Loyola Ramblers Preview – https://loyolaramblers.com/news/2025/3/ ... t-win.aspx

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

Record: 25-6 (15-3, 1st in A-10 MBB)
Coach: Ryan Odom
PS/G: 77.9 (81st of 364)
PA/G: 62.7 (10th of 364)
SRS: 15.32 (43rd of 364)
SOS: 1.09 (115th of 364)
ORtg: 115.9 (28th of 364)
DRtg: 93.2 (7th of 364)
Preseason Odds: Championship +50000


Atlantic 10 Tournament Semifinal - Loyola Chicago Ramblers (22-10, 12-6) vs. VCU Rams (25-6, 15-3) – 12:00pm CST Capital One Arena, Washington DC

Perhaps upset from his All-A10 Team snub, Desmond Watson went on a personal mission to defeat the Saint Louis Billikens in Friday’s quarterfinal matchup. Scoring a career-high 25 points, which included 3-5 from three and 8-9 FT’s, the Ramblers won 72-64. Friday’s win also gave the program its first ever A-10 tournament victory.

"I've got to give our guys so much credit for how they approached today. We had so much pop, intensity, togetherness, execution, and mental focus," said head coach Drew Valentine. "We looked dialed in from the very start of the game. It started yesterday when we went to practice, carried over to our morning walk through and pregame meal, and all the way through the end of the game. They didn't give up and executed what we talked about and kept the energy alive."

The Billikens (19-14) were led in scoring by Isaiah Swope, who finished with 30 points. Robbie Avila added 12 points, six rebounds and two blocks. What we watched Friday was a very thorough defensive masterpiece and game plan, limiting Avila to meager production and ending Gibson Jimerson’s 6-year collegiate career on 4 points and 0-5 from three.

Offensively, the Ramblers only had 11 assists but were hitting from deep, mid-range, and down low. Loyola’s balanced scoring attack also included 12 from Jayden Dawson, 10 from Sheldon Edwards Jr.. Kymany’s 8 point and 10 board effort, and Jalen DeLoach’s excellent minutes off the bench with 9pts.

The Ramblers, now having won 8 of their last 9 games and 10 of 12, now improve to 22-10 overall and will take on the top-seeded VCU Rams in Saturday's semifinal where the Rams open as -10.5 favorites.

VCU reached the semifinals on Saturday by defeating the St. Bonaventure Bonnies 76-59 on Friday. VCU once again used a tough, wear-you-out defensive strategy that held St. Bonaventure to 36.4% shooting overall and 21.1% from three-point territory. The Rams outrebounded the Bonnies 40-35. VCU committed just 7 turnovers, while forcing St. Bonaventure to turn the ball over 13 times. VCU shot 42.6% overall and 28.1% from 3-point territory and had a balanced scoring attack with four players in double figures led by Jack Clark with 17 points. Zeb Jackson scored 14 points and Joe Basimile scored 13. The leading rebounder was Michael Belle with 10 and the leader in assists was Max Shulga with 11. Reviewing the box score, Shulga went 1-9 and 0-7 from three with 11 assists, and Bamisile went 6-16.

Hopefully VCU struggles shooting like this again Saturday. Also noteworthy - Phil Russell returned from injury and this will also be a factor. And you also have to wonder if Coach Odom is distracted by his potential move to Virginia or NC State after season's end.

VCU and Loyola last met on January 4th. The half-injured Ramblers led/or were in control for the first 30 to 35 minutes before VCU turned it up a notch and gave Loyola a painful 84-65 loss. They were led by Phil Russell’s 25. In that game, the Ramblers limited Shulga’s and Bamisile’s offensive capabilities, but it was VCU’s secondary scorers that torched and traumatized them late.

This squad doesn’t forget painful memories, responding well with victories in the next matchup…. and it’s safe to say they have been longing for another shot at VCU. And now they get one. This one matters more.

Winner advances to the A10 Championship game Sunday afternoon! Loser goes home!


VCU Probable Starters – 6-10 F Luke Bamgboye, 6-4 G Joe Bamisile, 6-4 G Max Shulga, 6-5 G Zeb Jackson, and 6-8 G Jack Clark.

