Author Archives: Ramblermania

Illinois State Preview — 2/19/17

Posted on February 18, 2017 | By: Ramblermania | Leave a comment

Sunday, February 19, 2017 3:00 p.m.
Redbird Arena, Normal, Ill.

Loyola travels to Illinois State on Sunday, likely just in time for the return to the starting lineup of MiKyle MacIntosh. The Redbirds were 4-1 without him in the lineup, suffering their only conference loss (an 86-45 humiliation at Wichita State, broadcast nationally on ESPN2). In the span without McIntosh there were also a few close calls, like a six-point home win over Northern Iowa, and ISU’s last outing where McIntosh had to return to the lineup from the bench to help ISU come from behind to win 67-66 at Missouri State.

On New Year’s Day, Illinois State embarrassed Loyola with an 81-59 shellacking at Gentile Arena, in which at least half of the 1678 to show up were Redbird fans. The tandem of Deonte Hawkins and MiKyle McIntosh caused huge problems for the Ramblers, combining to score 30 points on 10-for-18 shooting, and 5-for-9 from three-point territory. The two mobile forwards, standing 6’7” and 6’8” cause matchup problems for Loyola, because they can hit shots from anywhere on the court and have the capability to drive to the basket. The Redbirds shot 57.1% as a team in that game, by far the most efficient performance against the Ramblers by any team this season.

Keeping ISU well under their season average of 44.3% and away from the foul line is going to be rule number one if Loyola wants to stay in game at Redbird Arena. The Ramblers will also need some offensive contributions from the bench; last time out Loyola got only three points from the bench players (excluding Aundre Jackson), and that slim total was equal to the two previous games combined. Loyola hasn’t won at ISU since 1991. ISU is 13-0 at home this year, with an average winning margin of 11.2 points.

LINKS

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Indiana State Preview – 2/15/17

Posted on February 15, 2017 | By: Ramblermania | Leave a comment
Wednesday, February 15, 2017 7:00 p.m.
Gentile Arena, Chicago, Ill.The Ramblers have a good chance to break their four-game losing streak and try to hold on to a top-half finish for the first time since joining the MVC. Loyola defeated Indiana State 81-66 on Jan. 28 in Terre Haute, but the game was not that close—Loyola led 73-44 with less than seven minutes remaining, before the Sycamores closed the gap during walk-on time. Since that game, the Sycamores have won three out of four, and the Ramblers have dropped a season-high four in a row.

Even with the recent turnaround, the Sycamores are still a rotten road team. They recently beat Bradley in Peoria, but it was a two-point nail-biter with both teams struggling to get to 50 points, Bradley shooting only 31% for the game, and Indiana State committing 22 turnovers. That gives the Sycamores three road wins on the season in 11 attempts thus far, the best of which came by one point at Utah State.

Loyola has had some problems of their own since the last meeting. During their current four game losing streak, lack of bench scoring has been a chronic problem. In the past four games, Loyola’s bench players Bruno Skokna, Cameron Satterwhite, Tyson Smith, and Vlatko Granic have combined for six points on 1-for-14 shooting from the field. Yes, Aundre Jackson comes of the bench, but that’s a technicality as he plays 2 ½ times as many minutes as starter Maurice Kirby (who has elevated his average scoring with 10 points in the past four games). Minutes have been adding up on the starters, and tired legs have led to missed shots at key points down the stretch.

Last time around against the Sycamores in Terre Haute, Milton Doyle led the Ramblers with 20 points, and Custer (15), Ingram (12), and Jackson (11) each had double figures. And significantly, the four from the bench combined for 11 points as well—the last win, and the last time the Ramblers has as many as three points in a game from the bench. But it’s easy to win when you out-rebound the opposition 30-22, hit 62.5% on threes, and your starters commit only 10 turnovers.

The Ramblers should win this game, but then again, they should have won at least two of the past four games. It would be nice if Loyola could get a lead to get their starters some rest, get their bench players some productive minutes, and get a game closer to evening up their conference record.

LINKS

  • Loyola game notes (PDF)
  • Indiana State game notes (PDF):
  • TV/Streaming video: ESPN3
  • Audio: WLUW 88.7 FM (Available on mobile app or at wluw.org)
  • Vegas Odds: Loyola by 7.5
  • Ramblermania game thread

 

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Posted in Game Previews

Wichita State Preview – 2/12/17

Posted on February 11, 2017 | By: Ramblermania | Leave a comment

Sunday, February 12, 2017 3:00 p.m.
Gentile Arena, Chicago, Ill.

When the Ramblers played Wichita State one month ago, Loyola performed well in cutting a 19-point deficit to just four points with 4:36 left to play. But that was as close as they would get as the Shockers held Loyola scoreless over the last 1:46 while hitting six consecutive free throws in an 87-75 win. Remarkably, Loyola outrebounded the Shockers 29-26, and had a 6-4 advantage on the offensive glass. But a career-high 26 points from Markis McDuffie (more than 14 points over his average points per game) and 12 timely three-pointers carried the day for WSU.

The feeling by many was, back in those wistful days before three crushing conference road losses by a total of six points to teams the Ramblers really should have beaten, that Loyola quite probably would have won that game against WSU if it had been held at Gentile Arena. But today—in the midst of a three-game losing streak, under .500 in conference, fresh off a two-point loss to a last place team, and in real danger of dropping down to a Thursday squad — that game a month ago at WSU looks utterly meaningless, other than it being yet another loss where the team played well for a good chunk of the game.

The Shockers followed their scare from Loyola with their only loss of the conference season, 76-62 at Illinois State back on Jan. 14. Demonstrably chastened by that loss– and the unfamiliar and disturbing feeling of not being in first place for a huge chunk of the season—the Shockers have been single-minded and resolute in the seven games since, winning those contests by an average margin of 22.4 points. They beat the undefeated league-leader by 41 points, and they beat Southern Illinois by 32 points. Their closest call during their seven-game winning streak was an eight-point win at Drake.

The Ramblers have become sloppy handling the ball lately. During the current three-game losing streak, the Ramblers have been on the losing end of the turnover tally each time. In the past seven games, Loyola has averaged 14.9 turnovers per game after committing an average of 11.1 in their first 19 games. Loyola is 13-3 on the season when they win the turnover battle; they’re 3-7 when they commit more turnovers than the opposition.

Throughout the season, the Ramblers have used better ball handling and a positive turnover margin to compensate for below-average rebounding. When Loyola wins (or ties) both the rebounding and turnover margin they’re 4-0, and when they lose both they’re 0-3. If the Ramblers can win the rebounding battle against WSU, as they did on Jan. 14 in Wichita, and get back to their early season form in ball handling, that’s likely the only way to get their first win against Wichita since joining the conference.

LINKS

  • Loyola game notes (PDF)
  • Wichita State game notes: Pending
  • TV/Streaming video: ESPNU (Stream)
  • Radio/Streaming audio: WLUW 88.7 FM (You can also listen on mobile with the WLUW app, or online at wluw.org)
  • Vegas odds: Shockers by 9
  • Ramblermania game thread

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Posted in Game Previews