The Valley on ESPN (subscription required) vs. Evansville | Live Stats vs. Evansville | Loyola Game Notes | MVC Tournament Central

CHICAGO (March 12, 2019) - Seventh-seeded Loyola University Chicago begins play in the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament on Thursday evening with an opening round matchup against tenth-seeded Evansville. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. from inside TaxSlayer Center in Moline, Ill.

Since joining The Valley prior to the 2013-14 season, Loyola has gone 2-2 (.500) in four appearances in the event's opening round.  The Ramblers will be in search of their first win in Moline, Ill., having gone winless in three tries since the tournament's move to the Quad Cities in 2015-16.
 

LAST TIME OUT
Loyola shot nearly 48 percent from the field against Valparaiso last Saturday, but was unable to come back from a double-digit deficit as it fell to the Crusaders by a final count of 81-74 in Valparaiso, Ind.  Abby O'Connor led the Ramblers with 22 points in the defeat, while Ellie Rice tied a season-high, chipping in 19 points. Tiara Wallace handed out a career-high tying nine assists.
 

LOYOLA – EVANSVILLE – THE SERIES
Thursday's postseason tilt marks the 37th meeting in the all-time series between Loyola and Evansville in women's basketball.  Loyola owns a healthy 24-12 (.667) edge in the previous 36 meetings. Prior to becoming Valley rivals, the two institutions were charter members of the former Midwestern City Conference, now known as the Horizon League.  For the second time in as many years, Loyola picked up a two-game sweep over Evansville during the regular season.  The Ramblers grinded out a 61-56 win in Rogers Park on January 18 before cruising to a 71-51 triumph in Evansville, Ind. on February 17.  O'Connor led the Maroon & Gold in the two meetings, averaging 16.0 ppg and 6.5 rpg.
 

PLAYING CARDS
Evansville finished on a slide that saw it drop five of its last six games to fall to 4-25 overall (2-16 MVC).

The Purple Aces wrapped up the regular season at home last weekend, coming up short against Missouri State, 88-46, and Southern Illinois, 80-66, inside Meeks Family Fieldhouse.

Head coach Matt Ruffing's team is led by the duo of Kerri Gasper and Marley Miller.  Gasper, who is just under two weeks removed from a career-best 34-point performance in a thrilling road win at Indiana State, paces the Purple Aces in both scoring (12.3 ppg) and rebounding (7.3 rpg).  Miller also averages in double figures, adding 10.0 ppg, and has proven to be a threat from outside, knocking down a team-high 58 three-point field goal attempts.


UP NEXT
With a win on Thursday evening, Loyola would advance to take on second-seeded Missouri State in the quarterfinals of the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament on Friday at 6 p.m.