Note: This game is starting an hour earlier than previously scheduled due to a move from ESPNU to ESPN2.
The Ramblers are the #22 team in KenPom and have a 9-2 record on the season. They have top 100 KenPom wins in #95 Arizona State, #88 DePaul, and #72 Vanderbilt and top 100 losses to #20 Michigan State and #8 Auburn. Due to a COVID shutdown, they haven't played since their 69-58 win on December 10th at Vanderbilt.
Meet the Ramblers:
Despite the losses of Cameron Krutwig and head coach Porter Moser, the Ramblers haven't fallen off much at all from last year's Sweet 16 season thanks in part to having the 44th most experienced team in the country (average of 2.43 years of experience). Because of all their returning players, this is Loyola's deepest team since they joined the Valley. The Ramblers have 35.4% of their total minutes coming from bench players, good for 92nd in the country. Loyola plays at the 325th fastest tempo in the country and average 17.7 seconds per possession, 219th in the country.
The Ramblers have been one of the best shooting teams in the country this season. Loyola is 3rd in the country as a team in effective field goal % (59.8%), 4th in the country in 3 point shooting % (41.8%), and 12th in the country in 2 point shooting % (57.4%). Loyola is 43rd in the country in 3 point attempts per field goal attempts (45.3%) so their 3 point percentage is even more impressive because they're taking a ton of 3's. Loyola's been a great passing team too as they're 19th in the country in assists per field goals made (62%). Loyola gets 40.4% of their points from 3 pointers this season good for 27th in the country. They've also been great at limiting turnovers on the offensive end as they're 100th in the country in steal % from opponents (8.6%) and 119th in the country in turnover % from opponents (18.1%). If you had to find one flaw from the Ramblers on the offensive end, they haven't been a great offensive rebounding team this year they're 230th in the country in offensive rebounding % this season (26.5%).
Loyola has been just as good on the defensive end as they are on the offensive end this season. The Ramblers are 80th in the country in effective field goal % against (46.8%) and 55th in the country in 2 point field goal % against (45.2%). Loyola has been good at creating turnovers on the defensive end as they're 94th in the country in turnover % (20.9%). The Ramblers have been one of the best defensive rebounding teams in the country, 63rd in the country in offensive rebounding % from opponents (24.6%). Loyola hasn't been awful at defending the 3 this season (32.7% against from 3, 162nd in the country) but teams are taking and making a lot of 3's against the Ramblers this season. Loyola is 217th in the country in 3 point attempts per field goal attempts against them (39.7%) and teams are getting 34.7% of their points from 3 against Loyola this season, 95th in the country.
The Ramblers' leading scorer is 6'4 5th year Senior Lucas Williamson averaging 11.6 points per game. Williamson has been around since Loyola's Final Four season 5 years ago and has started 94 games in his collegiate career and played 128 games overall. Williamson has turned into one of the best defensive players in the country winning Missouri Valley Defensive Player of the Year last year and showed that on a national stage when he helped shut down Illinois' Ayo Dosunmu in the Ramblers' second round win. Williamson tested the NBA waters this offseason but decided to return for his final year. Williamson has held his own on the offensive end this season as he's 303rd in the country in effective field goal % (55.6%) and 287th in the country in true shooting % (58.6%). Williamson has also been Loyola's leading rebounder this season with 5.4 rebounds per game and leading stealer with 1.2 steals per game. Williamson was named to the preseason Missouri Valley Conference 2nd team this offseason.
The Missouri Valley's leader in assists is 6'0 Junior Braden Norris averaging 4.6 assists per game. Norris started his collegiate career at Oakland University where he averaged 8.4 points per game and 5.2 assists per game his Freshman season and was named to the Horizon League All-Freshman team. After his Freshman season, Norris transferred to Loyola where he's been a key player for them. Norris is a gritty defender but has also turned into a good offensive player. Norris is 63rd in the country in 3 point shooting this season (23-49, 46.9%), 50th in the country in effective field goal % (64.8%), and 63rd in the country in true shooting % (65.5%). Norris is also 180th in the country in assist rate (25.6%). Norris was Loyola's best player in their road win over Vanderbilt scoring 18 points on 6-8 shooting (all 3's) and threw in 9 assists. Norris was named to the preseason Missouri Valley Conference 3rd team this offseason.
Another key player for Loyola is 6'7 5th year Senior Aher Uguak. Uguak is from Edmonton, Alberta and started his collegiate career at New Mexico where he played sparingly and transferred to Loyola after his Freshman season. At Loyola, Uguak has turned into one of Loyola's best defensive players and has started nearly every game with them since he transferred over. Last season, Uguak was named to the Missouri Valley Conference third team, MVC All-Defensive team, and Missouri Valley most-improved team. This season, Uguak has continued to improve on the offensive end. Uguak is 33rd in the country in 3 point shooting % (11-22, 50%), 30th in the country in effective field goal % (66.4%), and 24th in the country in true shooting % (68.9%). He's also been getting to the free throw line at a nice percentage as he's 283rd in the country in free throw rate (39.7%) and when he gets to the line, he's been making them as he's 381st in the country in free throw shooting % (18-23, 78.3%).