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


LAST 10 GAMES FOR BOTH SQUADS
N/A

Watch / Listen – Saturday afternoon’s game is nationally televised on CBS Sports Network, 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: VCU -10.5 (as of 7pm 3/14)

Back to back Ragas! Great work my friend.

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MBB Scholarship Chart

VCU is a challenge. They have size, shooting, defense, coaching. We played with them for 30-35 minutes way back in January and then collapsed. We are a much better team than we were in January. Excited to have a chance. Joe's upset Dayton in the bottom bracket so it'll be either George Mason or Joe's in the championship. Play our game tomorrow, lock in, hit some 3's and let's see where the chips fall. I think Sheldon has a big game.

Thank you for getting this thread up.

10.5 underdogs.

I think the "they don't respect us card" is being be dealt today.

Double digits underdogs!

If you don't recall, Des was a first team all conference preseason player.

The January game was when we didn't have Houinsou and Moore. It was Dawson's first game back.

We were down by 3 with 5 minutes left.

It was a season ago.

Ramblers to VCU
FG% 29 to 43
Threes 20% to 25%
TOs 10 to 10
Pt points 28 to 28

Never fun to go down in the tournament.

It was nice to see us tie the game late but a combination of poor shooting and strangulation D from VCU did us in. We seldom had an open three.

It was nice to see Rubin again stay in the game as he was able to put up 12 pts as he was a big part of our comeback to tie and take the lead in the 2nd half.

Tough loss

Tough loss indeed.

Really liked the fight that they showed and didn’t give up. One of this what could have been games had we executed a little better, might have had a better chance of the upset. That being said tip of the cap the VCU they are a good and well coached team, tough to beat.

Overall it was a successful season, rough beginning and I really was questioning if Drew was the coach for the program but the past two months showed that he learned lessons, was able to adjust, and the team bought in into the changes. We ended really well and played up to our potential in the end, I hope Drew sticks around and really grew this year. It was exciting to see in real time and can’t wait to see what the future holds. Sure there will be great transfers we can bring in and hopefully we can keep the core guys, especially Rubin, with the program.

Hopefully we can get an NIT bid, think we could make some noise in that tournament.

The NIT bracket that I saw had is @Bradley in the first round again. Don’t know if I’d love that in b2b seasons, but postseason ball is still a good thing.

With what this NIT field will be… Loyola could win an NIT.

I would only take the NIT if a. we get a home game b. players vote yes c. and we are guaranteed to make some cash. Northwestern just turned down post season play....

Todays game. Thought the refs let VCU mug us a lot, very physcial...and just bad shooting days for Jayden and Watson....I thought Des forced some things.....but we played toe to toe with them. I also thought our average ball handling hurt as VCU really put a lot of pressure on the ball.

Few Thoughts:

1. We got to stop complaining about officials. I am guilty of it at times too. However, the game against VCU was a very physical game. The refs were allowing a lot both ways and we were not in foul trouble and with 5 plus minutes left in the game we were leading by 1 pt. The A10 from what I watched most of the season was a physical league and the refs allowed teams to beat on each other. So, we need to to put our big boy pants on, man up, and not make excuses. I thought the way the game was being refed was actually to our advantage.

2. The old hockey playoff adage is that to win, your stars have to play like stars. In this game, our stars did not play like stars. Dawson, Watson, Edwards a combined 10-41 is just not gonna cut it. It was a shame too because we ended up with only 10 Turnovers and did a decent job of handling their pressure.

3. I like Drew and pull for him even though I can be hard on him at times. I think this was not one of his better coaching jobs in this game. The team was fighting tooth and nail for 34 minutes and finally took a lead with 5:15 or so left in the game. We had 3 time-outs left. VCU came out and scored a quick 5 to re-take the lead and Drew never called a time-out. Game just kinda slipped away from us. I think at times when teams fight like hell to climb a hill and are expending the energy only to get pushed back it is deflating. I would have liked to see Drew call a time-out and get us an extra breather and get us organized on offense and run a play.