CHICAGO (January 2, 2020) – With non-conference play now complete, Loyola University Chicago will turn its attention towards the start of Missouri Valley Conference play.  The Ramblers begin their 18-game Valley slate this weekend at Gentile Arena, closing out a season-long five-game homestand by hosting Missouri State at 3 p.m. on Friday afternoon ahead of a 1 p.m. Sunday matinee with Southern Illinois.

The Ramblers, who carry an impressive 9-2 mark into league action, are 2-4 (.333) all-time in MVC openers since joining the conference prior to the start of the 2013-14 academic year.  Loyola has proven to be a tough out in Rogers Park since the start of the 2018-19 campaign, going 11-9 (.550) on its home floor over its past 20 games at Gentile Arena.


LAST TIME OUT
Loyola chipped a 24-point first-half deficit down to just three late in the fourth quarter this past Monday against Western Michigan, but saw its comeback fall short, dropping a 70-60 decision to the Broncos.  Abby O'Connor led the Maroon & Gold with 17 points, reaching double figures in scoring for a sixth straight contest.  Allison Day added 12 points, while Ellie Rice collected a team-high nine rebounds in addition to seven points and a career-best three steals.

LOYOLA – MISSOURI STATE – THE SERIES
Friday afternoon's Valley opener will serve as the 16th meeting between Loyola and Missouri State, a series in which the Bears own a 12-3 (.800) edge, having won 12 straight meetings against the Ramblers.  Missouri State prevailed in the two meetings between the two teams during the 2018-19 regular season by an average of 31.0 points.  It was a different story when the two sides met in the quarterfinals of the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament back on March 15, 2019, with the Lady Bears escaping with a hard-fought 59-50 victory.  Maya Dunson scored a career-best 13 points to lead the Ramblers, while O'Connor posted a season-ending double-double (12 points, 14 rebounds).


LOYOLA – SOUTHERN ILLINOIS – THE SERIES
Loyola and Southern Illinois will clash for the 18th time in Sunday's homestand finale.  Bolstered by a season a two-game sweep of the Ramblers last season, the Salukis hold a 10-7 (.588) lead in the all-time series.  Janae Gonzales turned in one of Loyola's top individual efforts of 2018-19 back on January 27 in Carbondale, Ill., knocking down eight triples as part of a 30-point effort in a 74-63 Saluki victory.  When the two teams met in Rogers Park on February 22, O'Connor scored a team-best 17 points as Loyola found itself within two at halftime, before a second-half surge propelled Southern Illinois to a 64-41 triumph.  


DON'T SLEEP ON THESE BEARS
After being picked to finish second in the MVC Preseason Poll following a 2018-19 season that saw it make a Cinderella run to the NCAA Sweet Sixteen, Missouri State, The Valley's reigning tournament champion, opened the regular season with five consecutive wins en route to closing non-conference play at 10-2 (.833).  There's a new face at the head of the Lady Bear bench this season.  Former Michigan State associate head coach Amaka Agugua-Hamilton is in her first year in charge in Springfield, Mo., and has quickly led Missouri State to Top 25 rankings in both the Associated Press (#19) and USA Today Coaches (#22) polls.  Missouri State, which returns 12 letterwinners and four starters from last season, leans on the experienced trio of Alexa Willard (17.1 ppg), Brice Calip (13.1 ppg), and Jasmine Franklin (11.3 ppg, 9.4 rpg), all of whom earned Honorable Mention All-Valley accolades a season ago.  The Lady Bears, who lead the MVC in a handful of statistical categories, are one of the nation's top shooting teams from distance, operating at a scintillating 41.1 percent (76-of-185) clip that ranks fourth in all of Division I.


ATTACK DOGS
Southern Illinois, which visits Valparaiso on Friday evening, enters MVC play having won six of its last seven games to move to 8-3 (.727) on the year.  Coming off a 90-44 exhibition win over William Woods last Sunday, the Salukis were tabbed fifth in the Valley Preseason Poll after going 15-15 (.500) a season ago.  Now in her seventh season at Southern Illinois, head coach Cindy Stein welcomes back 10 letterwinners and four starters from 2018-19.  That group has been led through non-conference play by Makenzie Silvey (18.3 ppg), Nicole Martin (14.2 ppg), a Preseason All-MVC honoree, and Abby Brockmeyer (11.3 ppg, 7.5 rpg).  Silvey, who collected an Honorable Mention All-Valley nod last season, currently ranks second overall in the league in scoring. 


UP NEXT
Loyola will head back out on the road next weekend, visiting The Hoosier State for matchups with Evansville (January 10) and Indiana State (January 12).