CHICAGO (December 1, 2021) – Winners of its last three games, Loyola University Chicago (4-2) hits the road this weekend for a pair of matchups on the East Coast. The Ramblers will visit Hanover, N.H. on Friday, December 3 for a 6 p.m. (CT) clash with Dartmouth before venturing north to Burlington, Vt. to battle Vermont in an 11 a.m. (CT) matinee on Sunday, December 5.
A perfect 4-0 inside the friendly confines of Gentile Arena, the Ramblers head east in search of their first road wins of the young 2021-22 season. Friday's matchup inside Leede Arena begins a grueling stretch that sees Loyola play six of its next seven games away from home.
LAST TIME OUT
Loyola turned in a suffocating defensive showing, holding visiting Miami (Ohio) to 32 percent shooting in a 69-52 win this past Sunday at Gentile Arena.
Allison Day led the Ramblers, who shot just over 44 percent, with 20 points, while
Sam Galanopoulos and
Sitori Tanin added 11 points and 10 points, respectively. Tanin and
Julia Hoefling each pulled down nine rebounds.
LOYOLA/DARTMOUTH – THE SERIES
Friday's matchup will mark the fifth meeting in the all-time series between Loyola and Dartmouth, a series which the Ramblers hold a 3-1 (.750) edge in. Both teams have protected their respective home floors in the series, with Dartmouth picking up a 70-58 overtime win in the Maroon & Gold's lone trip to Hanover back on December 20, 2014.
When the Big Green came to Rogers Park on December 4, 2019, Day was one of four Ramblers in double figures, scoring 12 points, as Loyola held Dartmouth to just 28 percent (17-for-61) shooting in a dominant 61-40 victory inside Gentile Arena.
LOYOLA/VERMONT – THE SERIES
Loyola and Vermont are set to battle for only the second time in Sunday's weekend finale in The Green Mountain State. Loyola prevailed in the only previous tilt between the two teams back on November 8, 2019, with a Day bucket with less than a second remaining in regulation proving to be the difference in a 78-76 win for the Maroon & Gold.
The Ramblers own a 1-3 (.250) all-time mark against current members of the America East Conference, the league which Vermont resides in.
FIELDS OF GREEN
Dartmouth enters the weekend sitting at 0-5 (.000) following a 67-44 loss at the hands of Drexel this past Tuesday in Philadelphia, Pa. Adrienne Shibles is in her first season as head coach with the Big Green, who were picked seventh in the Ivy League Preseason Poll. The Ivy League did not compete during the 2020-21 season due to the COVID-19 Pandemic.
Nia Curtis (7.6 ppg) and Grace Niekelski (7.5 ppg) pace the attack for a Dartmouth team that has averaged only 48.2 points through its first five games of the year. Rosie Jennings pulls down a team-high 4.8 rebounds per outing in addition to putting up 5.8 points per game. Mekkena Boyd leads the Big Green in both assists (1.8 apg) and steals (1.2 spg).
CATAMOUNTS ON THE PROWL
Vermont, which hosts Long Island on Friday night prior to taking on the Ramblers, resides at 2-4 (.333) on the year. The Catamounts split a pair of games last weekend as part of the TD Bank Classic, blitzing Brown, 79-46, before falling to Bucknell, 68-53. The Catamounts were voted fourth in the America East Conference Preseason Poll following a 2020-21 season in which they were limited to just six games, finishing 4-2 overall.
Reigning America East Conference Rookie of the Year Anna Olson leads the attack for head coach Alisa Kresge's team, averaging 12.3 points, 7.7 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks, all of which are team-high marks. Josie Larkins also scores in double figures, chipping in 10.0 points per contest.
UP NEXT
Loyola returns to Gentile Arena on Wednesday, December 8 to host in-state rival Eastern Illinois in a 7 p.m. tip-off.
