Scott VanderMeer is as armed and dangerous as an octopus. At least it seems that way for the Horizon League’s dominating shot-blocker this season.
The 6-foot-11-inch sophomore is the X-factor for Illinois-Chicago entering the conference tournament Tuesday in a 7 p.m. first-round game against Wisconsin-Milwaukee at the UIC Pavilion. VanderMeer is the weapon no other league team has–a pivot man who can wreck opposing offenses.
On a team that has suffered every kind of misfortune this season, VanderMeer has been a rock for the suddenly sizzling Flames, who despite a sixth seed are primed to do some damage. Last Saturday night, when the Flames upset 20-10 Loyola to sweep the season series, VanderMeer scored eight points, gathered seven rebounds and most tellingly, swatted away six Ramblers shots.
VanderMeer’s 105 blocks this season was nearly double the blocked shots of any other league team. VanderMeer’s presence altered the drives and inside shots of Loyola players another dozen times.
“He’s probably the biggest guy in the conference,” Ramblers guard Blake Schilb said. “They’ve got a nice defensive scheme going. He sits in the paint. He’s a natural shot-blocker. And he’s left-handed, so he’s right there on your right arm.”
UIC (13-17, 7-9) defeated UW-Milwaukee 72-59 in Chicago on Feb. 21 and a rematch didn’t figure. However, the end of the season produced quirky results to jumble the pairings. Three of the four top finishers lost their last game and the other lost its next to last.
That combination of factors means the quarterfinals and semifinals will be held at Wright State (21-9, 13-3), beginning Friday, rather than at Butler (26-5, 13-3). Wright State, Butler and Loyola receive first-round byes. Also on Tuesday, Wisconsin-Green Bay (16-14, 8-8) plays host to Cleveland State (10-20, 3-13) and Youngstown State (13-17, 7-9) plays host to Detroit (11-18, 6-10).
Butler is the only Horizon League team that has been nationally ranked, but unheralded Wright State earned the championships at home through tiebreakers. UWGB owned a seven-point lead on Milwaukee (9-21, 6-10) with 1 minute 30 seconds left at home Saturday, but couldn’t hang on. Youngstown State upended Wright State last week, then lost to last-place Cleveland State.
“It’s been totally wide open,” Loyola guard J.R. Blount said. “It’s any given night.”
UIC was optimistic at the beginning of the season, but setbacks, including losing coach Jimmy Collins to illness, assistant coach Lynn Mitchem to charges of sexual harassment, injuries, players quitting and players departing for academic reasons and through suspension, seemed to fatally wound their campaign.
Yet the Flames have won four of their last five games and may have played their best game Saturday in beating Loyola 52-51.
“It’s definitely in the neighborhood,” acting coach Mark Coomes said. “We’re on our way up. This gives us some added confidence. This should be a big boost for us.”
VanderMeer is also a big boost and he was asked if the Loyola performance was his finest. He hesitated, but said, “It could have been my best game. But what matters is that we won.”
UIC won against Milwaukee recently, but also lost 76-65 to the three-point specialist Panthers on Jan. 17 in Milwaukee.
If the Flames win Tuesday, they’ll find Loyola waiting for them in the quarterfinals.
Tip-ins
Schilb (16.1 points, 5.1 rebounds, 4.2 assists) was named first-team All-Horizon League on Monday for the third straight year. UIC forward Othyus Jeffers (15.7 points, 8.9 rebounds) was also selected first-team all-league.
VanderMeer and Loyola senior guard Majak Kou were chosen for the conference’s all-defensive team, Kou for the second time. The league’s player of the year was Wright State guard DaShaun Wood.
UIC guard Josh Mayo, who hit the winning basket in the Flames’ upset of Loyola, was the Horizon’s player of the week.
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lfreedman@tribune.com
