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CHICAGO (December 3, 2018) - For the first time since 2015, a Mid-American Conference team pays a visit to Gentile Arena as Loyola hosts Ball State Wednesday night in the first-ever meeting between the programs. The Ramblers broke a mini two-game slide with a 73-64 victory at UIC Saturday and are seeking their 20th win in their last 23 games at Gentile Arena. Seventy points has been the barometer for success for Loyola this season. When scoring 70 or more points, the Ramblers are 5-0 in 2018-19. Conversely, Loyola is 0-3 when scoring fewer than 70 points and is 0-2 when allowing 70 or more points. The Ramblers are 18-2 (.900) in their last 20 home nonconference outings, with those two setbacks coming earlier this year to No. 5 Nevada and Furman.

Loyola – Ball State – The Series

Loyola and Ball State are meeting for the first time. The Ramblers, who are 127-124 (.506) all-time versus current members of the Mid-American Conference, have squared off against all but two MAC teams - Ball State and Buffalo - at least one time in program history.

The last time Loyola took on a MAC foe, Donte Ingram scored 18 points and Marques Townes added 14, to power the Ramblers to a 75-60 victory over Kent State at the Savannah Invitational in Savannah, Ga., November 25, 2017.

Scouting Ball State

Ball State, which has played a challenging early season slate, enters Wednesday's game on a four-game winning streak and is coming off an 85-75 victory at IUPUI December 1. The Cardinals have split a pair of true road games this season, falling at Purdue (84-75) before earning the win at IUPUI last weekend. Loyola will be Ball State's third Missouri Valley Conference opponent through the first four weeks of the season. The Cardinals already own victories over Indiana State (86-69) and Evansville (82-72).

Ball State's explosive offense, which produces 81.9 points per game, is keyed by high-scoring fifth-year senior guard Tayler Persons, who averages a team-best 17.5 ppg and adds 3.9 rpg and 5.4 apg. Redshirt junior guard K.J. Walton pitches in 14.3 ppg and 4.9 rpg, and is shooting 55.4 percent (41-for-74) from the field, while redshirt junior forward Tahjai Teague contributes 13.3 ppg and 6.3 rpg and shoots a team-best 63.8 percent (44-for-69) from the field.
 

Up Next

Loyola heads to the east coast Saturday (Dec. 8) to take on No. 23 Maryland in Baltimore.