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CHICAGO (February 18, 2019) - Loyola closes out a two-game homestand and looks to bounce back from its first setback at Gentile Arena in over two months when it welcomes longtime rival Evansville to Rogers Park Wednesday night. The Ramblers have won 13 of their last 14 Missouri Valley Conference home games and eight of their last nine overall at Gentile Arena. Over its last five games at home, Loyola is averaging 70.8 points per game and shooting a robust 55.3 percent (130-for-235) from the field and 55 percent (33-for-60) from three-point territory.

Loyola is 4-0 in midweek home games in Missouri Valley action this season, winning those contests by an average of 18.8 points. On the flipside, the Ramblers are 0-3 in midweek road games in conference play.

Loyola – Evansville – The Series

The Ramblers and Purple Aces are meeting for the 48th time in a series that began in 1979. Loyola trails in the all-time series, 27-20, but has won three of the last five encounters between the teams.  Nine of the 11 meetings between the teams since Loyola joined The Valley have been decided by nine points or less, including four by a single possession.

Loyola is 10-11 all-time against Evansville in Chicago and last season picked up a 66-59 victory at Gentile Arena despite playing without injured guard Clayton Custer. In that contest, Marques Townes scored a team-high 18 points to spark the Ramblers to their first MVC win of the season.

When the teams squared off at Ford Center in Evansville last month, Marques Townes totaled 14 points and Franklin Agunanne added 13, but the Ramblers shot just 37.3 percent (19-for-51) from the field, hitting 1 of 7 tries from long range, in a 67-48 setback.

Scouting Evansville

Evansville has gone into a slump, losing eight of its last nine contests, including each of the last four. First-year head coach Walter McCarty's club is coming off a 73-58 setback at UNI Sunday 

The road has not been kind to the Purple Aces this season and they bring a 1-11 ledger in true road games into Wednesday's contest in Rogers Park. Evansville has dropped four straight away from home, with its lone win a 70-64 decision at Missouri State January 16.

Junior guard K.J. Riley leads the Evansville offense with 13.7 ppg and 3.0 apg, while Marty Hill adds 10.9 ppg.

Up Next

Loyola visits Southern Illinois February 24 at 3 p.m. for a game that will be televised live on ESPNU.