 1978 ACC All-Tournament second team in his freshman season. Dennard played three seasons for Bill Foster (1978-80) and one for Mike Krzyzewski and was named team captain in his senior season. Drafted in the 4^th round of the 1981 NBA Draft by Kansas City, he played three seasons in the NBA for Kansas City (1982-83) and Denver (1984). He finished his career shooting 51.3 percent from the field and is one of seven Duke players who have totaled over 1,000 points (1,057), 650 rebounds (671) and 200 assists (232) in his career. A native of King, N.C., Dennard is the managing partner at Dennard, Rupp, Gray and Lascar, an investor relations firm based in Houston, Texas. He will be a 30-year cancer survivor this coming September and has served on the Coaches vs. Cancer National Council since 1996. He has been married to his high school sweetheart, Nadine, for 27 years and they have a son, Mason (17).

    Collins (1993-97), a high-scoring wing guard for the Florida State teams of Pat Kennedy, was a three-time All-ACC honoree. Collins was named 3^rd-team All-ACC in 1995 and 1996 and garnered 2^nd-team honors as a senior in 1997. That year he led Florida State to a 20-12 record and to the finals of the National Invitation Tournament (NIT) where they lost to Michigan. He completed his career as the third leading scorer in school history with 1,793 points. He also still ranks in the FSU all-time Top 10 for field goals (645), field goal attempts, three-point field goals made (255) and three-point field goals attempted (686) and made 37.1 percent of his shots from three-point range. Collins was drafted as the 36^th overall pick by the Philadelphia 76ers in the 2^nd round of the 1997 NBA Draft. He played one season in the NBA with the Los Angeles Clippers (1998) and spent one year (1999) in the Continental Basketball Association (CBA) before playing professionally nine seasons in Europe. A native of Jacksonville, Fla., he currently is the head basketball coach at his high school alma mater, Andrew Jackson High School in Jacksonville.

   Mackey (1990-93), Georgia Tech’s all-time leading rebounder who was a low post force for the Jackets both offensively and defensively, helped lead the Tech to a four-year record of 87-43 which included four NCAA Tournament appearances. Mackey completed his career with 1,205 rebounds, a total which ranks 11^th-best in ACC history. He also had 199 career blocked shots, which ranks 26^th on the ACC career list.  Mackey was named 2^nd-team All-ACC in 1993 and 3rd-team All-ACC  in 1992. An Honorable Mention All-America in 1993 by United Press International, he was also a 2nd-team All-District in 1993 by the NABC. Mackey remains Tech’s career leader in rebounds (1,205), games played (130) and games started (127). He was named to the ACC All-Tournament teams in 1990 (3rd team) and 1992 (2nd team). He is the only Tech player to start for two ACC championship teams (1990,1993). The 27^th overall pick in the first-round of the 1993 NBA Draft by the Phoenix Suns, he played one season in the NBA and 11 seasons professionally in the CBA, Europe, China and Puerto Rico. A native of Chattanooga, Tenn., he currently is the Internet Sales Manager at Hennessey GMC Buick and is also serving as a landlord for several properties in McDonough, Ga.

   Godfrey (1958-61), one of the finest forwards to play at Miami, was an honorable mention All-America as a senior in 1961. He finished his career ranked in the Top Ten in seven career categories in the Miami record book including 7^th in points (1,384), 7^th in field goals made (518), 6^th in free throws made (384) and 7^th in rebounds (767). Godfrey’s totals of 159 free throws made and 207 free throws attempted in 1960 still rank 5^th and 6^th in the Hurricane career lists. His total of 22 made free throws against Oklahoma City in 1960 is still tied with Rick Barry for the most made in a game by a Miami player. For his career, he averaged 17.5 points a game. Playing alongside former Miami All-America Dick Hickox, Godfrey helped lead the Hurricanes to their first-ever NCAA tournament bid in 1960 as the Canes finished with a sparkling 23-4 record. In his senior year, Godfrey led Miami to a 20-7 mark and a berth in the National Invitation Tournament. In his three varsity seasons, Godfrey helped the Hurricanes to a 61-18 record. As a coach, he guided Miami for four seasons, leading the Hurricanes to championships in the 1967 Hurricane Classic and the 1968 Marshall Tournament and was inducted into the Miami Sports Hall of Fame in 1988. A native of Martins Ferry, Ohio, he now resides in Coral Springs, Fla.

