Loyola Ramblers Preview – https://loyolaramblers.com/news/2025/12 ... cisco.aspx

San Francisco Stats and Intel - https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/sc ... /2026.html

Record: 6-5 (WCC MBB)
Coach: Chris Gerlufsen
PS/G: 74.6 (248th of 365)
PA/G: 69.5 (97th of 365)
SRS: 5.28 (106th of 365)
SOS: 4.08 (70th of 365)
ORtg: 110.3 (174th of 365)
DRtg: 102.6 (171st of 365)
Preseason Odds: Championship +75000


Loyola Chicago Ramblers (3-8) at San Francisco Dons (6-5) – 9:00pm CST, Chase Center, San Francisco, CA

The Ramblers visit California for the second time this non-conference segment to take on the San Francisco Dons followed by a visit to Santa Clara.

Sunday evening, the Ramblers fell to 3-8 on the season, losing to Chicago State 84-75 who is #349 Kenpom and coming into this one were (1-9) and winless against D1 opponents.

"Chicago State definitely wanted it more than us," said head coach Drew Valentine. "There was a team that was extremely hungry and there was a team that wasn't connected or hungry. Credit to Chicago State for coming in here and playing their hearts out. They deserved to win."

The Dons enter the week at 6-5 after falling to Saint Louis over the weekend, 85-75. They are 1-4 over their last four games with the lone win coming against Mississippi State on Dec. 7, 65-62. San Francisco's defense is in the nation's top-100 in two categories. The Dons rank 82nd in field goal percentage defense (.441) and 99th in scoring defense (69.5).

The Dons commit 17.7 fouls per game and they hit 70.7% from the free throw line. They are assisting teammates 14.8 times per game (169th in the country) and they are turning it over 12.2 times per game. San Francisco scores 74.6 per contest and they average 37.6 boards per contest. In terms of offensive execution, the Dons are hitting on 44.8% from the floor, which ranks 215th.

Ryan Beasley leads the Dons in scoring this season with 13.8 PPG along with 2.9 RPG and 2.5 APG while Tyrone Riley IV has 11.4 PPG with 4.5 RPG. Beasley and Riley were two important guys for them when we met twice during the 2024-25 season. Additionally, Mookie Cook has 11.1 PPG with 6.1 RPG and 2.3 APG as well this season. David Fuchs has 10.4 PPG with 6.6 RPG to cap off the group of double-digit scorers so far this season for the Dons. Junjie Wang also has 6.8 PPG with 3.2 RPG and Vukasin Masic also has a team-high 2.5 APG as well this season. As a team, San Francisco is averaging 74.6 PPG on 44.8% shooting from the field, 35.5% from three and 70.7% from the foul line this season.

Loyola and USF met twice last season, the first game in Milwaukee on December 15, 2024 where the Dons won 76-66. Malik Thomas (who transferred to Virginia to play year-5) was lit in the second half, scoring 35 points to lead the comeback after trailing at halftime. The second matchup was at USF’s War Memorial Arena for the NIT’s second round game. Loyola won 77-76 and it was USF’s only home loss of the season.

Awful facts that prove just how bad Loyola’s team defense currently is –

• Loyola ranks 365th among Division 1 teams for steals per game this season (3.6).
• Loyola ranks 365th among Division 1 teams for opponent turnovers per game this season (8.5).


San Francisco Probable Starters – 5-10 G Ryan Beasley, 6-7 F Mookie Cook, 7-0 Guillermo Diaz Graham, 6-5 G Vukasin Masic, 6-7 F Tyrone Riley.

Loyola Probable Starters – Rubin, Houinsou, Dotson, Moore, Amos


LAST 10 GAMES FOR BOTH SQUADS

Dons: 5-5, averaging 72.3 points, 33.4 rebounds, 13.8 assists, 4.9 steals and 3.9 blocks per game while shooting 43.7% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 71.1 points per game.

Ramblers: 2-8, averaging 66.0 points, 30.2 rebounds, 13.5 assists, 3.4 steals and 4.0 blocks per game while shooting 41.1% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 74.7 points.


Watch / Listen – Wednesday night’s is streamed on ESPN+, 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: San Francisco -12.5

Fun fact, USF’s Mookie Cook (Oregon transfer) played young LeBron James in that recent movie about his SVSM team.

Let’s hope we make him look more like Bronny than LeBron tonight!

Pretty much expected. Defense remains to be Swiss cheese.

Dotson and Amos had some nice moments. See ya’ll on Saturday.

Another night another loss

Amos. pts leader with 17.
We need to find where/how Amos is best used to help us to a win and more. That said, he shot poorly from beyond the arc with 1 of 6.

SF to Loyola

Reb, 30 to 32
PaintPts 22 to 36
Threes 48% to 16% (yes, it was 16%!)
Assists 18 to 6
FG 53% to 43%

In 2nd half, SF led by 22 but both teams scored 35 pts.

Will Santa Clara be the turnaround game we need?

The defense is just so, so bad. Constantly out of position. Slow to adjust. Scoring on us is just so incredibly easy. I have never seen anything like it.