The Valley on ESPN vs. UNI | Live Stats vs. UNI | Loyola Game Notes

The Valley on ESPN vs. Drake (subscription required) | Live Stats vs. Drake | Loyola Game Notes

CHICAGO (February 6, 2019) - After splitting a pair of games last weekend, Loyola University Chicago will begin its second swing through Missouri Valley Conference play this coming weekend when it hosts a pair of opponents from the state of Iowa.

The Ramblers will welcome UNI to Gentile Arena for a 7 p.m. tilt on Friday evening.  Drake visits Rogers Park on Sunday at 1 p.m. for the program's annual Play4Kay Game in support of raising awareness for women's cancer and the Kay Yow Cancer Fund.
 

LAST TIME OUT
Loyola picked up a 62-59 win over Illinois State last Friday before falling to Bradley, 69-56, on Sunday afternoon.  Allison Day enjoyed a breakout weekend, averaging 15.5 points and 9.0 rebounds en route to being named the MVC Newcomer of the Week for the first time in her young career.  Day recorded her first career double-double against the Braves, setting new career highs for both points (18) and rebounds (11).  
 

LOYOLA – UNI – THE SERIES
Loyola and UNI will meet on Friday for the 14th time as part of a series that dates back to a 94-58 Rambler win on February 27, 1983.  Since the two schools became Valley rivals, the Panthers have controlled the series, prevailing in 10 of the 11 matchups to open up a 10-3 all-time edge.  When the two teams met back on January 13 at the McLeod Center, Loyola whittled an early 10-point deficit down to six at halftime before ultimately falling by a final score of 64-52. Ellie Rice finished with a team-high 12 points, while Tiara Wallace added 11 points in the defeat.


LOYOLA – DRAKE – THE SERIES
Drake owns a 14-3 lead in 17 previous meetings with Loyola on the hardwood.  Since a 75-69 win at the Knapp Center back on January 24, 2014, the Bulldogs, who are a perfect 6-0 at Gentile Arena, have rattled off 11 straight wins against the Maroon & Gold.  In Loyola's trip to Iowa's state capital on January 11, Drake opened up a 29-point third-quarter lead before the Ramblers caught fire in the fourth quarter, shooting 73.3 percent (11-of-15) in the final frame, to fight back within single digits, falling by a final margin of 69-60.  Abby O'Connor (14 points), Rice (13 points) and Janae Gonzales (12 points) all reached double figures in scoring for Loyola.
 

PURPLE REIGN
UNI (13-8, 6-3 MVC) finds itself sitting in third in the MVC standings as the second half of conference play begins. 

The Panthers split a pair of games last weekend at home, defeating Southern Illinois, 65-53, before falling to league-leading Missouri State, 63-58.  

Karli Rucker and Ellie Howell are both enjoying strong seasons for head coach Tanya Warren's team.  Rucker, who poured in 23 points against the Ramblers in January, leads the team in scoring, averaging 14.3 points, and assists (3.9 apg).  Howell also averages in double figures, adding 10.3 ppg.  Like Loyola, UNI has excelled from the free throw line this season.  The Panthers' 77.6 percent clip leads The Valley and ranks seventh overall nationally.
 

BEWARE THE BITE OF THIS DOG
Drake (16-5, 8-1 MVC), which takes on Valparaiso on Friday evening, comes into the weekend a game out of first in the conference standings, trailing only Missouri State.

The Bulldogs saw their MVC-record 47-game win streak brought to an end by the Lady Bears last Friday at the Knapp Center, dropping an 85-79 decision.  Jennie Baranczyk's side bounced back by throttling Southern Illinois, 94-66, two days later.

Reigning Jackie Stiles MVC Player of the Year Becca Hittner is in the midst of another outstanding season.  Hittner, who is coming off back-to-back 30-plus point performances against Missouri State and Southern Illinois, leads The Valley in scoring at 19.7 ppg.  Since the start of MVC play, the junior has upped that mark to 22.1 ppg.  Hot on her heels in the race for the league's scoring crown is Sara Rhine, who adds 19.4 ppg and leads the Bulldog roster in rebounding, collecting 8.5 caroms per game.

UP NEXT
Loyola begins a challenging stretch that sees it play five of its final seven games away from Gentile Arena next weekend when it hits the road to take on Indiana State (February 15) and Evansville (February 17).