CHICAGO (March 28, 2018) – Loyola University Chicago senior Ben Richardson (Overland Park, Kan./Blue Valley Northwest) has been named Missouri Valley Conference Scholar-Athlete of the Week it was announced today. The 6-foot-3 guard was tabbed Most Outstanding Player of the NCAA South Regional last week in helping the Ramblers extend their winning streak to a nation's-best 14 games, while also sending the program to its first NCAA Final Four berth since 1963.
 
Last week, Richardson averaged 15.5 points, 4.5 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game, while shooting a robust 64.7 percent (11-for-17) from the field, 60 percent (6-for-10) from three-point territory, and 100 percent (3-for-3) from the foul line, in NCAA South Regional victories over No. 24 Nevada and Kansas State in Atlanta.
 
He tallied eight points, three rebounds, three assists and a steal in a 69-68 victory over Nevada in the semifinal round, then erupted for a career-best 23 points, while also adding six rebounds and four assists, hitting 6-of-7 shots from beyond the arc, to spark Loyola to a 78-62 pasting of Kansas State on March 24 as the Ramblers won their 14^th game in a row, the school's longest streak since 1984-85.
 
A finance major and member of the MVC Honor Roll, Richardson has been a First Team MVC Scholar-Athlete pick in each of the last two years.
 
To qualify for MVC Scholar-Athlete of the Week honors, student-athletes must carry a cumulative grade-point average of 3.20, completed at least one academic year at a Valley institution and must be at least a sophomore in academic standing.
 
Loyola will take on seventh-ranked Michigan on Saturday, March 31, in an NCAA semifinal round contest. Tip-off is scheduled for 5:09 p.m. Central on TBS.