CHICAGO (April 23, 2021) – Loyola University Chicago seniors
Keith Clemons (Norcross, Ga./Wesley Christian/Vincennes),
Tate Hall (Greenfield, Ind./Greenfield-Central/Indianapolis),
Aher Uguak (Edmonton, Alberta/Harry Ainlay/New Mexico) and
Lucas Williamson (Chicago, Ill./Whitney Young) have announced that they will return to play their final season of eligibility for the Ramblers in 2021-22. The quartet will take advantage of the NCAA rule that afforded student-athletes on 2020-21 rosters with an extra season of eligibility.
"From the moment I was named head coach, we have been having conversations about what their next steps would look like and I'm unbelievably excited to have these four young men back," first-year Loyola head coach
Drew Valentine said. "They are extremely great representatives of our program not only as players, but also as people. All four of them have meant so much to us sustaining the culture and competing for championships and the fact that they all feel like they've got more to accomplish as a college basketball player is very exciting for our program. The work we have already put in the last few weeks has validated the chip on their shoulders that they all still possess. We look forward to having them and their families along for one last ride!"
The impact these four student-athletes have had on Loyola is immeasurable and over the last four seasons, they have played key roles in transforming the Ramblers into one of the nation's premier programs in college basketball. They have had a hand in Loyola racking up 99 total wins, a 56-16 (.778) record in Missouri Valley Conference regular-season action, three MVC regular-season championships, two MVC Tournament titles, three postseason berths, four straight 20-win campaigns, a NCAA Final Four and a NCAA Sweet 16 appearance since the start of the 20117-18 season.
Clemons, who has helped the Ramblers to 47 wins in his two seasons at Loyola after transferring from Vincennes University, has been a steady presence in the backcourt and is a true winner. During the 2020-21 season, the 6-foot-1 guard found his groove in mid-January after recovering from injury and he finished the year averaging 7.5 points, 1.5 rebounds and 1.5 assists per game, while shooting a team-best 44.4 percent (40-for-90) from three-point range. In two seasons as a Rambler, Clemons, a MVC Second Team Scholar-Athlete pick in 2020-21, has been a marksman from beyond the arc, connecting on 45 percent (77-for-171) of his three-point attempts.
A 2019-20 Third Team All-MVC honoree, Hall has been a weapon both as a starter and coming off the bench in his two seasons as a Rambler after making the jump from NCAA Division II power University of Indianapolis. In his first season in Rogers Park in 2019-20, the versatile Hall, who is well known for his toughness plays, put up 12.7 ppg, 3.9 rpg, 2.2 apg and 1.5 spg, while sinking 42.6 percent (58-for-136) of his triples tries. During the 2020-21 campaign, the 6-foot-6 guard/forward put up 6.5 ppg, 3.3 rpg and 1.8 apg and tossed in a season-high 24 points off the bench in a victory over preseason Valley favorite, Northern Iowa, on January 16.
Uguak had a breakout season in 2020-21, contributing 7.3 ppg, 3.9 rpg, 1.2 apg and 0.9 spg, and connecting on 61.9 percent (86-for-139) of his field goal attempts on the way to Third Team All-MVC and MVC Most Improved Team accolades. One of the top defensive players in The Valley since his first season of eligibility with the Ramblers in 2018-19, the 6-foot-7 forward was finally recognized for his prowess at that end of the floor by collecting MVC All-Defensive Team recognition in 2020-21. Last year, he put up a career-best 26 points in a win over North Texas, which was a NCAA Tournament team, and 20 points in a road win at Drake.
Meanwhile, Williamson has been a major part of Loyola's recent success and along with
Cameron Krutwig is the winningest player in Loyola history over a four-year period with 99 victories. This year, he started all 31 contests and averaged 8.8 ppg, 3.9 rpg, 2.1 apg and 1.4 spg, earning MVC Defensive Player of the Year and Second Team All-MVC status. One of the top defensive players in the nation, the 6-foot-4 guard was sensational in the Ramblers' NCAA Tournament run in 2020-21, averaging 15.0 ppg, 5.0 rpg and 2.3 apg. Williamson, who led the Ramblers with 21 points in a NCAA First Round win over Georgia Tech, enters the 2021-22 campaign needing 119 points to reach 1,000 for his career and 91 rebounds to hit the 500 mark.
Loyola had another unforgettable season in 2020-21, posting a 26-5 overall record, while finishing the year ranked No. 12 in the Ferris Mowers Coaches Top 25 Poll, after reaching the NCAA Sweet 16.
Valentine will welcome back four starters from last year's team and mix in a talented crop of newcomers that includes graduate transfers Chris Knight (Madison, Wis./James Madison Memorial/Dartmouth) and Ryan Schwieger (Matthews, N.C./Weddington/Princeton) as well as true freshmen Ty Johnson (Chicago, Ill./DePaul College Prep), Ben Schwieger (Aurora, Ill./Waubonsie Valley) and Saint Thomas (Omaha, Neb/Millard North).
