CHICAGO (February 23, 2020) - Loyola, which is chasing its third straight Missouri Valley Conference regular-season title, closes out the home portion of the 2019-20 slate Tuesday night when it hosts Drake. The Ramblers have won 12 of their last 13 home games and carry an eight-game winning streak at Gentile Arena into the matchup with the Bulldogs. A win Tuesday would give Loyola its first unbeaten season at home in conference play since going 7-0 on its home floor in Midwestern Collegiate Conference action in 1984-85.
 
For the first time in over 70 years, Loyola has won 18 or more games in four consecutive seasons. The last time the Ramblers had accomplished the feat was at the beginning of the post-World-War-II era, from the 1945-46 through 1948-49 seasons.
 
The Ramblers have prevailed in 26 of their last 28 (.929) Valley home games and since the start of the 2017-18 campaign are 24-2 (.923) at home in league play. In its first three seasons in the MVC, Loyola went 11-16 (.407) at home, but over the last four years has amassed an impressive 30-5 (.857) record at Gentile Arena in conference action.
 
This marks only the second time in program history that Loyola has won 10 or more conference contests in three consecutive years. The only other time that has occurred was the 1982-83 through 1984-85 seasons, when the Ramblers were members of the Midwestern Collegiate Conference, and won 12, 10 and 13 league games, respectively.
 
Guard Bruno Skokna will be honored during Senior Night pregame festivities.
 
Loyola – Drake – The Series
Tuesday's game is the 33rd matchup between the Ramblers and Bulldogs and Loyola owns a 19-13 edge in the series that began in 1934. Loyola has won eight of the last 11 meetings between the teams, including five of the last six. Since joining the Missouri Valley Conference, Loyola is 9-4 against Drake.
 
The last seven meetings in Chicago have belonged to the Ramblers and Loyola is 12-4 all-time against Drake when playing on its home floor. Last February at Gentile Arena, Marques Townes scored 32 points to power the Ramblers to an 86-64 win.
 
Last month at Knapp Center in Des Moines, Loyola got 15 points from Tate Hall and turned the ball over just six times, but couldn't overcome a dominant performance from Liam Robbins (20 points, 9 boards, 7 blocks) as Drake earned a 65-62 victory to snap a five-game losing skid to the Ramblers. 
 
Scouting Drake
Drake had a two-game win streak halted with a 57-53 loss at Illinois State Saturday night. Five of the Bulldogs' eight league setbacks have been by eight points or less.
 
In true road games this season, Drake is just 2-9 and is 1-7 in MVC action, with the lone road victory a 73-50 decision at Evansville on January 22. The Bulldogs have stumbled in each of their last four road contests.
 
Sophomore 7-footer Liam Robbins is having a breakthrough season for the Bulldogs and leads the club with 14.0 points, 6.7 rebounds and 2.8 blocks per game, while guard Roman Penn leads The Valley with 5.7 assists per outing.
 
Up Next
Loyola closes out the 2019-20 regular season February 29 when it travels to Bradley. Tip-off is scheduled for 1 p.m. CT and he game will be televised live on CBS Sports Network.