Loyola Chicago Ramblers
Date: Wednesday February 26th, 2025
Time: 8:00 PM ET
Venue: Joseph J. Gentile Arena (Chicago, IL)
TV: ESPN+
Ranks: 117th (KenPom), 115th (Bart Torvik), 118th (Haslametrics), 104th (EvanMiya)
2023-24 Record: 23-10, 15-3 (T-1st in A10)
2024-25 Projected Record: 20-11, 11-7 (T-3rd in A10)

Head-to-Head: 3-4. Prior to the Ramblers joining the conference, the two teams had last met in the 1930s. In last year's meeting, GW fell 81-73 in what was one of the closer contests during GW's long losing streak. The visitors from Chicago took an eight point lead into halftime after nailing seven triples in the first frame. After the intermission, the two teams more or less continued to trade punches. Heading into the penultimate media timeout, things were looking good for the Revs as they held a three point advantage. From the 12 minute mark to the 5 minute mark, GW was pretty much a two man team, with JB and Max accounting for all the scoring during that time (Bishop had 13 and Max had 9). Another JB three with just over three minutes to go helped GW maintain their slim lead by 2, 70-68. Unfortunately, they could only muster three points the rest of the way. Adelekun proved to be too tough for GW to handle, as Loyola kept going to him down low late and the Revs could not stop it (Antoine Smith was on him for much of the time). He had three and-ones in the final four minutes of the game. JB finished the game with a triple nickel (25 points, 5 rebounds, 7 assists), Garrett had 13, Max added 12, and Jun had 11.

In the last meeting at Gentile, GW came out on top 97-87 in what was one of the best shooting performances I can remember from the team, especially on the road. When JB was feeling it, there was little teams could do to stop it. Bishop went off for 40 points (to go with 7 assists) making some shots that were very deep. Literally GW could do no wrong, to the point where even Ricky was making multiple threes from the corner (he finished with 13). BA had 19 points/5 assists as well. The Buff and Blue finished the game shooting 64% from the field, 59% from 3, and 92% from the line. It's not like Loyola had a poor shooting game, as they shot 52% from the floor themselves (and for a team that coughed up the ball a lot, they only turned it over 10 times) but I mean GW almost put up 100 in regulation. It's hard to win any game when you let the other team do that.




Offensive Efficiency: 176th (KenPom), 162nd (Bart Torvik), 172nd (Haslametrics), 164th (EvanMiya)
Defensive Efficiency: 104th (KenPom), 95th (Bart Torvik), 92nd (Haslametrics), 76th (EvanMiya)
Pace: 180th (KenPom), 179th (Bart Torvik), 192nd (Haslametrics), 160th (EvanMiya)
Offensive Shot Quality Rank: 126th
Defensive Shot Quality Rank: 96th
Rim & 3 Rate: 86% (101st)

Strengths (2024-25 Season):
Assists Per Game: 16 APG (44th)
Blocks Per Game: 4.5 BPG (46th)
Winning Percentage: 66.7% (71st)
Effective Field Goal Percentage: 53.5% (79th)
Scoring Defense: 68.9 PPG (91st)
Three Point Percentage: 35.5% (95th)
Field Goal Percentage Defense: 42.2% (97th)

Weaknesses (2024-25 Season):
Free Throw Percentage: 66.9% (320th)

Projected Starting Lineup:
#0 Des Watson (Senior; Columbus, OH) - 13.1 ppg, 3.7 rpg, 2.7 apg, 1.4 spg; 38% FG, 35% 3-PT, 71% FT per 34.2 mpg/27 GP
#1 G Jayden Dawson (Junior; Omaha, NE) - 13.1 ppg, 3.1 rpg, 1.8 apg, 1 spg; 42% FG, 36% 3-PT, 77% FT per 29 mpg/22 GP
#13 G Sheldon Edwards Jr. (Senior; West Palm Beach, FL) - 12.3 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 1.8 apg; 43% FG, 39% 3-PT, 86% FT per 27 mpg/27 GP
#28 G Kymany Houinsou (Junior; Mulhouse, France) - 5.4 ppg, 4.4 rpg, 3 apg; 50% FG, 21% 3-PT, 64% FT per 22.2 mpg/20 GP
#24 C Miles Rubin (Sophomore; Chicago, IL) - 9 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 1.3 apg, 2.3 bpg; 68% FG, 53% FT per 23.9 mpg/27 GP

