CHICAGO (January 18, 2021) – Fresh off a dominant showing on the road earlier in the week, Loyola University Chicago (4-3, 2-1 MVC) heads downstate to Peoria, Ill. this weekend for a pair of matchups with Bradley (9-4, 5-1 MVC), January 22-23. 

Friday's matchup at Renaissance Coliseum is set to tip-off at 6 p.m., with Saturday's series finale slated for 4 p.m.

LAST TIME OUT
Loyola held Valparaiso to just under 28 percent shooting and used an 11-0 run in the third quarter to seize control as it rolled to a 53-36 win over host Valparaiso this past Tuesday at the Athletics-Recreation Center in Valparaiso, Ind.  Bre Hampton-Bey led all scorers in the win with 11 points, while Allison Day picked up her second double-double of the season, adding 10 points in addition to 11 rebounds.

LOYOLA/BRADLEY – THE SERIES
Friday's matchup marks the 44th installment in the rivalry between Loyola and Bradley.  The Braves have won eight of the last nine meetings between the two in-state foes, including four straight, to widen their lead in the all-time series to 27-16 (.628).

For the second time in as many years, Bradley swept the season series in 2019-20, picking up a 60-47 win at Gentile Arena on January 17, 2020 before notching a 71-50 victory here at Renaissance Coliseum just under a month later on February 16, 2020.  The Ramblers struggled on the offensive end in both matchups, shooting a combined 31 percent from the field.  Day led Loyola in the meeting in Rogers Park, finishing with a team-best 10 points, while Sam Galanopoulos came off the bench to pace the Ramblers with 12 points in the return matchup. 

BRAVEHEARTED
Bradley has rattled off five straight wins to move to 9-4 overall and 5-1 in Missouri Valley Conference play.  The Braves currently sit behind only Missouri State in the MVC standings. Coming off a 22-7 (13-5 MVC) season in 2019-20, head coach Andrea Gorski's team was picked second in the MVC Preseason Poll.

Bradley is led by MVC Preseason Player of the Year pick Lasha Petree.  A First Team All-Valley selection a year ago, Petree, who was named to the Preseason Naismith Award Watch List, averages a Valley-best 20.8 points per game, a mark that ranks in the top 25 nationally.  Fellow Preseason All-MVC choice Gabi Haack ranks second in the league in scoring (16.6 ppg) and is a threat from distance, operating at a 42.1 percent (40-of-95) clip from beyond the three-point arc.

UP NEXT
Loyola opens up a four-game homestand next weekend when it plays its rescheduled series with Southern Illinois, January 30-31.  Saturday's matchup with the Salukis will tip-off at 1 p.m., while Sunday's tilt is set to begin at 3 p.m.