Loyola Ramblers Preview – https://loyolaramblers.com/news/2025/3/ ... state.aspx

San Jose State Stats and Intel - https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/sc ... /2025.html

Record: 15-19 (7-13, 8th in MWC MBB)
Coach: Tim Miles
PS/G: 72.2 (229th of 364)
PA/G: 73.4 (224th of 364)
SRS: 0.63 (144th of 364)
SOS: 4.19 (96th of 364)
ORtg: 106.4 (203rd of 364)
DRtg: 108.2 (269th of 364)
Preseason Odds: Championship +50000


NIT First Round - Loyola Chicago Ramblers (22-11, 12-6) at San Jose State (15-19, 7-13) – 10:00pm CST Provident Credit Union Event Center, San Jose CA

After painful defeat in the A10 semifinal, Loyola Chicago accepted invitation to compete in the NIT and hits the West Coast to face San Jose State in the first round. San Jose State is fortunate to be in any type of postseason action as they have a losing 15-19 record.

Loyola Chicago finished the season at 22-11 and fell to VCU 62-55 in the A10 semifinal after defeating St. Louis 72-64 in the quarterfinal. The Ramblers ended their season going 9-2, which pushed them up to the 4-seed in the conference. The 20-win season is the Ramblers’ second consecutive in the A10, and seventh in the last eight.

The Ramblers enter this game as -2.5 road favorites - rightfully favored, as they have a better record this season, but they have been mediocre on the road, as San Jose State has also been at home.

The San Jose State Spartans, led by Tim Miles, have a 15-19 record this season and finished 8th in the Mountain West. Despite showing promise in the Mountain West in the 2022-23 season when they went 21-14 (10-8), this is a perennial Mountain West basement team. Last season, they were 9-23 (2-16). Tim Miles has recruited talented players throughout his tenure, but following disastrous league finishes they’ve all transferred elsewhere for the next season.

San Jose is coming off a 52-63 loss to 1-seed New Mexico in the Mountain West quarterfinals. In league play, the Spartans ranked 3rd in three-point percentage defense (.324) and were the 4th best three-point shooting team (.345).

Offensively, San Jose State is averaging 72.2 points per game, which ranks 207th in the nation. Defensively, they allow 73.3 points per game (243rd). The Spartans shoot with 44.6% from the field (171st), and with 34.5% from beyond the arc (137th). The Spartans shoot with 74% from the free-throw line (129th), and are grabbing 30.6 rebounds per game (281st).

Leading SJstate is Jose Uduje, who was awarded third team All-Mountain West last week, scoring a team best 16.3 ppg. He's on a six-game double-figure scoring streak that tipped off with a 29-point outing at Wyoming on Feb. 22. He has 13 games with at least 20 points scored, including a season-high 30 points at Fresno State on Feb. 4. SJState’s attack also features 6-2 G Latrell Davis at 11.1ppg, 6-3 G Donavan Yap at 10ppg, and 6-2 G Will McClendon 12 ppg.

Loyola Chicago is better across the board, as they are better both offensively and defensively. Defensively, they also have a height and size advantage over SJ’s small guards. Due to their height disadvantages, SJ is equally a poor rebounding team.

This interesting NIT assignment will be the first time these schools meet. San Jose State has lost 7 of their last 10 which is a stark contrast to the momentum the Ramblers are carrying. The Ramblers are 3-1 in their last 4 road/away games, while San Jose State is 1-3 in their last 4 games at home.

If you're awake (and plan to not work Thursday as a result of March Madness), tune in!


San Jose State Probable Starters – 6-2 G Latrell Davis, 6-3 G Donavan Yap, 6-5 F Sadaidriene Hall, 6-5 G Josh Uduje, 6-8 F Robert Vaihola

Loyola Probable Starters – Watson, Dawson, Edwards Jr., Houinsou, Rubin


LAST 10 GAMES FOR BOTH SQUADS

Spartans: 3-7, averaging 65.2 points, 29.9 rebounds, 12.0 assists, 7.1 steals and 3.1 blocks per game while shooting 41.8% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 75.1 points per game.

Ramblers: 8-2, averaging 74.5 points, 33.1 rebounds, 16.3 assists, 6.2 steals and 4.8 blocks per game while shooting 44.6% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 69.4 points.


Watch / Listen – Wednesday night’s game is nationally televised on ESPN2 with Mike Corey and Fran Fraschilla on the call, and can be listened to Rambler Sports Network with our friends Sudikoff and CT.

Postgame Show - Tune in to Sudikoff on RSN, followed by TalkinBlers Spaces on the X: https://x.com/blerstalking?s=21


Odds: Loyola -2.5

Wow, we almost did ourselves in. Can't credit San Jose for us losing the ball every one of our 15 TOs!!!!
Again, we need to protect the ball.

On to the next game with the Dons of SF.

Let's go Ramblers!!

Just sloppy play an ball handling at the end. Embarrassing. Total regression to the beginning of the season's dismal TO rate

If they want any chance of getting even with U of SF, they have to clean that up.

ESPN announcers were annoying, I regret not listening to Rambler radio.

Seriously Knight that was almost one of the worst chokes I’ve seen. We dominated them most of the second half, Rubin and Watson with huge games. But the what the hell was with putting them in the bonus with 12 minutes to go and then just losing all focus, turning it over like crazy and watching a 14 point lead evaporate to one. Extremely frustrating to watch. This has happened frequently where they get a lead and just think the other team will roll over and quit. I really hope this doesn’t happen next year and a killer instinct if developed.

Good part was Rubin and Watson, great games by them and they showed up. Bad was the rest of the teams focus, lot of sloppy and bad turnovers.

Least that’s over and we can focus on revenge against the Dons, hope the 3 ball shows up.

As for revenge against the Dons, I guess we owe these guys a beating. The Dons beat us back in 1949 for the NIT title.

Probably not a coincidence that Kymany Houinsou doesn’t play the last 10 minutes or so, and we suddenly forget how to hang on to the ball. Definitely wasn’t the only reason, but he’s basically our second PG. According to Drew a week or two ago, he’s been fighting through that leg injury all year, basically not practicing much at all… so hopefully it was just precautionary and not a bad flare up.

Yeah, that last 7 minutes or so was very painful to watch. It would have been a really bad way to end the year. San Jose St fought hard, but to be frank, they aren't a very good team. We should have buried them when we went ahead 15.

SLU, Bonnies, Joe's all lost. Mason, Dayton & us are the A10 teams still alive. Mason plays our old pals, Bradley. We have a chance at revenge vs San Fran.

Very glad we won, but good lord that was an ugly last five minutes. Hope the team has a good time in the Bay Area this week. Might as well keep winning!

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MBB Scholarship Chart

Even when we're 2,400 miles away, listening to us is always the right decision.

I said it a few times on the air last night, but without the help of San Jose St.'s video department, our broadcast last night would've been....not great. Getting a us a live feed PLUS audio made the world of difference.

Already in contact with San Francisco to do the same...if we aren't going to be there, we want to make it sound like we are (as best we can...)

Anyone here old enough to remember listening to baseball game announcers who were getting the game information from a teletype ticker?