CHICAGO (February 14, 2022) – After splitting a pair of games last week, Loyola University Chicago (13-10, 5-7 MVC) looks to close out a winning homestand on Tuesday evening when it battles Indiana State at 5 p.m. inside Gentile Arena. Tuesday's matchup was originally slated for January 23, but was postponed due to COVID-19 health and safety concerns within the Indiana State program.
Both Loyola and Indiana State are part of a tightly-packed field in the middle of the Missouri Valley Conference standings. The Ramblers sit just a half game back of the Sycamores for sixth in the league standings. Both teams, along with Valparaiso, are part of a pack that sees fifth through seventh separated by just a half game.
LAST TIME OUT
Riley Blackwell scored a season-high 15 points as Loyola shut down Bradley, 56-41, this past Saturday at Gentile Arena. The Ramblers turned in another terrific defensive effort, holding the Braves to just 25 percent (15-for-59) from the field, the low mark this season by a Loyola opponent.
LOYOLA/INDIANA STATE – THE SERIES
Tuesday's matchup will mark the 23rd meeting between Loyola and Indiana State, a series in which the Sycamores hold a 13-9 (.591) advantage. The gap has closed in recent years, with Loyola picking up victories in five of the last six meetings.
The Ramblers and Sycamores split their regular season series in Rogers Park back in 2020-21, with Indiana State recording a 63-48 win before Loyola responded with a 59-52 triumph less than 24 hours later.
Anna Brown was terrific in the series finale, coming off the bench to finish with 12 points as she shared the team lead in scoring with Day.
CAN'T SEE THE FOREST FOR THE TREES
Led by head coach Chad Killinger, who is in his first year at the helm in Terre Haute, Indiana State has been one of The Valley's surprise teams, sitting at 10-12 overall and 5-6 in league play after being picked ninth in the MVC Preseason Poll. The Sycamores have struggled of late, dropping five of their last six games.
Indiana State dropped a 58-56 decision to Evansville this past Saturday at Meeks Family Fieldhouse, a game in which it held a 16-point lead entering the fourth quarter.
After losing leading scorer Adrian Folks (14.7 ppg) to injury back on November 26, Del'Janae Williams (13,5 ppg) has picked up the slack, scoring in double figures eight times across her last 11 outings while breaking the 20-point mark on three separate occasions. She also ranks as the Sycamores leading assist-getter, handing out 2.9 helpers per game. Marie Hunter averages in double figures as well, contributing 10.1 ppg. Indiana State has also proven to be a handful on the defensive end, coming away with an MVC-best 10.7 steals per game.
UP NEXT
Loyola heads to The Hoosier State this weekend, where it will take on Indiana State (February 19) in the return matchup between the two teams at the Hulman Center before making the trek south to clash with Evansville (February 21).
