Tuesday, November 21, 2017 7:00 p.m.
Gentile Arena, Chicago, Ill.
Just about 53 hours after a grueling, shorthanded 88-67 win over Samford, the Ramblers will be back at it against Mississippi Valley State on Tuesday. Loyola moved to 4-0 on the season by solving the Samford full-court press, getting solid outings from Marques Townes and Donte Ingram, and witnessing a breakout performance from freshman Lucas Williamson. Even without defensive mainstay Ben Richardson, injured and out for 4-6 weeks with a broken hand, it was a very good performance against a team that may finish atop the Southern Conference.
The MVSU Delta Devils also had a game on Sunday, at Kent State, as part of the Savannah Invitational. The school in the SWAC conference, located in Itta Bena, Mississippi (very close to Greenwood), is primarily noted for its football, which produced Hall of Famers Deacon Jones and Jerry Rice. They were last in the NCAA Tournament in 2012. Despite an 0-3 record entering the game, with an average losing margin of 35 points, the Delta Devils gave Kent State a pretty good game (tied up at 38 early in the 2nd half) before losing 80-67. Coach Andre Payne is in his fourth season, and is still experimenting with lineups, playing 12 players an average of double-digit minutes, and starting different combinations.
The better performance at Kent State on Sunday might result in a repeat of that starting group—guards Tereke Eckwood and Jordan Evans; center Emanuel Ejeh; and forwards Dante Scott and Arinze Anakwenze. Dante Scott, a 6’4” junior small forward who transferred from Howard is the only player on the Devils who has started all four games. Scott averages 8.0 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 2.5 assists per game. Anakwenze, a 6’6” junior forward from Los Angeles, is also likely to start but only plays an average of less than 11 minutes per game.
Emanuel Ejeh, a 6’8” junior center from Nigeria averages 7.0 points per game and leads the team in rebounds with 4.3. Ejeh had a fantastic game at Kent State, where he was 9-for-12 from the field for 21 points and eight rebounds, before fouling out in the final minute on a double technical.
Junior Tereke Eckwood is a 6’2” point guard who leads the team in points (10.0 per game), three pointers (6 made on 11 attempts), and steals. He rebounds well for a guard (3.3 per game) and takes care of the ball well—only six turnovers. Eckwood had 17 points, five assists, and two steals at Kent State. Joining him in the backcourt is shooting guard Jordan Evans, a 6’2” junior who averages 7.5 points and handles the ball well. He has not been shooting well early in the season, only 28% from the field, but he scored 10 points vs. Kent State.
Six players have appeared in every game and average double-digit minutes, all averaging between 2.0 and 5.8 points. Even in the relatively close game at Kent State, 10 players saw nine minutes or more on the court. Among the notable bench players are 6’9” center Jamal Watson (4.3 points, 2.8 boards per game) and 6’5” freshman guard Jeffrey Lewis (4.3 ppg and the team’s most prolific three-point shooter).
The last time MVSU won a non-conference game was on November 29, 2014, a 66-63 win over North Carolina A&T. They are 0-37 since. Their average margin of defeat this season– against BYU, Utah, Utah State, and Kent State– is 29.75 points. But one day soon, if their play on Sunday at Kent State is any sign, they’ll win another non-con game. Maybe really soon, like when they play SE Louisiana Saturday, on a neutral court. But hopefully the Ramblers can keep them waiting until after Thanksgiving for that win.
Loyola game notes: http://www.loyolaramblers.com/documents/2017/11/20//MVSU_Notes_2.pdf?id=3733
MVSU game notes: Pending
TV/Streaming video: http://www.espn.com/watch/_/id/3200129/mississippi-valley-state-vs-loyolachicago-m-basketball
Vegas odds: N/A
