CHICAGO (July 23, 2019) – Former Loyola University Chicago standout guard Marques Townes (Edison, N.J./Saint Joseph/Fairleigh Dickinson) has signed a contract and will begin his professional career playing for UCAM Murcia in Spain, it was announced today. UCAM Murcia is the same team that former Rambler Milton Doyle played for in 2018-19.
 
The 6-foot-4 Townes had an impressive, albeit abbreviated, career at Loyola after transferring from Fairleigh Dickinson following his sophomore campaign. In two seasons with the Ramblers, Townes helped the program to 52 wins, a pair of Missouri Valley Conference regular-season championships, and two postseason appearances, including a magical run to the NCAA Final Four in 2017-18.
 
As a senior in 2018-19, the versatile Townes put up impressive all-around numbers en route to collecting MVC Player of the Year honors. An Associated Press Honorable Mention All-America and National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) First Team All-District selection, he contributed 15.3 points, 5.0 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 1.1 steals per game last season as Loyola won 20 games and earned a berth in the National Invitation Tournament (NIT). 
 
During the 2017-18 season, he ranked tied for second on the club with 11.1 ppg and also pitched in 4.0 rpg, 2.4 apg and 0.9 spg. He hit one of the biggest shots in Loyola history during the NCAA tournament run, burying a three-pointer in the closing seconds to seal the outcome in a 69-68 victory over Nevada in the Sweet 16. Loyola finished the 2017-18 season with a school-record 32 wins and ranked No. 7 in the final USA Today Coaches Poll.
 
Townes is the second Rambler from the 2018-19 squad to sign a professional contract this summer, joining Clayton Custer, who signed a deal with WKS Slask Wroclaw in Poland yesterday.