CHICAGO (December 10, 2021) – Currently in the midst of a stretch that has seen it win five of its last six games, Loyola University Chicago (6-3) begins a season-long four-game road swing on Saturday afternoon when it heads to Mount Pleasant, Mich. for a 12 p.m. (CT) matchup with Central Michigan inside McGuirk Arena.
The aforementioned road trip, which spans four states, will see the Maroon & Gold travel 2,421 round-trip miles before it returns to the Gentile Arena hardwood to battle Drake on January 7 in its Missouri Valley Conference home opener.
LAST TIME OUT
Bre Hampton-Bey became the 27th player in program history to reach the 1,000-point mark for her career as Loyola downed Eastern Illinois, 58-48, on Wednesday at Gentile Arena. Hampton-Bey finished with 10 points and 12 rebounds, while
Sam Galanopoulos scored a season-best 13 points to pace the Ramblers.
LOYOLA/CENTRAL MICHIGAN – THE SERIES
Central Michigan has rattled off three straight wins over Loyola to take a 3-2 edge (.600) in the all-time series between the two teams. The Chippewas are the second Mid-American Conference (MAC) opponent that the Ramblers have faced this season, following a 69-52 win over Miami (Ohio) back on November 28 in Rogers Park.
Loyola gave Central Michigan all it could handle in the meeting between the two teams last season at Gentile Arena, dropping a tightly-contested 73-64 decision on December 21, 2020.
Allison Day led a trio of Ramblers in double figures with 17 points, while Hampton-Bey made her debut with the Maroon & Gold in the contest, chipping in 12 points.
FIRE UP, CHIPS
Coming off a banner 2020-21 campaign in which it finished 18-9 overall (13-6 MAC) en route to winning the MAC Tournament title and earning a fourth straight berth to the NCAA Tournament, Central Michigan resides at 2-5 on the year.
The Chippewas, who dropped a 79-58 decision to Oakland this past Tuesday at McGuirk Arena, landed sixth in the MAC Preseason Poll after losing three of their top four scorers from a season ago to graduation.
Returning to spearhead the attack for head coach Heather Oesterle's team is 2020-21 First Team All-MAC pick Molly Davis, who leads the team in scoring (15.9 ppg) and assists (4.0 apg). Jahari Smith has also stepped into a bigger role this season, chipping in 10.9 ppg and 8.7 rpg, while Anika Weekes averages just shy of a double-double (9.9 ppg, 9.1 rpg).
UP NEXT
Following a break for final exams, Loyola closes out non-conference play on the road against Cleveland State at 6 p.m. (CT) on Tuesday, December 21.
