For the first time in over 30 years, the Loyola Ramblers are going dancing after beating Illinois State in the Missouri Valley Conference championship game.
The Ramblers, who have not been to the NCAA tournament since 1985, clinched an automatic berth with the victory, which capped off a remarkable 28-5 regular season.
Guard Donte Ingram led the way for the Ramblers with 18 points and eight rebounds in the game, and center Cameron Krutwig added 11 points and nine rebounds as Loyola dashed the Redbirds’ hopes of getting back to the Big Dance.
Now, Loyola will get to sit back and watch as the rest of the automatic bids are handed out for the tournament, which begins later this month. A loss to Illinois State would have likely relegated the Ramblers to the NIT, but the automatic win means they’ll be back in the tournament for the first time in over 30 years.
