Loyola was the wild card in the 2007-08 Horizon League preseason poll, drawing votes in all 10 positions on the ballot. Voters did not know what to expect from a team that had won 21 games, but lost its two best players in Blake Schilb and Majak Kou.

The Ramblers actually received more votes for first place than for eighth place, which is where they wound up after a lackluster 12-19 campaign.

Unlike last season when he was the No. 3 scoring option, junior guard J.R. Blount was choice A, B and C this year. He was the only player to average double figures in scoring during conference play at 15.5 points per game. The Ramblers were 0-6 when he scored 10 or fewer points.

The heavy dependence on Blount was glaringly evident during the Horizon tournament. He poured in 23 points on 8-of-11 shooting in a 57-51 victory at Milwaukee in the first round, but scored just seven points in a 60-49 loss at Illinois-Chicago in round two.

With Blount and three other starters returning, the Ramblers should improve next year, although a longer 3-point shot won't help a team that made just 28 percent of its attempts from behind the arc.

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