Game Notes

CHICAGO (March 16, 2018) - Loyola, which has won 11 straight games and 18 of its last 19 contests, posted its first NCAA Tournament win since March 16, 1985, when it stunned No. 22 Miami, 64-62 on Thursday. A win over Tennessee would give the Ramblers their first-ever 30-win season in program history and their first NCAA Sweet 16 appearance since 1984-85. Thursday's win over Miami gave the Ramblers 29 wins on the season, matching the 1962-63 NCAA championship team (29-2) for the most victories in school history.
 
Series Stuff
Saturday's game will be the first meeting between the Ramblers and Volunteers. The Ramblers are 14-16 all-time against current members of the Southeastern Conference and have won three of their last four games versus SEC foes, including a 65-59 victory at No. 5 Florida on December 6, 2017. Since Porter Moser took over the Loyola program for the 2011-12 season, the Ramblers have collected five wins over Power 5 conference opponents, plus another four versus teams from the Big East or Mountain West conferences.
 
Scouting Tennessee
Tennessee has captured seven of its last eight contests and is 5-2 on neutral floors this season. The Volunteers picked up a 73-47 victory over Wright State Thursday afternoon in a NCAA First Round game. One of the top teams in the nation at defending the perimeter, Tennessee ranks 25th in the nation, holding opponents to 31.5 percent accuracy (214-for-679) from three-point territory.
 
Sophomore forward Grant Williams is one of three Volunteers scoring in double figures with a team-best 15.3 points per game, to go with 6.1 rebounds per outing. Junior forward Admiral Schofield, who contributes 13.9 ppg and 6.5 rpg, is a native of Zion, Illinois, and a product of Zion-Benton High School.
 
Ramblers Versus The Ranked
The Ramblers have won two straight games versus nationally ranked foes, disposing of No. 5 Florida on December 6 and No. 22 Miami on Thursday. The last time Loyola won consecutive games versus AP Top 25 teams was December 22 and 29, 1984, when it knocked off No. 4 Illinois (63-62) and No. 20 Louisville (93-81). Loyola is 34-120 (.221) all-time against nationally ranked opponents.
 
Loyola In The Big Dance
Loyola is making the sixth NCAA Tournament appearance in program history and first since 1985. The Ramblers also reached the big dance in 1963, 1964, 1966, and 1968, winning the national championship in their first-ever NCAA appearance. Loyola is 10-4 all-time in NCAA Tournament contests and has won at least one game in four of its six trips to the tourney.