Key Bench Players:
#35 F Francis Nwaokorie (Senior; Brooklyn Park, MN) - 5.7 ppg, 5.3 rpg; 45% FG, 38% 3-PT, 70% FT per 22.4 mpg/27 GP
#2 G Jalen Quinn (Junior; Tuscola, IL) - 7.7 ppg, 1.8 rpg, 2.3 apg; 48% FG, 22% 3-PT, 76% FT per 20.7 mpg/27 GP
#4 F Jalen DeLoach (Senior; Savannah, GA) - 5.9 ppg, 4.1 rpg, 1.2 apg; 57% FG, 52% FT per 14.6 mpg/27 GP
#5 G Daniil Glazkov (Freshman; Krasnodar, Russia) - 1.5 ppg; 35% FG, 27% 3-PT, 47% FT per 6.6 mpg/25 GP

Key Losses:
Philip Alston (Graduated; Columbus, OH) - 12.6 ppg, 4.6 rpg; 45% FG, 25% 3-PT, 64% FT per 24.3 mpg/29 GP
Braden Norris (Graduated; Hilliard, OH) - 9.2 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 4.8 apg, 1.2 spg; 45% FG, 43% 3-PT, 85% FT per 34.6 mpg/33 GP
Dame Adelekun (Graduated; Gastonia, NC) - 9.1 ppg, 4.5 rpg; 57% FG, 33% 3-PT, 66% FT per 15.6 mpg/33 GP

Preview:
Ten years ago, Davidson was picked third to last in the Atlantic 10 preseason poll. The Wildcats would make the poll look silly by the end of the year, winning the league outright in their inaugural season in the league. While teams transitioning to new leagues generally need a year to learn the tendencies of their conference foes, they also benefit from the other teams not knowing how they operate on both sides of the ball. More often than not however, it's not easy to win the league right away in a new league. Thus, perhaps expectations were a bit out of control when the Loyola Chicago Ramblers entered the A10 back in the 2022-23 season. Porter Moser had without a doubt left the program in a better place than what he inherited - not only was Loyola making the dance frequently, but he guided the Ramblers from the Horizon to the Missouri Valley successfully.

Drew Valentine kept the good times rolling when he got the job following Moser's move to Oklahoma, but the fourth place preseason projection was perhaps a bit too lofty given the Ramblers needed time to field an A10-ready roster. To most, the difference between an MVC roster and that of an A10 one is negligible, however specifically at the 3 and 4 positions the Atlantic 10 certainly has more size, and the forwards at those positions can generally shoot the ball with more consistency than those in the MVC. The Ramblers would begin conference play 0-6, and would lose five of their final six games of the year.

The perception of Valentine as an up and comer changed dramatically followed the lackluster season, but credit the 33 year old coach for shifting his approach during the 2023 offseason, allowing LUC to go from last in the league to a tie for first with the Richmond Spiders. Under Moser, the team played very slow, placing an emphasis on executing offensive sets with discipline. Per KenPom, the Ramblers were bottom 100 in pace all ten years under the former head honcho. Valentine kept the same system in place when he took over, but showed signs in 2022-23 of cranking up the tempo a bit. Last season, Loyola ranked 110th in pace, which is the fastest they've played since Larry Farmer was leading the program back in 2003-04. The typical Loyola principles of moving the ball remained (they were seventh nationally in assist percentage), but they finally didn't totally eschew transition opportunities. They also cut down on the turnovers a bit, but to be honest that was a low bar to cross given they were 350th in turnover percentage back in 2023.

