Tuesday, March 4th, 8:00 p.m. (et)

FACTS & STATS: Site: U.S. Cellular Arena (10,783) -- Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Television: None. Home Record: Loyola-Chicago 8-6, UWM 9-7. Away Record: Loyola-Chicago 3-12, UWM 5-8. Neutral Record: Loyola-Chicago 0-0, UWM 0-0. Conference Record: Loyola-Chicago 6-12, UWM 9-9. Series Record: UW-Milwaukee leads, 22-17.

GAME NOTES: Two teams that stumbled down the stretch in the regular season will collide this evening in the first round of the Horizon League Tournament, as the fifth-seeded Wisconsin-Milwaukee Panthers will host the eighth-seeded Loyola-Chicago Ramblers. The Ramblers lost five of their last seven games in the regular season, and dropped to a meager 6-12 in league action. One of those setbacks came just last week, as the team was defeated by UWM, 68-53. As for the Panthers, they closed out the season with seven losses in their last nine contests. The terrible play near the end of the regular season left the team with an even 9-9 mark. Throughout the season the Panthers struggled to protect their home floor and finished with a mediocre 9-7 record at the U.S. Cellular Arena. The winner of this matchup will move on to the Second Round to battle either YSU or UIC. The two teams split the season series this season, with the Panthers taking the more recent matchup by a 68-53 decision. The win snapped a three-game losing skid against Loyola, and also extended UWM's lead in the all- time series to 22-17.

The Ramblers were unable to put forth any type of consistent play offensively on the season, and now head into this contest with a pathetic 61.9 ppg, while shooting an equally poor 40.4 percent from the floor. J.R. Blount is shooting a terrible 38.2 percent from the field on the season, but is still pacing the team with 15.1 ppg. Leon Young has missed some time this season, but when the forward is healthy he brings 11.1 ppg and 5.3 rpg to the court. Justin Cerasoli is also shooting below 40.0 percent on the year, but the guard is still chipping in 10.3 ppg. Loyola did not end its regular season on a high note, as the team fell to UW-green Bay, 71-66, in overtime. Loyola shot a mere 40.3 percent from the floor and made just 5-of-18 attempts from behind the arc. Surprisingly the top performer for the Ramblers was Ross Forman, who scored 28 points and grabbed 15 boards. As for Blount, he was outstanding, netting 25 points to go along with eight rebounds and six assists.

The Panthers might be a fifth-seed in this tournament, but the team has plenty of issues, beginning with its atrocious play offensively. In the team's season- finale matchup, UWM shot a pathetic 31.0 percent from the field en route to a 63-55 loss to Illinois-Chicago. The Panthers finished just 7-of-30 from behind the arc, and also committed 15 turnovers. Jason Averkamp led the way with 11 points and eight boards, while Ricky Franklin chipped in 10 points. As for the team's leading scorer and rebounder, Paige Paulsen (13.5 ppg and 6.4 rpg), he struggled in the loss, netting just 2-of-11 attempts from the field en route to a five-point, eight-rebound display. All year long UW-Milwaukee dealt with issues offensively and is averaging only 67.4 ppg, while shooting a lowly 39.8 percent from the field.

The Panthers do not possess much punch offensively, so the team must rely on its defensive play if Milwaukee wants to advance to the second round. However, Loyola just might have a tad too much power offensively, and has a strong chance to pull off the upset on the road.

Predicted Outcome

Loyola-Chicago 67, Wisconsin-Milwaukee 66