   Smith (1983-87), one of the top point guards in North Carolina basketball history, Smith ended his career second in ACC history only to Wake Forest’s Muggsy Bogues in career assists with 768, averaging 6.1 per for each of his 127 career games. His assist total still ranks ninth on the ACC’s career list.  Coached by the legendary Dean Smith, he helped lead North Carolina to a 115-19 record during his four varsity seasons. Smith also helped North Carolina to four consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances, reaching the Elite Eight in both 1985 and 1987. He was named the National Player of the Year by Basketball Times in 1987 and also earned consensus first-team All-America honors that year. He was a 2^nd-team All-ACC honoree in 1985 and 1986 and earned first-team honors as a senior in 1987. The 6^th pick in the first round of the 1987 NBA Draft by the Sacramento Kings, he played 11 seasons in the NBA for Sacramento, Atlanta, Houston, Detroit, Orlando and Denver. A member of the 1988 NBA All-Rookie team while with Sacramento, he was a part of two NBA Championship squads (1994, 1995) while with the Houston Rockets. He scored 9,397 points (12.9 avg.), grabbed 1,424 rebounds (2.0 avg.) and passed out 4,073 assists (5.5 avg.) during his NBA career. In 1998, he joined Turner Sports and has since served as a basketball TV analyst for Turner Sports, NBA TV and CBS-TV for the NBA and for the NCAA Basketball Tournament. A native of Queens, N.Y. who attended Archbishop Molloy High School, he now resides in Atlanta, Ga.

   Fuller (1992-96), a strong low-post presence for the NC State teams of coach Les Robinson in the mid-1990s, led the ACC in scoring as a senior in 1996, averaging 20.9 points per game. The 6-11 center finished 4^th in the ACC in rebounding in 1995 and 5^th in 1996. He earned first-team All-ACC honors in as a senior in 1996 and was a third team choice as a sophomore (1994) and a second-team selection as a junior (1995). Also an excellent student, he graduated Summa Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Science degree from NC State in 1996 in Applied Mathematics. He was named to the All-ACC Academic team in each of his four seasons and he was a two-time first-team Academic All-America, earning that honor in 1995 and 1996. He declined to accept the prestigious Rhodes Scholarship in order to play professional basketball. He was the 11^th overall pick in the first round of the 1996 NBA Draft by the Golden State Warriors and went on to play five seasons in the NBA with Golden State, Utah, Charlotte and Miami. He also played professionally six seasons in Spain, Poland, Greece and Australia. He sponsors an annual mathematics competition for Raleigh, N.C., area high school students through NC State, called the “Todd Fuller Math Competition.” He also has a scholarship fund arranged through the NC State Physical and Mathematical Sciences college. In 2007, the Wolfpack honored him by hanging his jersey, number 52, from the roof of the RBC Center.

   Raker (1977-81) combined with high school teammate Jeff Lamp and Virginia All-America Ralph Sampson to lead Virginia to two of the most successful seasons in school history in 1980 and 1981 for coach Terry Holland. An excellent shooter, defender and passer, Raker helped lead the Cavaliers to a 24-10 record which included the championship of the National Invitation Tournament (NIT) in 1980. UVa followed that up with a 29-4 record in 1981, including a 13-1 mark in the ACC and first place during the regular season. UVa advanced to the NCAA Final Four, garnering 3^rd-place national honors with a win over LSU in the consolation game. At one point, Raker helped the Cavaliers win eight consecutive post-season games, still a school record. Virginia finished the 1981 campaign ranked 5^th in the final AP poll and 3^rd in UPI. During his four collegiate seasons,  Raker helped lead Virginia to a 92-32 overall record, averaging in double figures in scoring each year, and shooting 50.3 percent from the field for his collegiate career. He completed his career with 1,423 points, which still ranks 20th on Virginia’s career scoring list. He also led the 1979 squad in field goal percentage and was named a 2^nd-team All-ACC selection that year. An excellent student, Raker was twice named to the All-ACC Academic Basketball squad (1980, 1981) and earned first-team Academic All-America honors in 1981. He was selected in the 4^th round of the 1981 NBA Draft by San Diego. A native of Louisville, Ky., he is now the Head of Investor Relations with Camber Capital Management LLC and lives in the Boston, Mass. area.

