CHICAGO (February 15, 2022) - Winner of three of its last four games overall and nine in a row versus opponents from the neighboring state of Indiana, Loyola opens a brutal, season-ending stretch that will have it playing five games in 11 days, when it makes the short trip to Valparaiso Wednesday night. The Ramblers are 13-3 (.813) in their last 16 true road games, although they have stumbled in two of their last three contests away from home.

Seventy points has been the magic number for the Ramblers this season. Loyola is an unblemished 14-0 when scoring 70 or more points, but is only 5-5 when failing to hit that benchmark. Sunday, the Ramblers hung 85 points on Northern Iowa, their highest output since going for 88 points against Roosevelt on December 7.

A victory over Valparaiso on Wednesday would give the Ramblers their fifth straight season with 20 or more wins. Never before in program history has Loyola posted 20 or more victories in five consecutive campaigns.

With a win Wednesday, Loyola would notch its fifth straight season with 10 or more conference victories. 

Drew Valentine, the youngest coach in NCAA Division I basketball at 30 years of age, is looking to become only the second skipper in program history to pilot Loyola to 20 wins in his first season on the job. The only coach to accomplish that feat was Tom Haggerty, who guided the Ramblers to 23 victories in 1945-46.

Loyola – Valparaiso – The Series

Loyola and Valparaiso will tangle for the 61st time in a series that opened up 100 years ago, on January 13, 1922. The Ramblers, who own a commanding 44-16 advantage in the all-time series, have dominated play of late, winning 10 of the last 11 matchups between the clubs, including each of the last three games.

The Ramblers are 21-7 against the Beacons in Valparaiso, Ind., and have won five straight, and six of the last seven, there. In fact, Loyola's last loss at the ARC came on February 21, 2012 (66-62 in OT).

When the teams met at Gentile Arena last month, Braden Norris fired in 23 points, 14 of which came in the extra periods, to lift Loyola to an 81-74 victory in double overtime. The Ramblers, who forced 19 Beacons turnovers, rallied from a 12-point deficit in the first half to earn the victory.

Scouting Valparaiso

After winning consecutive games by a combined total of five points, Valparaiso has fallen on hard times, dropping four of its last five outings. Five of the Beacons' 13 Valley games have gone into overtime, including their previous meeting with Loyola.

Valpo is just 7-6 at the Athletics-Recreation Center this season, although it has won two of the last three outings on its home floor, with both of those victories coming in overtime. 

Four Beacons are averaging double figures in scoring and two others chip in at least 9.0 points per game. Junior forward Ben Krikke leads the way for Valpo with 14.7 ppg, while senior guard Kobe King, a transfer from Wisconsin, puts up 14.6 ppg. Senior Kevion Taylor is shooting a team-best 39.2 percent from three-point range.

Up Next

Loyola hosts Drake on Saturday (Feb. 19) at 5 p.m. CT.