CHICAGO (January 7, 2022) - Loyola, which didn't play a game for 26 days because of COVID-19 health and safety concerns, continues a busy stretch in which it plays four games in nine days, when it hosts Bradley Saturday afternoon. The Ramblers carry a six-game win streak into this weekend's action and are coming off a 79-74 victory over San Francisco on Thursday in Salt Lake City. 

Loyola has won 28 straight games at Gentile Arena, the fifth-longest, active streak in the nation. The Ramblers have also captured 21 straight Missouri Valley Conference home games since a 65-61 loss to Missouri State on February 17, 2019.

Since the start of the 2017-18 campaign, Loyola has dominated Valley play, posting a 57-16 (.781) record in league competition and winning three regular-season titles. During that same period, the Ramblers have established quite a home-court advantage, going an incredible 35-2 (.946) in conference action at Gentile Arena.

Dating back to last season, the Ramblers are 29-4 (.879) in their last 33 games. Three of those losses came to power conference foes and the other was a one-point overtime loss at Drake, which was a NCAA Tournament team in 2020-21. Loyola's two setbacks this season came at the hands of current Top 10 teams, Michigan State and Auburn.

Loyola has claimed its last 19 games versus teams from the state of Illinois since suffering a 68-63 loss at Southern Illinois on January 29, 2020.

Loyola – Bradley – The Series

Longtime foes Loyola and Bradley are pairing up for the 68th time in a series that began nearly a century ago, in 1928. Although the Braves hold a 36-31 edge in the all-time series, the Ramblers have won 14 of the last 18 meetings between the teams, including each of the last four.

When playing on its home floor, Loyola is 15-12 against Bradley and has captured four straight and five of the last six outings in Rogers Park.

Last season, the Ramblers swept the season series, winning both games in Peoria, coming away with a 65-58 victory, thanks to 18 points and nine rebounds from Marquise Kennedy, when the team last met, on January 25, 2021.

Scouting Bradley

Following a slow start in which it won just one of its first six contests, Bradley has gone 6-3, although it has stumbled in its last two outings, both in league play. 

Bradley is 1-3 in true road games this season, with its lone victory in enemy territory coming at UTEP (73-66) on December 22. In Valley play, the Braves have faltered in eight of their last 10 outings on the road.

The Braves lead the MVC in field goal percentage defense (.397) and rebounding margin (+5.3), but are the worst free-throw-shooting club in the league (.652).

Junior guard Terry Roberts, a transfer from Florida Southwestern, paces the Bradley scoring attack with 15.2 points per game, while also pitching in 4.7 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 1.6 steals per contest.

Head coach Brian Wardle, who is in his seventh year at Bradley and has led the program to a pair of MVC Championship titles, is also getting solid production from forwards Ja'Shon Henry (11.2 ppg, 5.1 rpg) and Malevy Leons (11.2 ppg, 5.9 rpg).

Up Next

Loyola wraps up a quick two-game homestand Tuesday (Jan. 11) when it faces Valparaiso at 8 p.m. CT.