CHICAGO (January 11, 2022) – After returning home for the first time in nearly a month last weekend, Loyola University Chicago (9-6, 1-3 MVC) heads right back out on the road this week, heading downstate for a pair of games in Central Illinois. The Ramblers will open the two-game swing on Thursday with a 6:30 p.m. tip-off against Bradley inside Renaissance Coliseum before making the short trip to Redbird Arena on Saturday, where host Illinois State will provide the opposition at 6 p.m.
LAST TIME OUT
Loyola split a pair of contests against foes from the state of Iowa over the weekend, defeating Drake by a 63-46 margin on Friday before dropping a tightly-contested 58-54 matchup on Sunday against Northern Iowa. In the win over the Bulldogs, Loyola's first since 2014,
Maya Chandler scored all of her team-best 16 points (6-16 FGs, 2-8 3FGs, 2-2 FTs) during the second half, while
Julia Hoefling added 10 points (5-7 FGs) as the Maroon & Gold erased a nine-point halftime deficit en route to victory. In Sunday's setback to the Panthers,
Allison Day moved within four points of 1,000 for her collegiate career, posting a 14-point (6-11 FGs, 2-2 FTs), 10-rebound outing. Hoefling turned in a career-best performance on the offensive end for a second straight game, finishing with 11 points (5-9 FGs, 1-3 FTs).
LOYOLA/BRADLEY – THE SERIES
Thursday's matchup marks the 47th meeting between Loyola and Bradley in women's basketball. The Braves have picked up victories in 10 of the last 12 encounters to open up a 29-17 (.630) advantage in the all-time series.
Loyola and Bradley battled in a pair of tightly-contested clashes last season at Renaissance Coliseum. In the series opener, Sam Galanopoulos scored a career-best 17 points, leading a trio of Ramblers in double figures, as Loyola picked up a 71-66 win. Less than 24 hours later, Chandler poured in 16 points as the Ramblers nearly erased an eight-point fourth-quarter deficit in a narrow 57-55 defeat. The two teams met again in the semifinals of the Missouri Valley Conference Championship, with Bradley pulling out a 70-56 win en route to winning the tournament title.
LOYOLA/ILLINOIS STATE – THE SERIES
Loyola and Illinois State will clash for the 23rd time on Saturday evening in Normal, Ill., a series in which the Redbirds hold a 14-8 (.636) edge in. The Maroon & Gold will be in search of its first win in Redbird Arena since a 57-41 victory back on January 24, 2016.
After seeing Illinois State sweep a pair of games in Rogers Park at the end of the 2020-21 regular season, Loyola gained a measure of revenge in the quarterfinals of the MVC Championship, snapping a three-game skid against its in-state rival with a thrilling 61-60 win. ADay scored a career-high 23 points to lead the Ramblers, while Chandler's free throw with just one second to play in regulation provided the final margin of victory.
BRAVEHEARTED
Under the direction of head coach Andrea Gorski, Bradley, which started the year with three straight wins, finds itself mired in a stretch that has seen it drop each of its last nine outings to fall to 3-9 overall (0-3 MVC).
The Braves are coming off road losses at Evansville, 74-73, and Indiana State, 73-57, over the weekend. Caroline Waite paced the attack, averaging a team-high 16.5 points across the two games.
Gorski's crew is looking to fill the void left by Gabi Haack, who was putting up 17.5 points per game before suffering a season-ending injury against Illinois State on January 1. Waite has helped shoulder the load, contributing 13.5 ppg in 10 appearances, while Tatum Koenig (8.5 ppg) remains a threat from outside after operating at a 40.2 percent clip from distance a year ago.
BIRDWATCHING
Currently riding a four-game win streak, Illinois State sits atop the MVC standings, alongside Missouri State, boasting a 3-0 league mark as part of a 7-7 overall record. The Redbirds open the weekend by hosting Valparaiso on Thursday.
Illinois State picked up a pair of wins on the road in Indiana last week, defeating Indiana State, 66-58, and Evansville, 87-68. Mary Crompton led the Redbirds on the road swing, averaging 16.0 points and 3.5 assists as Illinois State moved to 3-0 in Valley play for the first time since 2007-08.
Head coach Kristen Gillespie's team features a trio of returning All-Valley picks from a year ago in Crompton, Juliunn Redmond, and DeAnna Wilson. Redmond leads the team in scoring, averaging 14.7 points while shooting just over 50 percent (72-for-142). Wilson has been a force on the glass, averaging just shy of a double-double (13.8 points, 7.5 rebounds), while Crompton, who was named the MVC Player of the Week for her aforementioned efforts, adds 10.4 points per game and his hit on a team-high 39 three-point field goals.
UP NEXT
Loyola opens up a three-game homestand next weekend when it welcomes Evansville (January 21) and Indiana State (January 23).
