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CHICAGO (January 15, 2018) - Winners of their last three games and four of the last five, Loyola closes out a two-game homestand Wednesday when it hosts Southern Illinois. A win over the Salukis would give the Ramblers their longest winning streak in conference play since a six-game run in 2006-07 when they were members of the Horizon League. At 14-4 overall, the Ramblers have their best record through 18 games since the 1965-66 squad won 16 of its first 18 contests en route to a 22-3 season that ended with a NCAA Tournament berth. Through games of January 14, Loyola's 14 wins were the most of any NCAA Division I team in the state of Illinois.
 
Series Stuff
Loyola and Southern Illinois are meeting for the 12th time in a series that dates back to 1981. The Salukis own a 7-4 edge in the all-time series and have claimed four of the last five contests, including each of the last three. When the teams last met, in the quarterfinal round at Arch Madness last March, Loyola shot just 27.3 percent from the field in a 55-50 loss. Ben Richardson netted a team-high 16 points to lead the Ramblers that day.
 
Loyola is 2-3 all-time against Southern Illinois on its home floor and is seeking its first win over SIU at Gentile Arena since February 11, 2015 (66-62). Close games have been the norm in this series, with seven of the 11 meetings being decided by seven points or less. Last year's three games were decided by a combined 13 points. Loyola is 2-7 against Southern Illinois since joining the MVC for the 2013-14 campaign.
 
Scouting Southern Illinois
Southern Illinois has won seven of its last 11 games despite dealing with a rash of injuries this season. The Salukis' six Valley games have been decided by a combined total of 29 points. The Salukis are 2-5 in true road games this season and are 1-2 on the road in conference action, with the lone victory coming at UNI (56-53). Junior guard Armon Fletcher leads the Salukis with 14.6 ppg and ranks second on the club with 5.3 rpg, while Sean Lloyd adds 12.3 ppg and 4.8 rpg.
 
Loyola assistant coach Bryan Mullins was a standout player at SIU from 2005-09 and led the team to two NCAA Tournament appearances in his career in Carbondale.
 
Fletcher scored 26 points to spearhead Southern Illinois' rally from a three-point halftime deficit in a 74-70 victory over Illinois State on January 13. The win snapped SIU's two-game losing streak.
 
Up Next
Loyola makes the short trip east on the toll road to take on Valparaiso on Sunday, Jan. 21, in a game that will be televised live on ESPNU at 3 p.m.