The biggest change however came on defense, where Loyola rose back up to their usual standards. The Ramblers ranked 28th in defensive efficiency (per KenPom) which was more in line with their marks in the last five years in the MVC. The 2021 team that Moser took to the Sweet 16 finished 2nd nationally on that side of the ball. Defensive rebounding has played a big role in Loyola's stellar marks, with the Ramblers top 60 in defensive rebounding percentage from 2017 to 2022. Last year's team ranked 33rd in that category after a slight slip the previous year. Most importantly though, Valentine shored up the interior defense, as his Ramblers ranked 20th in block percentage and 6th in two point field goal percentage. Loyola still went one and done in the conference tournament, losing a double overtime heartbreaker to St. Bonaventure. The Bonnies accounted for half their losses to A10 teams. LUC would qualify for the NIT, but fell to former conference rival Bradley in the first round. Funnily enough, Loyola went 0-2 against the MVC last year. Outside of the Braves, they also lost to UIC, who replaced them in the league.

Valentine kept the momentum going early this season - Loyola began the season 9-1. They faced the two USF teams (South Florida and San Francisco) back to back in December, something I can't imagine has happened too often in CBB history. Unfortunately, the Ramblers suffered significant injuries in those contests, resulting in a disastrous showing in the Diamond Head Classic that saw LUC go 0-3. I know GW won that tournament back in 2014, but it seems like A10 teams have been cursed in that MTE ever since. It may be a blessing in disguise that the tournament will not be held in 2025 (announced today) after initial reports of the tourney being moved to November (which I hated by the way, there's nothing else in December - don't change that!)

Drexel transfer Justin Moore went down just one minute into the South Florida game, gutting Loyola of their one true ball handler on the squad. Moore, who was averaging 5.3 apg on the year, was brought in to replace the graduated Braden Norris, who ranked top 70 nationally in both assist/turnover ratio and assists per game last season. It was later announced that Moore's knee injury was season ending. Against San Francisco, junior Jayden Dawson and Washington State transfer Kymany Houinsou got hurt. Dawson's ankle ailment caused him to miss five games, while Houinsou's leg injury resulted in seven missed games.

Now back, Dawson has provided a big lift when it comes to shooting the ball. The Omaha native is shooting 36% from three and has hit at least four threes in four of Loyola's last six games. He's also a decent on-ball defender as well but isn't the passer that Moore was. Prior to the Dayton game that saw him foul out, Dawson had scored 20+ points three games in a row. Houinsou meanwhile is the glue guy in Loyola's starting lineup. The native of France can score near the rim, rebound, and Valentine can run offense through him as a playmaker as well. He's only a career 24% from 3 and 63% from the line, and while he doesn't score a lot (hasn't hit double figures since returning from injury) he does the little things really well.

Former Davidson Wildcat Des Watson and Valparaiso transfer Sheldon Edwards Jr. also play important roles in the backcourt. Watson has really found himself since returning to the midwest. He's tied with Dawson for the team lead in scoring and is first in assists and steals on the team as well. The Ohio native won't hesitate to pull up and let the jumpers fly, however he could stand to be more efficient (just 38% from the field on the year). He's 35% from 3 with 53 makes on the year and has finished in double figures in 12 of 14 conference games so far. Loyola has gone 6-1 in their last seven games, and during that time Watson has made multiple threes in each game.

Edwards meanwhile is a capable rebounder and passer but really shines as a shooter on the team. 78% of his attempts have come from 3, and he's 39% on the year. In the first half of last year's matchup, he knocked down three triples. He's shooting 44% from deep in his last six games and made seven threes against Richmond (seems to be a trend against the Spiders since Drumgoole did that too lol). GW cannot let Edwards go off from behind the arc. He's 62nd in three point percentage (which leads the A10) and is top 50 in three point makes overall with 73 made on the year. Throw in junior Jalen Quinn, and Loyola has a pretty formidable backcourt. Quinn is a drive first guard who can't really shoot (22% from 3 and can be loose with turnovers at times) but he's another guy that Valentine can let orchestrate the offense. He can be a little feast or famine - he's made zero or one shot in three of his last five games, but has also had games where he's made 4+ shots.

