Game Notes | Live Video | Live Stats

CHICAGO (December 20, 2017) - Following a successful run through the non-conference portion of the schedule, Loyola lifts the lid on Missouri Valley Conference play when it visits preseason league favorite Missouri State Friday night. The Ramblers are seeking their first-ever road win in a Valley opener. This marks the second straight season that Loyola enters the MVC opener with 10 wins. By winning 10 of its first 11 contests of the year, the Ramblers got off to their best start through 11 games since 1965-66, when they later reached the NCAA Tournament. Loyola is 18-20 (.474) all-time in league openers, winning just two of its last 10.
 
Series Stuff
Loyola and Missouri State are meeting for the 10th time in a series that dates back to 1964. The Ramblers own a 6-3 edge in the all-time series and the teams have split the last four contests. Since joining The Valley, Loyola is 5-3 versus MSU. The teams split the regular-season series last year, with the home team winning each contest. When the teams last met, on January 31, Loyola rallied from an eight-point deficit with 2:45 left in regulation to force overtime before falling, 82-81, at JQH Arena. Milton Doyle netted 21 points to lead Loyola. Loyola is 2-2 against the Bears in Springfield and five of the nine overall meetings between the teams have been decided by six points or less. The Ramblers' last two losses in the series have come by a combined four points.
 
Scouting Missouri State
Following a pedestrian 2-2 start to the season, Missouri State has won eight of its last nine games and is coming off of a 66-50 victory over Wright State on Tuesday. The Bears are 5-1 at home this season and have won four straight at JQH Arena, but MSU has stumbled in its last three home MVC games since that 82-81 overtime win against Loyola on January 31. MVC Preseason Player of the Year Alize Johnson has lived up to the hype so far this season and comes into the conference opener averaging team highs of 14.0 points and 10.5 rebounds per contest. Seven other Bears are contributing at least 6.5 ppg, though Johnson is the only one posting double figures. Senior guard J.T. Miller pitches in 9.8 ppg. Missouri State is shooting 46.3 percent from the field as a team, but the Bears have dominated opponents on the glass to the tune of a Valley-best +8.8 rebounding margin.
 
Up Next
Loyola returns home for the first time in three weeks on December 30 when it hosts Evansville at 3 p.m.