CHICAGO (January 24, 2020) - The hottest team in the Missouri Valley Conference, winner of four straight and 11 of the last 13 contests, Loyola visits Northern Iowa Sunday for a pivotal showdown in the league race. The Ramblers have won three of their last four true road games and five of their last six road/neutral outings. Sunday's game opens a grueling week that will see Loyola face both Northern Iowa and Southern Illinois on the road and Bradley at home.
 
Winning on the road is a tall task in The Valley, but since the start of the 2017-18 season, Loyola is 13-8 (.619) away from home in conference competition.
 
Loyola's 6-1 start to MVC play is its best through seven games since joining the league for the 2013-14 campaign. It is also the program's best seven-game start to conference play, regardless of league affiliation, since going 6-1 to open Horizon League action in 2001-02.
 
The Ramblers, who are shooting a staggering 59.7 percent (108-for-181) from the field and 44.4 percent (88-for-198) from three-point range in the last four games, ranked second in the nation in field goal percentage (.519) through games of January 22.
 
Over the last four outings, the Ramblers have clamped down on the defensive end, allowing only 49.3 ppg. One of the nation's top defensive teams in terms of scoring defense in each of the previous two seasons, Loyola currently ranks 12th in NCAA Division I play in that category at 60.2 points per game.
 
Loyola – Northern Iowa – The Series
The Ramblers and Panthers are matching up for the 21st time in a series that started in 1994. Each team has captured 10 games in the all-time series, but Loyola has claimed eight of the last nine meetings, including five straight. Since joining the Missouri Valley Conference, Loyola is 9-5 against Northern Iowa.
 
When playing in Cedar Falls, the Ramblers are 3-6 all-time but have won the last two outings, including a 56-55 decision last February, behind 16 points and eight rebounds from Marques Townes and 14 points and eight boards from Cameron Krutwig.
 
Both meetings between the teams a year ago were decided by a single point and four of the last eight games have been determined by three points or less. Six of the last eight matchups have been decided by six or fewer points.
 
Scouting Northern Iowa
The Panthers had a five-game win streak snapped with a 68-66 setback at Southern Illinois Wednesday evening. Northern Iowa is a perfect 10-0 at home this season and its last loss at McLeod Center was the aforementioned 56-55 setback versus Loyola last February.
 
One of the top three-point shooting teams in the country, UNI is connecting on 38.8 percent of its triples and Trae Berhow ranks fourth nationally at 48.5 percent.
 
Sophomore guard AJ Green leads the highest-scoring team in the Valley (76.8 ppg) with 19.5 points per game. In league play, Green is posting a whopping 24.4 ppg.
 
Up Next
Loyola finishes out a brief two-game road trip when it travels to Southern Illinois Wednesday night (Jan. 29).