Another Jalen in Jalen DeLoach will hold things down up front off the bench. DeLoach returns to the A10 (started his career at VCU) after a brief stint at Georgia. He's just 54% from the FT line, but can finish around the hoop as a paint-bound player. He scored 10 points against Dayton on Friday, which marked only the second time he hit double figures in conference play. DeLoach deserves some credit for Loyola's strong defense inside but a lot of it is due to Miles Rubin, who was one of the nation's best shot blockers as a freshman. The Simeon product (same school as DJ Williams from several years ago) is currently top 15 nationally in blocks per game for the second straight year and leads the A10 in that category. He hasn't developed as much as expected on offense in his sophomore year (although he has scored in double figures in five of the last six games) but his mobility will make the matchup with Rafael an interesting one. Former UC San Diego player Francis Nwaokorie has the versatility to play a number of positions and is a good rebounder to help out the cause up front. He averaged 13 ppg in two meetings against GW back in 2021/22 and can stretch the floor a bit offensively as well (38% on the season). Nwaokorie has been a bit quiet during Loyola's recent run, and he's made either zero or one field goals in six straight games. As a side note, Eric Olen has done an incredible job at UCSD. The Tritons are in at-large territory, although they have to keep winning to actually have a shot at the at-large bid. This is a team just recently transitioning from D2 which makes it that much more impressive.

Finally, true freshman/IMG Academy product Daniil Glazkov will see spot minutes from off the bench. He's had a tough year shooting the ball from all three levels but could play a bigger role for the team down the road.

This figures to be a very interesting matchup with both GW and Loyola similar in many ways. Defense-first squads that play at a middling pace with somewhat average offenses. Both teams are also not very good at the FT line. Attention to detail along the perimeter will be crucial, especially against the top passing team in the A10. With Rubin/DeLoach roaming the paint, how can the Revs keep themselves from having a scoring drought if the threes aren't falling? Rubin has done a pretty good job of not fouling out all season, as he's only been disqualified just twice. Another hot shooting performance from deep would definitely come in handy but a good game from Jun may also work. Loyola has never been the most disciplined team when it comes to taking care of the ball so maybe GW can force a fair amount of turnovers tomorrow.

Projected Score: Loyola 71, GW 69. 42% chance to win (KenPom). Bart Torvik predicts a 38% GW victory. ESPN gives the Revs a 31.3% chance at a W.
 

The team I’d want to play like, for the most part, is GW but with better shooters. 

We play good defense and disrupt the other team most of the time. We have an elite rim & three percentage (best in the league), which is an analytically sound offensive approach. 

But you’d want better guards for our style - we give up too many TOs and shoot poorly for three (and our guards/wings don’t contribute enough on the defensive glass).   

But if we’re not considering players, just style, I think a disruptive and efficient defense, combined with one of the top rim&3 rates, with decent passing and a lot of open 3 attempts is kind of ideal.
 
I like the way STL plays on offense, too - they get great shots inside (4th in the nation in two point percentage) and take about half their shots from three while moving the ball well (there’s a reason Schertz was so good at Indiana St).   Don’t love their defense, though, because they don’t try to force TOs at all, and I’ve never liked that style.   For defense, it would obviously be George Mason this year.  But for overall, considering both sides I’m sticking with GW!

Why start Drumgoole?

 Sorry, but these guys look like they never played with each other. How many turnovers already.

Don't think Drumgoole starting has been working great. Nothing has. Though at least he can make
FT's.
Saying again, would like to see more Bevins (maybe Nessah too). They are the future.
It looks like he can shoot from outside some,
   Also, it's OK to call timeout to stop a run.
 

Also, every time Loyola fires up a 3, I tend to say a bad word.

Not as bad as what happened to Maryland at the buzzer. Gee, I feel so bad. 😂

Minus 10 on the boards already...not ideal.

There does seem to be a bit of an issue, let's say, connecting with each other on passes.
   Also, to win, we need to cut down on Loyola's 5th chance opportunities