Saturday, December 1, 2018 3:12 p.m.
Credit Union 1 Arena (aka The UIC Pavilion), Chicago, Illinois
The UIC Flames and the Loyola Ramblers have had a fierce rivalry since the Flames were adopted into the Midwestern Collegiate Conference in 1994. Loyola and UIC had met often before 1994, and Loyola borrowed the Flames’ home arena for a few years in the 1980s. But the rivalry never became real for Loyola fans until UIC became a conference foe.
UIC has had their eye on assuming Loyola’s traditional place in the Chicago college basketball pecking order for some time, even well before joining the MCC/Horizon League. Their fans, in candid moments, often admit plainly that their idea of success would be challenging DePaul for college basketball dominance, but especially if that happens while driving Loyola into oblivion. They take the UIC-Loyola rivalry deadly seriously, and until recently, Loyola hasn’t.
From what I can tell (I attended UIC for graduate school from 1995-1997), UIC fans don’t really care if they subsume Loyola stature by getting better than Loyola, or by destroying Loyola. Either one will do. From the Flames’ entry into the Horizon until after the UIC-Loyola Horizon League Championship matchup in 2002, Loyola and Loyola fans were basically oblivious to UIC’s aims. Only after UIC blocked Loyola from going to the NCAA Tournament in 2002 did most fans begin to realize that the rivalry with UIC was almost literally existential.
Since Loyola was invited to join the MVC (an invitation UIC also sought), the Ramblers have played UIC every single year, dutifully. A less honorable and more transactional athletic program might steer away from this annual meeting, especially the home-and-home venues. Despite some close calls, Loyola is 5-0 against the Flames since joining the MVC. You can bet that this year the Loyola game at UIC has been a top focus, with a larger-than-usual target drawn on the Ramblers’ back.
Coach Steve McClain has probably his best team since taking over the reins at UIC in 2015. These Flames are all McClain recruits, and they have some impressive scoring and athleticism. There’s not a single senior on the team, but five juniors are the top five scorers.
UIC starts 5’11” guard Godwin Boahen, 6’2” guard Marcus Ottey, 6’4” guard Tarkus Ferguson, 6’8” forward Jordan Blount, and 6’9” freshman forward Travell Washington.
Ferguson is a fantastic player out of Belleville, Ill., leading the team with 18.7 ppg, and adding 6.0 rebounds, 6.0 assists, and 1.4 blocks. He shoots over 50% from the three-point arc and does everything on both sides of the ball for UIC. This is the player that Loyola’s top defender, Lucas Williamson would be guarding if he hadn’t broken his hand against Nevada.
Boahen shoots mostly from three-point land and averages 15.0 points per game. Ottey is tough and finishes well at the rim, averaging 16.6 per game. Blount and 6’8” junior forward Rob Howard, Jr. manage the frontcourt, with Blount averaging 10.2 and Howard 8.0 per game.
UIC is pretty good (and undefeated) at home this year. The Flames knocked off Bradley on Nov. 17, and beat a pretty good William & Mary by 5 points in OT. They have lost every game on the road, but played well in the first half at St. Joes, and well in the second half at Notre Dame.
The Ramblers are coming off two losses, to Boston College and #5 Nevada. They're also adapting to the news of Williamson's injury. Will the Ramblers be looking past the Flames? Or will Loyola buckle down and assert their place in Chicago college basketball, and show they can overcome injury?
Loyola Game Notes: https://loyolaramblers.com/documents/20 ... df?id=8235UIC Game Notes: https://uicflames.com/documents/2018/11 ... 18_LUC.pdf TV/Streaming Video: ESPN +
http://www.espn.com/watch/_/id/e80d2244 ... ago-vs-uic Live Stats: http://stats.statbroadcast.com/broadcast/?id=236904 Vegas Odds: Loyola by 3
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