CHICAGO (December 26, 2019) - Loyola begins its seventh season of Missouri Valley Conference play Monday night when it visits local rival Valparaiso. The Ramblers had a five-game win streak, their longest since 2017-18, halted with a 59-56 loss to Davidson December 22.

Winning on the road has been key to Loyola's back-to-back MVC regular-season titles. Since the start of 2017-18, the Ramblers are 11-7 (.611) on the road in league play. 

Since joining The Valley for the 2013-14 season, Loyola is 2-4 (.333) in MVC openers and last season dealt Indiana State a 79-44 loss to kick off league play. All time, the Ramblers are 19-21 (.475) in conference openers, but just 3-9 in their last 12 league lid-lifters.

Loyola – Valparaiso – The Series

Monday's game will be the 55th meeting between the Ramblers and Crusaders in a series that began in 1922. Loyola has claimed six of the last seven matchups, including each of the last five, and owns a 39-15 edge in the all-time series.

Loyola is 19-8 against the Crusaders in Valparaiso and has prevailed in four of the last five games at the ARC, including each of the last three. The Ramblers are 5-0 against Valpo since becoming a member of the Missouri Valley Conference.

When the teams last met, in the MVC Championship quarterfinal round in St. Louis last March, Cameron Krutwig totaled 18 points to power Loyola to a 67-54 victory. The Ramblers built a 40-18 halftime advantage and led by as many as 27 points.

Scouting Valparaiso

Since winning four of their first five games of 2019-20, Valparaiso has stumbled in five of its last eight contests and has dropped two of its last three outings. The Crusaders have defended their home floor well this season and are a perfect 4-0 at the ARC, with three of those wins coming by 14 or more points.

Valpo has lost six of its last seven regular-season Valley games overall and five of its last six conference games at home dating back to last season.

Sophomore Javon Freeman-Liberty is off to a fantastic start to the season, averaging 21.8 points, 5.9 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 2.5 steals per game. The 6-foot-3 guard was a teammate of Loyola junior guard Lucas Williamson at Whitney Young High School in Chicago.

Up Next

Loyola hosts preseason MVC favorite Missouri State January 4 at 7 p.m.