TV: CBS | Live Stats | Game Notes
CHICAGO (March 4, 2018) - Top-seeded Loyola, which is making its first appearance in a conference tournament championship game since 2002 as a member of the Horizon League, looks to earn its first NCAA Tournament berth since the 1984-85 season when it faces No. 3 seed Illinois State Sunday afternoon in the Missouri Valley Conference title game. The Ramblers' 27 victories match the 1984-85 squad for the second-highest total in program history. Only the 1962-63 NCAA championship team won more games (29). Loyola's current nine-game winning streak is its longest since reeling off 19 consecutive victories, which included three at the Midwestern Collegiate Conference Tournament, as well as two NCAA Tournament wins, during the 1984-85 campaign.
Series Stuff
Sunday's game will be the 21st meeting between Loyola and Illinois State and the Redbirds own a 14-6 advantage in the all-time series. Although ISU has captured six of the last eight meetings between the teams, Loyola has prevailed in the last two matchups. Seven of the last eight meetings between the schools have been determined by eight points or less. This marks the first time the in-state rivals are squaring off in a Missouri Valley Conference Championship contest. When playing teams from the Land of Lincoln in Arch Madness action, Loyola is 3-1, with all three of those victories coming versus Bradley.
When the teams last met, just a week ago in the regular-season finale in Chicago,
Ben Richardson drained a pair of clutch three-pointers to help Loyola fend off a Redbird rally for a 68-61 victory in front of a capacity crowd of 4,963 at Gentile Arena. On January 10 in Normal,
Clayton Custer scored five straight points as part of a decisive 12-2 run that gave the Ramblers a 57-48 lead en route to a 68-61 victory at Redbird Arena, Loyola's first there since 1991.
Since joining the Missouri Valley Conference, the Ramblers are 3-7 against Illinois State.
Scouting Illinois State
Illinois State advanced to its fourth MVC Championship title game since 2012 with a 76-68 overtime victory over No. 2 seed Southern Illinois last night. The Redbirds come into Sunday's championship contest winners of four of their last five games, all by eight points or less, including two in overtime. The Redbirds are 4-1 on neutral floors this season and in addition to two wins here in St. Louis, also knocked off 2017 Final Four participant South Carolina and Tulsa, on a neutral court.
Illinois State relies heavily on the three-pointer and a whopping 46 percent (858-of-1,851) of its field goal attempts have come from beyond the arc. MVC Newcomer of the Year Milik Yarbrough leads a balanced Redbird offense with 16.7 points and 4.7 assists per game, while also adding 6.6 rebounds per contest. Forward Phil Fayne adds 15.7 ppg and a team-best 7.3 rpg, while guard Keyshawn Evans chips in 15.5 ppg and 3.6 apg.
