Sunday, February 18, 2018 3:00 p.m.
Ford Center, Evansville, Ind.

Loyola and Evansville have comparable records since the Ramblers joined the MVC. Overall, Loyola is 89-71, and 39-48 in conference games. The Purple Aces are 95-69 overall and have the exact same 39-48 record in conference. Both the Aces and the Ramblers won C-tournaments in 2014-15, the Ramblers winning the CBI and the Aces the CIT. Sunday’s game at the Ford Center may help determine if Loyola’s excellent 2017-18 season thus far is just a fortunate blip, or possibly a harbinger of big future success.

The Ramblers are looking to clinch at least a tie for the MVC regular season crown with a win Sunday afternoon, and perhaps an outright title pending the result of the SIU vs. Indiana State game. Evansville is a much better team at home, where they’re 13-2 on the year, with their only losses coming from Illinois State and Indiana State. The Aces average 70.5 points per game on average at home, and only 61.1 on the road.

Evansville has won only one of their last four games. Key injuries and heavy minutes may have taken too much of a toll on the plucky Aces. Super-talented sophomore guard Dru Smith has missed eight games due to injury, and his attempt to come back early last weekend against Missouri State resulted in aggravation of his initial injury; he may not likely play again this season. Fifth-year senior Duane Gibson has only played 25 minutes in two games out of the last eight. Leading scorer Ryan Taylor (21.4 ppg) missed seven games in November and December. Senior guard Blake Simmons and Taylor are first and third in average minutes per game.

Evansville is currently starting 6’5” senior Blake Simmons, 6’6” junior guard Ryan Taylor, 6’9” junior Dainius Chatkevicius at forward/center, 6’5” sophomore guard K.J. Riley, and 6’7” redshirt freshman forward John Hall. Six-four freshman guard Noah Frederking, 6’9” center Dalen Traore, and 6’8” freshman Evan Kuhlman get the most time off the bench.

In their last game, a 47-41 loss at UNI on Tuesday night, the Aces really struggled to score. It was their first game since Dru Taylor re-injured his foot. Ryan Taylor scored 26 points, but none of the other UE starters scored more than 2 points. The Aces didn’t shoot a single free throw, but put UNI on the line 19 times. Perhaps after one of the longest gaps between games during the conference season, they’ll be regrouped, fresh and re-focused for their second-to-last home game of the season.

The Ramblers have also looked a bit unfocused for significant stretches of their last two games. Loyola trailed by five at halftime but came back for a four-point win on the road at Indiana State, and took control late at home against Valpo after letting a seven-point lead slip away. Loyola’s defense, which gave up an average of only 58.3 points per game in their first 10 conference games, has allowed 68.6 points per game over their last five contests. And heavy playing minutes are beginning to creep back up for some Ramblers; Clayton Custer has played 35 minutes or more in five of the last six games.

Loyola trailed Evansville by eight points at halftime in the last meeting between the teams on Dec. 30, but Marques Townes led a second half comeback with 17 of his 19 points after the break, as Loyola won 66—59. Loyola is 1-3 at the Ford Center since joining the MVC, and the Aces hold a 26-19 all time advantage dating back to the 1978-79 season.


Loyola game notes: http://www.loyolaramblers.com/documents ... df?id=5865

Drake game notes: https://gopurpleaces.com/documents/2018 ... df?id=4730

TV/Streaming video: ESPN3 / http://www.espn.com/watch/_/id/3252471/ ... basketball

Stats: http://stats.statbroadcast.com/broadcast/?id=198326

Vegas odds: Loyola by 5.5

Southern Illinois hangs on in overtime against Indiana State. Looks like we need to win tomorrow to keep pace.

I like the drama! Wouldn't it be more fun to clinch it on the home court on the 24th? Watching the students storm the court!?!?!

We will clinch it on SIU's home court on Wednesday--and silence the Carbondale faithful.

The 24th will be a home coronation!

Well that’d mean we lost on Wednesday, so...no that wouldn’t be more fun!

Winning tomorrow... losing Wednesday... and than playing at home on the 24th!?!?!? What if that scenario guaranteed you a sell out at the Joe on the 24th? With the chance of winning the first conference championship in 30+ years in front of 5000+ people!?!?! They write movies about Cinderellas that overcome that!!!!

Yeah, no, much better to wrap it up Wednesday. Nothing better than a stress free Senior Day coronation.

Judging by the tickets sold already for next week, it’s likely to be close to a sell out anyway.

Let's take care of business and make the 24th a coronation.

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Just win out; the more wins ( and bigger margins) makes an at large bid more of a possibility; it is a slingshot, but you need to take care of business is every game to pile up wins

ONE game at a time, PLEAZ. SIU is scraping wins by the narrowest of margins with a very thin bench. LU, playing smart and hard for 40 minutes is the key to this game, WE need a solid effort, no cracks, just our usual good play. i hope we don't need to reduce our depth for a W here, but get as many players on board and engaged as possible. Doing so will make us better going forward.
Go ramblers...