CHICAGO (March 18, 2021) – Loyola University Chicago (11-13, 8-10 MVC) is primed for its first postseason appearance in program history this weekend, as it competes in the 2021 Women's Basketball Invitational (WBI). The Ramblers will open play in the three-day event with a quarterfinal-round clash against Stetson at 1:30 p.m. (CT) inside the William Exum Center in Frankfort, Kent. Due to current health and safety guidelines, no fan attendance will be permitted throughout the tournament.
Loyola enters the WBI just a week removed from advancing to the semifinals of the Missouri Valley Conference Championship for the first time.
Allison Day led the Maroon & Gold during its stay in Moline, Ill., averaging 18.5 points and 6.0 rebounds en route to being the first Rambler to be named to the MVC All-Tournament Team.
Senior guard
Ellie Rice makes her way to The Bluegrass State on the doorstep of history. Out of Austin, Texas, Rice sits just 18 points shy of becoming the 26th player in program history to reach the 1,000-point mark for her career.
LAST TIME OUT
After learning of its opponent just four hours before tip-off, Loyola showed tremendous heart and determination, dropping a 70-56 decision to eventual Valley champion Bradley in the semifinals of the MVC Championship last Saturday. Rice led the Ramblers in the defeat, finishing with a team-high 17 points.
LOYOLA/STETSON – THE SERIES
Loyola and Stetson will meet for just the second time in Friday's quarterfinal-round tilt. In the only other matchup between the two schools, the Ramblers picked up an 80-58 victory back on December 28, 1993 inside historic Alumni Gym in Rogers Park.
Stetson is the only current Atlantic Sun Conference member that Loyola has faced off against. The Ramblers and Hatters share no common opponents.
MAD HATTERS
Making its 10th postseason appearance in the last 11 years, Stetson enters the weekend at 9-13 overall. The Hatters finished fifth in the Atlantic Sun Conference (ASUN), going 7-9 in league play. Stetson, which will play in the WBI for the third time, dropped a 50-47 overtime decision to fourth-seeded Lipscomb in the quarterfinals of the ASUN Tournament last Thursday in Kennesaw, Ga.
Under the guidance of 13th-year head coach Lynn Bria, the Hatters are led by Second Team All-ASUN honoree Yazz Wazeerud-Din, who averaged a team-best 15.5 points, a mark which ranks fourth in the ASUN in the category. Wazeerud-Din upped her game to another level during conference play, putting up 17.1 ppg while reaching the 20-point mark six times. Jamiya Turner (10.3 ppg) and Kiya Turner (10.1 ppg) also average in double figures in scoring for Stetson, with the former dishing out a team-high 2.6 assists per game.
UP NEXT
Loyola continues play in the WBI on Saturday, when it will battle either Cleveland State or Manhattan.
