Loyola Ramblers Preview – https://loyolaramblers.com/news/2025/2/ ... louis.aspx

Saint Louis Stats and Intel - https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/sc ... /2025.html

Record: 16-12 (9-6, 4th in A-10 MBB)
Coach: Josh Schertz
PS/G: 73.1 (209th of 364)
PA/G: 69.4 (98th of 364)
SRS: 3.67 (113th of 364)
SOS: 2.44 (103rd of 364)
ORtg: 106.2 (210th of 364)
DRtg: 100.8 (95th of 364)


Loyola Chicago Ramblers (19-9, 10-5) at Saint Louis Billikens (16-12, 9-6) – 3:00pm CST Chaifetz Arena, St. Louis, MO

Loyola Chicago takes the bus south on I-55 for a crucial matchup against the Saint Louis Billikens, where they aim to secure their sixth consecutive win. Tipoff is scheduled for 3pm on CBS Sports Network.

Impressively, and in some cases dominantly, the Ramblers have improved their overall record now nearing 20 wins, and currently maintain a third-place spot atop the tight A10 standings with significant home and road victories recently over SLU, Dayton, GW at home, and Richmond and Davidson on the road. With a win over George Washington earlier this week, the Ramblers improved their win streak to five consecutive games, having now won 15 games at home including 22 of the last 23.

Wednesday’s game included several standout performers, and the entire team needs to keep playing at their full potential. When on the floor, Miles Rubin continued to be a force on the offensive and defensive ends, logging 10pts and 4 blocks – altering several more GW shots in the process. Without him on the floor, GW took advantage. Jayden Dawson led all Loyola scorers with 16, and our bench showed life for the first time in weeks kicking in 32 between Jalen Quinn (12), Francis Nwaokorie (12) and Jalen DeLoach (8). To win a sixth straight in what will be their toughest road test of the season, they’ll need these numbers again + some extra to defeat the Billikens at home where they are 12-3 on the season.

Despite the loss of Justin Moore, Loyola continues to share the ball and assist on buckets at a remarkably high rate – led at PG by Kymany Houinsou. Loyola ranks 40th in the country in assists per game (16.2), which also leads the conference. According to KenPom, the Ramblers rank 21st in the country with a 60.6 assist rate.

After playing at Loyola on Valentines Day and losing 78-69, the Billikens rebounded with two wins over Rhode Island and just barely (57-56) over Davidson, who choked. Since the start of league play, Saint Louis has the third-best defense, holding opponents to 67.1 points per game. The Billikens have also been shooting the best (46.4) and have the best opponent field goal percentage (39.3).

Robbie Avila continues to lead the Billikens at 17.1 ppg, while Gibson Jimerson adds 17.0 ppg off an insane number of attempts from deep. Both rank fourth and fifth in scoring in the A10.

LUC and SLU know each other very well by now, and it won’t come as a surprise if SLU were to come out firing against us in the Billiken Blue Out – especially after the way they lost the Feb. 14th game when Loyola buried them following the U4 timeout and 13-3 run to close out the game. That game featured numerous 5-0 / 7-0 runs between both, including several lead changes with the Ramblers coming back from being down to win in the game’s final 3 minutes. Jayden Dawson scored a career high 26pts, and the Ramblers had excellent contributions from Sheldon Edwards (17, Des Watson (14) and Miles Rubin’s double-double with 10 and 11 and 6 assists.

Saturday’s matchup with Avila for round-2 will be another intriguing and fun one to pay close attention to. Can Rubin’s impressive play continue in what will be a no-doubter raucous environment?

Saturday’s matchup is like a playoff game once again, with more huge seeding implications on the line. Without checking tiebreaker scenarios, a Billikens victory ties them with Loyola in third place. A Ramblers victory would give them a 1.5-game cushion ahead of a 4th place logjam with 2 games remaining.

Looking ahead, Loyola's momentum would bolster their current standing in the conference, with Dayton, and Saint Joe’s also at 9-6. Both Dayton (home vs Richmond) and Saint Joes (away @ Fordham) play Saturday also.

Loyola's focused teamwork, better foul and turnover control, and key player performances will be mandatory for them to win. Our scorers must do their thing. Miles Rubin must continue to be dominant while he is on the floor. The bench, which would give us an advantage over SLU in this one, must also produce like it did on Wednesday night.

Meanwhile, SLU would need Jimerson’s marksmanship from three to return, because for a stretch he was really cold and bad, and Avila and Swope would each need big games as well. Beyond their big three, SLU is very thin off the bench, and we’ve seen all year that depth and fatigue have greatly affected them throughout the year as it showed February 14th.


SLU Probable Starters – 6-8 F Kalu Anya, 6-10 C Robbie Avila, 6-5 G Gibson Jimerson, 6-3 G Kobe Johnson, 5-10 G Isaiah Swope.

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


LAST 10 GAMES FOR BOTH SQUADS

Billikens: 5-5, averaging 68.3 points, 33.0 rebounds, 14.5 assists, 6.1 steals and 3.7 blocks per game while shooting 44.9% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 68.2 points per game.

Ramblers: 8-2, averaging 70.9 points, 32.2 rebounds, 16.3 assists, 6.3 steals and 5.5 blocks per game while shooting 45.7% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 64.8 points. During current 5 game winning streak, LUC is averaging 79 ppg and holding opponents to 69.4 ppg.


Watch / Listen – Saturday afternoon’s game is nationally televised on CBS Sports Network with John Sadak and Avery Johnson 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: Saint Louis -3 (as of 8:30pm 2/28)

A win and a St. Joe's loss today would apparently clinch a Top 4 spot.

Avila & Jimmerson absolutely wrecked us today. We had zero answers or adjustments. Quite embarrassing. Defense just didn't make the trip to STL.

I THINK we still control our own destiny. If we win out vs Davidson and @UMass, I don't think theres any scenario we finish outside the top 4, at least based on playing around with that simulator.

Absolutely Brutal
Foul after foul, not defending the three

It’s amazing how two guys destroyed us and also nearly outscored our entire team.

Dawson, Rubin, and DeLoach had pretty good games offensively if we need a positive.

And Seifeldin hit a corner three - his first collegiate three. That looked so pretty.

Pressure’s on us to win out the last two games and start a new winning streak for March

SLU was unconscious, but I couldn't believe the second half stretch that effectively ended the game. In six minutes, SLU made 10 straight shots. Seven of those were from three and another was an and one. I didn't see us make any adjustments as we repeatedly dropped coverage on pick and rolls and sagged off of shooters. Tough one all around.

We just aren't a reliable road team.

Now we need some help for a top four seed. We need Dayton to beat SLU and then lose to VCU while Loyola winning its last two games. There is a pretty good chance of that occurring.

Edit: using that conference calculator from the other thread, it looks like we are in good shape for a top four simply by winning the next two. Its the difference of a 3 or 4 seed.

4-5 away games
0-4 neutral / away (Milwaukee and Hawaii)

4-9

Everybody else in league is .500 or worse except VCU. And that is why they are first place.

unfortunately dc is going to be pretty much a home game experience for GW, GM and VCU

Having it in NYC certainly hasn't helped Fordham! Although the quality of GM and VCU this year is quite a few levels above Fordham's squad any year