One of Loyola's new players this season and leader in possessions and shots is 6'7 Senior Ryan Schwieger. Schwieger started his collegiate career at Princeton where he played for 3 seasons. Because of the cancelation of the Ivy League season due to COVID last season, Schwieger transferred out to Loyola. This season, Schwieger is averaging 11.5 points per game and has been getting the bulk of the shots and possessions when he's on the floor. Schwieger is 153rd in the country in % of possessions when they're on the floor (27.6%) and 51st in the country in % of shots when they're on the floor (31.9%). Schwieger has been taking and making a lot of 3's this year, he's 242nd in the country in 3 point shooting % (17-41, 41.5%).
A player that gave SIU fits last year was 6'10 Sophomore Jacob Hutson. With Cameron Krutwig on the team and him being very raw, Hutson really struggled for any playing time last season. Hutson had his big breakout game in St. Louis where he scored 13 points against SIU and showed range going 3-5 from 3. Hutson has carried that over so far this season and has gotten a big minutes boost with Krutwig gone. Huston is 388th in the country in offensive rebounding % (8.4%) and 238th in the country in fouls drawn per 40 minutes (4.9).
Previous Loyola-Chicago/SIU games on YouTube:
2018:
1/17 Loyola-Chicago 79 SIU 65 (Road)
2020:
1/29 SIU 68 Loyola-Chicago 63 (Home)
2021:
2/26 Loyola-Chicago 60 SIU 52 (Road)
2/27 Loyola-Chicago 65 SIU 58 (OT) (Road)
3/5 Loyola-Chicago 73 SIU 49 (MVC Tournament Quarterfinals)
Links:
Is there any word yet on D'Amico and Banks availability?
Is there any word yet on D'Amico and Banks availability?
D'Amico will be out according to Mullins in the postgame interview with Reis, he had COVID but never was with the team out of the Christmas break.
Where are the points going to come from? Loyola is a superb defensive team, and you know they'll especially be deploying Williamson and Uguak - who are absolute studs defensively - to clamp down on Domask and Jones, and possibly Coupet. Southern has struggled to score on several occasions against much lesser defensive teams. Going to need guys like Verplancken, Brown and D'Avanzo to provide some buckets and the go-to guys to find ways to score even against great defense.
And yes, Banks' health looms large as it's hard to envision Jones playing effectively (and staying out of foul trouble) for 35-plus minutes against a team like this.
Hopefully the combination of what should be a solid crowd and Loyola coming off their layoff will help keep the Salukis in the hunt, but they'll need to play much better than they have lately to have a chance.
Lance tore Loyola up last time, but this game we will literally need offensive production from everyone - Loyola is just too solid.
SIU has shown they can play with very solid competition and has shown that they can roll around in the mud with terrible teams. Better consistency in all phases is what I'm looking for and what should be expected with older teams, which SIU is now. Getting and staying healthy will be a huge factor in developing that consistency.
Keys to this game; Verplankcen and Brown's ability to knock down their open 3's. They'll have looks. Jones and Domask will have their hands full so Coupet will definitely need to continue his tear. Will need a healthy Banks or turnovers could be a big problem. NEED our bigs to rebound and play solid D without fouling, and hopefully we don't see any of Muila at the foul line (even though he's probably leading the country in attempts per being fouled.. 😆).
These first two conference home games are so huge. Hopefully SIU rises to the occasion.
--Insert something witty here--
SIU has shown they can play with very solid competition and has shown that they can roll around in the mud with terrible teams. Better consistency in all phases is what I'm looking for and what should be expected with older teams, which SIU is now. Getting and staying healthy will be a huge factor in developing that consistency.
Keys to this game; Verplankcen and Brown's ability to knock down their open 3's. They'll have looks. Jones and Domask will have their hands full so Coupet will definitely need to continue his tear. Will need a healthy Banks or turnovers could be a big problem. NEED our bigs to rebound and play solid D without fouling, and hopefully we don't see any of Muila at the foul line (even though he's probably leading the country in attempts per foul.. 😆).
These first two conference home games are so huge. Hopefully SIU rises to the occasion.
When I saw that emoji at first glance I thought you meant leads the country in LOLs per attempt, which also would apply ...
Probably the last time we see the fighting Harry Potters at home for a long time if ever
Not sure why, but I like our chances Sunday. Big game, at home, on the deuce, so time for Salukis to up their game. Hope it's not too much end of year drinking.
Go Dawgs!
March on triumphantly!
Not sure why, but I like our chances Sunday. Big game, at home, on the deuce, so time for Salukis to up their game. Hope it's not too much end of year drinking.
Go Dawgs!
It does kind of feel like the Salukis will win this game for some reason. I have no idea why.
Let’s hope for the best.
Probably the last time we see the fighting Harry Potters at home for a long time if ever
As part of the penalty for leaving the league, conferences should require departing teams to schedule 1-2 of their ex-conference opponents every year in the non-conference for a 10-year period or something.
I dont find that necessary.
I dont find that necessary.
Of course you don’t 🙄
Look at it without recency bias.
Or even more Look at it like "do schools that are moving up want to be saddled with teams like SIU, Evansville, Valparaiso, etc" on their schedule?
