Men's basketball preview: Loyola

Posted October 13, 2010 11:00 pm

By Lindsey Willhite

Loyola

Coach: Jim Whitesell (93-92, 7th year)

Last year: 14-16, 5-13 (8th in Horizon)

Key players lost: SG Marcus Thomas, PG Aric Van Weelden.

Newcomers: F John Gac, G Denzel Brito, G Chim Kadima

First practicev: 10 p.m. Friday.First exhibition: Robert Morris, Nov. 6.First game : Eastern Kentucky, Nov. 12.Initial issues: The Ramblers welcome back five starters as well as a healthy Jordan Hicks, which gives them a jump start on snapping their streak of three consecutive eighth-place Horizon League finishes. Redshirt freshman point guard Gabe Kindred, who broke his foot last year, gets a chance to prove he can spell ironman PG Courtney Stanley. Sophomore PF Ben Averkamp bulked up in the offseason.