   Solomon (1978-82), one of the best basketball players in Virginia Tech history, was a 6-9 center-forward who combined power with a soft shooting touch. He helped the Tech teams of Charlie Moir to a four-year record of 78-41 which included two NCAA Tournament appearances and one NIT berth. Solomon led Tech in scoring in each of his four  seasons and ended his career with 2,136 points which still ranks 4^th on the Hokies’ career scoring list. Solomon’s career scoring average (18.4) is Tech’s 9th best. His career field goal percentage of .567 is the second best in Tech history and his 856 career rebounds rank 7th. He was named to the first-team All-Metro Conference in each of his four seasons. Solomon was named the Metro Conference Tournament MVP and Freshman of the Year in 1979, leading the Hokies to the Metro Conference championship. Solomon was selected in the 3^rd round of the 1982 NBA Draft by the Philadelphia 76ers but did not play in the NBA. He did play professionally in Italy for 12 seasons. A native of Annapolis, Md., Solomon is currently living in his hometown.

   Childress (1991-95) turned in one of the spectacular performances in the history of the ACC Tournament in his senior season, as the sharpshooting guard led Wake Forest to the 1995 ACC Championship by averaging 35.7 points and 7 assists per game in the Tournament’s three contests. That year, Childress, playing for coach Dave Odom, saved his best for last, scoring 37 points and passing out 7 assists. In that title game, he connected on the game-winning jump shot with only four seconds remaining in overtime as Wake defeated North Carolina, 82-80. For his efforts, he was named the winner of the Everett Case Award as the 1995 Tournament’s MVP. He also was named the winner of the McKevlin Award as the ACC’s Overall Athlete of the Year for the 1994-95 school year. A second-team All-America selection in 1995, he was named first-team All-ACC in 1994 and 1995 and 2^nd-team All-ACC in 1993. He scored 2,208 points during his career, which still ranks 18^th on the ACC ‘s career scoring list, and he made 329 three-point field goals, the 5^th-highest total in ACC history. He helped lead the Demon Deacons to a four-year record of 85-39 which included four appearances in the NCAA Tournament and two trips to the NCAA Sweet 16. He was twice named to the ACC All-Tournament team in 1994 and 1995. Childress ranked 3^rd in scoring in the ACC in 1993 and 1994 and finished 2^nd in 1994. Selected as the 19^th overall choice of the Detroit Pistons in the first round of the 1995 NBA Draft, he played two seasons in the NBA with Detroit and Portland. He then played 14 professional seasons in Turkey, France, Italy and Australia. In 2002, he was named to the ACC’s 50^th Anniversary Basketball Team as one of its Top 50 basketball players. A native of Washington, D.C., he recently returned to Winston-Salem to serve as an Assistant to the Athletic Director of Wake Forest.

LEGENDS BRUNCH

   The Legends will be honored at this year’s ACC Men’s Basketball Tournament in Atlanta at the annual ACC Basketball Legends Brunch, which will be held on Saturday, March 10 beginning at 10 a.m. at the Marriott Marquis Hotel. Hosted by television personalities Tim Brant and Mike Hogewood, tickets for the ACC Men’s Basketball Legends Brunch are priced at $35 each and tables of ten are available for $350 each. Information on purchasing tickets may be obtained at the official ACC website—www.theACC.com/ACCtournament.

   2012 ACC BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT LEGENDS ROSTER

   Name School Years Position Hometown (Current Hometown)

   John Bagley   Boston College 1979-82 Guard Bridgeport, Conn. (Stratford, Conn.)

   Sharone Wright Clemson 1991-94 Center Macon, Ga.  (Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.)

   Kenny Dennard Duke 1977-81 Forward King, N.C. (Houston, Texas)

   James Collins Florida State 1993-97 Guard Jacksonville, Fla.. (same) 

   Malcolm Mackey Georgia Tech 1989-93 Forward/Ctr. Chattanooga, Tenn. (McDonough, Ga.)

   Johnny Rhodes Maryland 1992-96 Guard Washington, D.C. (same )

   Ron Godfrey Miami 1958-61 Guard Martins Ferry, Ohio (Coral Springs, Fla.)

   Kenny Smith North Carolina 1983-87 Guard Queens, N.Y. (Atlanta, Ga.)

   Todd Fuller NC State 1992-96 Center Charlotte, N.C.. (same)

   Lee Raker Virginia 1977-81 Forward Louisville, Ky. (Boston, Mass.)

   Dale Solomon Virginia Tech 1978-82 Forward Annapolis, Md. (same)

   Randolph Childress Wake Forest 1991-95 Guard Washington, D.C. (Winston-Salem, N.C.)