CHICAGO (January 28, 2020) - Loyola and Southern Illinois face off for the second time in two weeks in a showdown of the top two scoring defenses in the Missouri Valley Conference. The Ramblers have prevailed in 11 of their last 14 contests overall and are unbeaten in three games versus in-state rivals in 2019-20. Loyola's three losses during its current 11-3 run have come by a combined 11 points. In its last three visits to the Banterra Center in Carbondale, Loyola is averaging 66.0 points per game and connecting on 50.6 percent (79-for-156) of its field goal attempts.

Winning on the road is a tall task in The Valley, but since the start of the 2017-18 season, Loyola is 13-9 (.591) away from home in conference competition.

The Ramblers are shooting 53.4 percent (132-for-247) from the field and 44.3 percent (35-for-79) from three-point territory in the last four outings and through games of January 26 ranked third in the nation in field goal percentage (.509).

Junior center Cameron Krutwig was named MVC Player of the Week on Monday after putting up 16.0 points, 13.0 rebounds, 6.5 assists and 1.5 steals per outing last week.

Loyola – Southern Illinois – The Series

Loyola and Southern Illinois have split the previous 16 meetings between the teams, but the Ramblers have claimed four of the last five matchups, including a 64-48 decision in Chicago two weeks ago. Since joining the Missouri Valley Conference, Loyola is 6-8 against the Salukis.

When facing off with SIU in Carbondale, the Ramblers are 3-4 all time, and last season, suffered a 63-53 defeat despite 17 points each from Clayton Custer and Cameron Krutwig. Loyola shot just 1-for-10 from long range in that contest.

In the previous meeting between the clubs this season, Loyola held Southern Illinois to 35.2 percent shooting and got 17 points from Marquise Kennedy and 16 points from Tate Hall on the way to a 64-48 decision at Gentile Arena. The Ramblers shot 54.2 percent from the field and 50 percent from beyond the arc that evening.

Scouting Southern Illinois

Since falling to Loyola two weeks ago, the Salukis have won three straight games and are 5-2 in their last seven contests overall. Southern Illinois is 9-1 at the Banterra Center this season and has won eight straight there since a 76-60 loss to San Francisco on November 16.

SIU leads the Missouri Valley Conference and ranks 12th in the nation in scoring defense, allowing just 60.2 points per contest. Freshman forward Marcus Domask is one of the top young players in the MVC and paces the Salukis with 14.1 ppg, 5.2 rpg and 2.7 apg.

Up Next

Loyola finishes up a busy and challenging week Saturday evening (Feb. 1) when it welcomes Bradley to Gentile Arena. That nationally televised game, which will air on ESPN2, tips off at 7 p.m. CT.