Enjoy That Win Over Georgia, Loyola Fans!
By MAGGIE HENDRICKS
Updated 8:33 PM CST, Tue, Nov 18, 2008
The Loyola Ramblers won yesterday over Georgia 74-53 in the first game of the pre-season NIT. If you're wondering why you haven't heard much Loyola's team this year, it's because they're not expected to win very much. In fact, this win might be the best thing that will happen all year for the Ramblers' squad.
The team was picked to finish either seventh or eighth in the Horizon League, depending on which poll you read. The win over the Bulldogs was Loyola's first win over an SEC team since 1964. They committed only ten turnovers, a vast improvement over their exhibition win over Robert Morris where they gave up the ball 21 times. J.R. Blount led the scoring attack with 16 points, followed by Justin Cerasoli and Andy Polka with 12. Loyola caught on fire offensively in the second half, improving their field goal percentage from 32 percent in the first half to 48 in the second.
That's the good news. The bad news is that the Ramblers are unlikely to top a win like the win over Georgia. As I write this, they are trailing #10 Purdue in the second half. The Horizon League hardly gives them an easy schedule, as they will face Butler and Valparaiso twice. They lost on Friday to Rockhurst College, a Division II team out of Kansas City. The quick swing from a shocking loss to a shocking win illustrates the inconsistency that is this season's Ramblers.
So, take heart, Rambler fans. This season is a rebuilding one that will have some bumps but your team did give you a flash of brilliance in the middle of this dreary, cold Chicago fall.
Copyright NBC Local Media
First Published: Nov 18, 2008 8:29 PM CST
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