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CHICAGO (March 20, 2018) - Making its first appearance in the NCAA Sweet 16 since 1985. Loyola enters the NCAA South Regional Semifinal as one of the hottest teams in the nation, winner of 12 straight contests, the longest in program history since an historic 19-game run during that 1984-85 campaign. The Ramblers have prevailed in 19 of their last 20 contests. With last Saturday's victory over No. 13 Tennessee, the Ramblers notched their 30th win of the year, eclipsing the previous school record held by the 1962-63 club (29). At 30-5 overall, the Ramblers have recorded the 14th 20-win season in program history and the second in the last four years under head coach Porter Moser. Prior to his arrival for the 2011-12 campaign, Loyola had one 20-win season in 26 years.
 
Series Stuff
Thursday's game will be the first meeting between the Ramblers and Wolf Pack. The Ramblers are 9-5 all-time against current members of the Mountain West Conference and earlier this season suffered an 87=53 loss at Boise State on November 28. Since Porter Moser took over the Loyola program for the 2011-12 season, the Ramblers have collected six wins over Power 5 conference opponents, plus another four versus teams from the Big East or Mountain West conferences.
 
Scouting Nevada
Nevada has claimed three of its last four contests, with those three wins coming by a combined 11 points. The Wolf Pack's two wins in NCAA Tournament action this season have come by a grand total of six points and six of Nevada's seven losses have come by eight points or less. One of the top offensive teams in the nation, the Wolf Pack rank 16th in the NCAA in scoring offense (83.0 ppg) and are fourth in fewest turnovers per game at 9.6.
 
Junior forward Caleb Martin leads a balanced Nevada attack with 18.8 points and 5.4 rebounds per game, while his twin brother, Cody, pitches in 13.9 ppg and 4.7 apg.. Junior swingman Jordan Caroline gets it done at both ends of the floor, and in addition to leading the Wolf Pack with 8.7 rpg, also accounts for 17.7 ppg.
 
Loyola In The NCAA Tournament
Loyola is making the sixth NCAA Tournament appearance in program history and first since 1985. The Ramblers also reached the big dance in 1963, 1964, 1966, and 1968, winning the national championship in their first-ever NCAA appearance. Loyola is 11-4 all-time in NCAA Tournament contests and has won at least one game in four of its six trips to the tourney. Fifty-five years ago to the day (March 22, 1963), behind 29 points from Les Hunter and 20 from Jerry Harkness, Loyola stunned No. 2 Duke, 94-75, in a NCAA semifinal contest at Freedom Hall in Louisville.