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CHICAGO (February 22, 2019) - Loyola, which was won 10 of its last 15 Missouri Valley Conference road games, opens its final road trip of 2018-19 when it visits Southern Illinois Sunday afternoon. The Ramblers are coming off a 70-58 victory over Evansville and are looking to maintain at least a share of first place in The Valley standings. The Ramblers, who went 15-3 in MVC play a year ago, have won 10 or more league games in consecutive seasons for the first time since doing so in three straight campaigns - 1982-83 (12), 1983-84 (10), 1984-85 (13) - as a member of the Midwestern Collegiate Conference.

In its last three meetings with Southern Illinois, Loyola is hanging 76.3 ppg on the scoreboard, draining a staggering 57.7 percent (86-for-149) of its field goal tries, including 42.9 percent (21-for-49) from bonus distance.

The road hasn't been kind to the Ramblers recently, where they have managed just 50.5 ppg and knocked down 40.8 percent (73-for-179) of their field goal attempts and 25 percent (17-for-68) of their triple tries over the last four contests on enemy hardwood. Loyola also has 37 assists and 48 turnovers in that stretch.

Loyola – Southern Illinois – The Series

Sunday's game will be the 15th meeting between the in-state rivals in a series that opened up in 1981. The Ramblers have won each of the last three meetings with the Salukis, by an average of 19.3 points. Each team has claimed seven games in the all-time series. 

Since joining The Valley, Loyola is 5-7 against Southern Illinois, with seven of those 12 outings being determined by seven or fewer points. In Carbondale, Loyola is 3-3 all-time and last February clinched the MVC regular season crown with a convincing 75-56 victory at SIU Arena thanks to 16 points from Clayton Custer.

When the teams met in Chicago last month, Cameron Krutwig delivered 22 points to power Loyola, which converted 61.9 percent (28-for-47) of its field goal attempts, to a 75-50 decision. The Ramblers sprinted out to a 42-19 halftime lead and never looked back, leading by as many as 31 points.

Scouting Southern Illinois

Since falling to Loyola a month ago, Southern Illinois is 4-3 and those losses have come by a combined 12 points. Six of SIU's setbacks in Valley play have come by six or fewer points.

At SIU Arena this season, the Salukis are just 7-6 overall and 4-3 in Valley play, but have won three of their last four, although they fell to Drake, 72-69, in their last appearance at home, February 12.

Four players score in double digits for head coach Barry Hinson's ball club, led by senior guard Armon Fletcher, a Preseason All-MVC pick, who puts up 15.2 ppg to go with 5.8 rpg, while shooting 52.2 percent from the field and 42.3 percent from three-point range.

Up Next

Loyola plays its final road game of the 2018-19 regular season February 27 when it travels to UNI.