CHICAGO (October 15, 2020) – In a close race at the ballot box, Loyola University Chicago has been picked to finish in second place in the 2020-21 Missouri Valley Conference Men's Basketball Preseason Poll which was announced this morning. The Ramblers garnered 13 out of a possible 44 first-place votes and totaled 405 points, just behind predicted champion Northern Iowa, which amassed 426 points and 30 first-place tallies. Voting was conducted by the league's head coaches, sports information directors and selected media.
 
Last season, the Ramblers and Panthers battled for the league title, with Loyola ultimately finishing one game behind Northern Iowa, in its quest for a third straight MVC regular-season crown. 
 
Rounding out the 2020-21 MVC Preseason Poll was Bradley (341 points), which received one first-place vote, Indiana State (282 points), Southern Illinois (235 points), Missouri State (210 points), Drake (207 points), Valparaiso (148 points), Illinois State (112 points) and Evansville (54 points).
 
Loyola senior center Cameron Krutwig (Algonquin, Ill./Jacobs), who has been a three-time All-MVC pick in his career, including a first-team selection in each of the past two seasons, while placing in the top three in the Larry Bird Trophy voting for Valley Player of the Year, was a 2020-21 MVC Preseason First Team pick. The 6-foot-9 post man, who last season became the first player in Valley history to finish in the top five in the league in scoring, rebounding, assists and field goal percentage, led all centers with 4.2 assists per game in 2019-20. Krutwig, who has started the last 74 contests, is coming off a junior campaign in which he delivered 15.1 points, 8.1 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 1.2 steals and 0.6 blocks per game. He is one on only seven players in program history to rack up over 1,300 points and 700 rebounds in his career and needs just 18 assists to become the first Rambler ever with 1,300 points, 700 rebounds and 300 helpers. 
 
Joining Krutwig on the MVC Preseason First Team was Elijah Childs (Bradley), AJ Green (Northern Iowa), Tyreke Key (Indiana State) and Austin Phyfe (Northern Iowa). 
 
The MVC Preseason Second Team was comprised of Donovan Clay (Valparaiso), Marcus Domask (Southern Illinois), Jake LaRavia (Indiana State), Roman Penn (Drake) and Gaige Prim (Missouri State). 
 
A pair of Ramblers – redshirt senior forward Tate Hall (Greenfield, Ind./Greenfield-Central/Indianapolis) and sophomore guard Marquise Kennedy (Chicago, Ill./Brother Rice) – were selected to the MVC Preseason Third Team, along with Trae Berhow (Northern Iowa), Keith Fisher III (Illinois State) and Tremell Murphy (Drake). 
 
Hall dazzled in his first season of NCAA Division I basketball after transferring from Division II University of Indianapolis. One of the more underrated all-around players in the league, the versatile swingman put up 12.7 ppg, 3.9 rpg, 2.2 apg and 1.5 spg in 2019-20, connecting on 42.6 percent (58-for-136) of his three-point field goal tries, on his way to collecting Third Team All-MVC and MVC All-Newcomer Team status. 
 
An explosive combo guard, Kennedy made quite an impact as a rookie, earning MVC Sixth Man of the Year designation to go with MVC All-Freshman Team and MVC All-Bench Team recognition. The 6-foot-1 Chicago native averaged 9.2 ppg, 2.6 rpg, 1.3 rpg and 1.2 spg as a freshman in 2019-20, scoring in double figures on 14 occasions, while providing a lift off the bench. 
 
Loyola has won 73 games in the last three seasons (24.3 wins per year), earning a pair of postseason berths and notching three 20+ win campaigns. Head coach Porter Moser, who is entering his 10^thyear on the Loyola sidelines, welcomes back all five starters from last season's 21-win outfit that also registered 13 wins in league play. 
 
The complete 2020-21 MVC Preseason Poll follows.
 
Predicted Order of Finish
1. Northern Iowa (30 first-place votes)– 426 points
2. Loyola (13)– 405 points
3. Bradley (1)– 341 points
4. Indiana State – 282 points
5. Southern Illinois – 235 points
6. Missouri State – 210 points
7. Drake – 207 points
8. Valparaiso – 148 points
9. Illinois State – 112 points
10. Evansville – 54 points
 
Preseason All-MVC First Team
Elijah Childs (Bradley)
AJ Green (Northern Iowa)
Tyreke Key (Indiana State)
Cameron Krutwig (Loyola)
Austin Phyfe (Northern Iowa)
 
Preseason All-MVC Second Team
Donovan Clay (Valparaiso)
Marcus Domask (Southern Illinois)
Jake LaRavia (Indiana State)
Roman Penn (Drake)
Gaige Prim (Missouri State)
 
Preseason All-MVC Third Team
Trae Berhow (Northern Iowa)
Keith Fisher III (Illinois State)
Tate Hall (Loyola)
Marquise Kennedy (Loyola)
Tremell Murphy (Drake)
 
Preseason MVC Player of the Year
AJ Green (Northern Iowa)