CHICAGO (November 30, 2021) - After playing three games in three days last week, all against Power 5 opponents at the Bad Boy Mowers Battle 4 Atlantis in the Bahamas, Loyola returns to Chicago Wednesday night to face Indiana State in the Missouri Valley Conference opener for both clubs. The Ramblers, who own the nation's fifth-longest, active winning streak (26 games), have also won 20 straight Valley contests on their home floor.

Indiana State dealt Loyola two of its five total MVC regular-season defeats during both its NCAA Final Four (2017-18) and Sweet 16 (2020-21) seasons.

Last Friday's 77-59 decision over Arizona State was the Ramblers' ninth win against a Power 5 opponent since the start of the 2016-17 season. 

Since the start of the 2017-18 campaign, Loyola has dominated Valley play, posting a 56-16 (.778) record in league competition and winning three regular-season titles. During that same period, the Ramblers have established quite a home-court advantage, going an incredible 34-2 (.944) in conference action at Gentile Arena.

Loyola is 4-4 (.500) in MVC openers since joining the league for the 2013-14 season and it has won its last three Valley lid-lifters.

Loyola – Indiana State – The Series

This will be the 35th meeting in the series and each team has claimed 17 or the previous 34 matchups although Loyola has won nine of the last 12 contests between the programs, including each of the last two.

The Ramblers are 8-6 all time versus the Sycamores in Chicago and have taken four of the last five meetings at Gentile Arena, winning the last two showdowns there by a combined total of 55 points.

When Loyola and Indiana State last met, in the MVC Championship semifinals last March, Cameron Krutwig put up 18 points and 11 rebounds and Lucas Williamson chipped in 14 points as the Ramblers rolled to a 65-49 win.

Scouting Indiana State

After winning three of its first four contests under new coach Josh Schertz, Indiana State has tumbled in each of its last three outings heading into Wednesday's Valley opener. In their last two outings, the Sycamores are connecting on only 30.6 percent (15-for-49) of their three-point field goal tries.

Only two players who saw significant action for Indiana State a season ago are seeing time this year - guards Cooper Neese (14.9 ppg, 4.6 rpg) and Julian Larry (4.7 ppg). Two-time First Team All-MVC guard Tyreke Key will miss the 2021-22 campaign after having shoulder surgery.

Six-foot freshman guard Micah Thomas has gotten off to a strong start and is providing a team-high 15.3 points per game and is shooting 41.7 percent (15-for-36) from long range.

Three-point shooting has been a weakness for Indiana State this season, as it is connecting on only 32.8 percent (59-for-180) of its triple tries. 

Up Next

Loyola faces Red Line rival DePaul Saturday at 3 p.m. at Wintrust Arena. The game will be televised live on FS1.