Loyola Took Care of Business Yesterday With GA Tech, Primed For Intrastate Battle Vs. Fighting Illini Tomorrow

Sun Times - Loyola might be the only team that feels as though little has changed about the NCAA Tournament.

It probably has something to do with all the winning the Ramblers do.

The surprise semifinalist in 2018, Loyola was relegated to the NIT the next year and missed out on the tournament entirely — along with everyone else — when it was canceled because of COVID-19 last season. But with key pieces of their Final Four team leading the way, the eighth-seeded Ramblers marked a triumphant return to college basketball’s biggest stage Friday with a 71-60 victory over No. 9 seed Georgia Tech at Hinkle Fieldhouse.

Lucas Williamson scored 21 points in a dynamic performance by the defensive whiz, Buddy Norris added 16 points and All-America forward Cameron Krutwig had 10 as the Ramblers (25-4) advanced to play No. 1 seed Illinois on Sunday.

The boys came out a little flat yesterday, but that's what a week off and an Indiana diet will do to you. Anybody would have a little rust.

Once they got the kinks worked out, after spotting GA Tech 9, it was business as usual. Fluid ball movement, high percentage shots, stifling defense, and dominating the boards on both ends. 

Sure it helped that the ACC player of the year (Wright) was out for the Yellowjackets, but even after coming back out of the half and being lights out (hitting 8 of their first 11 from the field) they still couldn't pull close enough to make it a real contest. 

The real highlight from the game yesterday was Donta Ingram's dad running around hyping up the crowd chanting: "We ain’t going" (the team's motto).

Now the Ramblers set their sights onto what is arguably the hottest team in the country right now, our friends to the south in Champaign, The University of Illinois.

Vegas has Loyola getting 7, and many of the country's top experts (Reags included) are calling the Rambler's and their fans cry-babies for being miffed at landing an 8 seed. Coach Moser doesn't see it that way and is channeling the disrespect into bulletin board fodder.

This team has won 17 of its last 18, including 8 in a row now. It's a battle for teams to score 58 points or more against them. Yet, because they played a covid conference schedule, people want to write them off. 

Experts like this guy, OSU homer, and Big10 groupie Tony from Ohio

I asked this earlier this week, but what the fuck is the point of NET and conference tournament births if all that matters is your "resume"? Why even use those for scale throughout the season or for seeding?

Loyola came into the tournament as the  #9 overall team in America in KenPom’s efficiency rankings, and #10 overall in the NET rankings, a tool the NCAA created specifically to help the Selection Committee seed the bracket. Somehow being favored by the NCAA’s own metric didntt help Loyola due to its lack of quality opponents in the MVC despite going 6-4 against Quad 1 and Quad 2 teams during the season, and undefeated against everyone else.

Yes, I'm fully aware Loyola took L's from Richmond and Wisconsin way back in the first two weeks of this season. So you don't have to tell me how Loyola would stack up in a power conference like the mighty Big10 like Tony. I'm also aware that the team that nearly won the conference spent all day fighting for its life and lost in OT to Oral Roberts yesterday, so take that for what its worth.

Even Sister Jean thinks its bullshit.

AZC- “Probably nobody thinks it’s a fair bracket. It amazes me they put two Illinois schools against each other rather than support each other.”

There not a lot of people giving Loyola a shot tomorrow. So in a way, they're not only 7 point underdogs, they're playing with house money.

But make no mistake, this Loyola team is no joke. They are remarkably better than the Final Four team of 3 years ago. 

Their big man, Cam Krutwig is pound for pound just as good as any big in the country. That includes Kofi Cockburn. What Krut lacks in explosiveness he makes up for with his passing, defense, and rebounding. I expect Krutwig to give Cockburn fits on both ends tomorrow and get him in foul trouble which will limit Underwood's usage of him. (sidebar- if you didn't get a chance to listen to the Red Line boys talk with Krut this week on Red Line Radio do yourself a favor and listen. Great interview. Love the kid even more.)

This brings me to the next point. Illinois definitely can and does light it up. They're fast. They go on runs. Before teams know it they're down 7-8 possessions and take themselves even further out of the game. 

But Illinois hasn't seen a defense like Loyola's. A team that makes you work on every single possession. A team that hammers the boards, follows their shots, and closes off release valves to stop breaks. They were the #1 team in the nation in scoring defense this year for a reason.

They also haven't seen a freak like Lucas Williamson this season. This kid is everywhere on the court at all times. He never stops moving. Lockdown defender, passing lane nuisance, and can get out ahead of the pack on turnovers for easy dunks. He will give the Illini fits tomorrow.

I like Loyola's chances against this Illinois team playing in a half-court set close to every possession they have in this game. You know Moser is one of the best coaches in basketball, so you know this gameplan won't be rocket science here. Loyola will look to grind this team down, slow play, milk possessions, and make Illinois work for every shot. Which works out great in their favor. Especially given the fact that Illinois can't shoot 3's to save their life, they rank 320 out of 357 DI teams in three-point rate.

The real tragedy of this all is that this game is happening this weekend, and not next. This should have been an Elite 8 matchup or at minimum Sweet Sixteen. But the committee sucks so we're getting it opening weekend. The fact we have two hometown teams coming off such amazing seasons have to play each other so early in the tournament is a real dick punch.

This will make only the third time in NCAA history that two teams from Illinois have faced each other in the tournament, most recently in 1984 when DePaul knocked off Illinois State on its way to the Sweet 16, and in the Elite 8 on its way to the 1963 national championship.

We deserve better. 

I see super seniors Krutwig and Williamson having huge games with Marquise Kennedy also coming up with big plays. Shooters Norris and Clemons should get plenty of looks from 3 and if they get hot don't be surprised if Illinois plays from behind. 

I won't be the least bit surprised after this game, and you shouldn't be either. Loyola in a close one. Hopefully a classic.

p.s. - sick job scheduling this one for 11:10am guys

p.p.s. - if you don't find this adorable you have a huge dump in your pants