CHICAGO (December 12, 2019) - After a week off for final exams, Loyola returns to the hardwood Sunday afternoon in search of its fourth straight win when it hosts Norfolk State, which like Loyola, earned a National Invitation Tournament (NIT) bid a season ago. A victory over the Spartans Sunday would give the Ramblers their longest win streak since rattling off 14 consecutive victories on their way to the NCAA Final Four in 2018.

Through the first eight outings of the season, Loyola was mired in a shooting slump from long distance, converting just 29.7 percent (35-for-118) of its triple attempts. However, the Ramblers appear to have shaken those struggles and are hitting 57.5 percent (19-for-33) of their treys in the last pair of contests. Loyola is 3-0 when hitting 5+ treys.

In their last two games at Gentile Arena, the Ramblers, who have prevailed in 24 of their last 28 nonconference home contests, are averaging 87.5 points per game and shooting a robust 61.6 percent (61-for-99) from the field and 55.9 percent (19-for-34) from three-point range.

Loyola – Norfolk State – The Series

Loyola and Norfolk State are meeting for the fourth consecutive season in a series that began in 2016. The Ramblers have won each of the previous three meetings by double figures.

When the teams met last December at Gentile Arena, Loyola connected on a whopping 68.3 percent (28-for-41) of its field goal attempts en route to an 80-49 victory. Clayton Custer scored 21 points to lead the Ramblers, who stormed out to a 46-15 halftime advantage and never looked back en route to the win.

Scouting Norfolk State

Since getting off to a 3-1 start, Norfolk State has hit the skids, dropping its last seven outings, two of which were against Valley teams - Bradley (69-57) and Southern Illinois (76-59). The Spartans are 0-6 in true road games this season.

Four Spartans are scoring in double figures this year, led by redshirt senior guard Jermaine Bishop, a transfer from Saint Louis, who averages 13.7 ppg. Norfolk State is connecting on only 32 percent (80-for-250) of its three-point attempts this season but defensively is limiting opponents to 29.7 percent (73-for-246) from downtown.

In its last two meetings with Norfolk State, Loyola is dialing up 80.0 ppg and shooting an incredible 69.7 percent (53-for-76) from the field and an unfathomable 65.7 percent (23-for-35) from beyond the arc. Conversely, Norfolk State is recording just 50.0 ppg and draining 33.6 percent (38-for-113) from the field in that stretch.

Up Next

Loyola heads to the desert to take on Vanderbilt in Phoenix on December 18 in the Basketball Hall of Fame Showcase.