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CHICAGO (January 31, 2019) - Winners of seven straight games in February, Loyola, which has captured five of its last six contests overall, opens the month with a pivotal game at Illinois State in a showdown of the top two teams in the Missouri Valley Conference standings. The Ramblers have claimed five of their last seven, and nine of the last 12, Valley road games. Loyola has prevailed in 13 of its last 14 games versus in-state rivals, including each of the last eight. The lone defeat in that stretch came at Bradley (69-67), January 31, 2018.

Since the start of the 2017-18 campaign, Loyola is 22-5 (.815) in MVC play, emerging victorious in 21 of its last 24 (.875) league matchups. The Ramblers' 22 wins in conference competition are the most in consecutive seasons since claiming a school-record 23 victories in 1983-84 and 1984-85 as a member of the Midwestern Collegiate Conference. Loyola is attempting to win back-to-back regular season conference championships for the first time in program history.  

Loyola – Illinois State – The Series

Saturday's game will be the 23rd meeting between the Ramblers and Redbirds in a series that commenced in 1980. Illinois State holds a 14-8 advantage in the all-time series, but Loyola has taken four straight encounters between the teams. Eight of the last 10 meetings have been decided by eight or fewer points, including last season's matchup in Normal, which went to Loyola, 68-61. Aundre Jackson came off the bench for a team-high 15 points to give the Ramblers their first win at Redbird Arena since 1991.

In last month's showdown in Chicago, Marques Townes produced 21 points and Clayton Custer hit a pair of go-ahead free throws with 1:38 remaining to power the Ramblers to a 67-64 decision. Since joining The Valley, Loyola is 5-7 versus Illinois State. Last season's victory in central Illinois broke a six-game slide versus Illinois State at Redbird Arena and improved the Ramblers' record to 2-8 all-time in Normal.

Scouting Illinois State

Illinois State has won four of its last five games since its setback at Gentile Arena last month and sits just one game behind Loyola in the MVC race. At Redbird Arena this season, ISU is 9-2 overall, including 4-0 in Valley action. Illinois State has won each of its last five contests on its home floor.

Senior guard Malik Yarbrough (17.0 ppg, 7.6 rpg, 3.6 apg) and senior forward Phil Fayne, (15.7 ppg, 6.2 rpg, 1.4 bpg) both Preseason First Team All-MVC picks, provide the Redbirds with a formidable one-two punch.

In its last three wins, Illinois State is shooting 45.2 percent (28-for-62) from beyond the arc.

Up Next

Loyola returns home Tuesday, Feb. 5, when it hosts Drake at 6 p.m.