CHICAGO (February 13, 2020) - Winner of three of its last four contests overall, Loyola is set for a battle with Missouri Valley Conference leader Northern Iowa Saturday night at a sold-out Gentile Arena. The Ramblers, who have won six consecutive games on their home floor, have won 24 of their last 26 Valley games in Chicago. Since the start of the 2017-18 campaign, Loyola is 22-2 at home in league play.

With its next victory, Loyola will have recorded 18 or more wins in four consecutive seasons. The last time the Ramblers achieved that feat was all the way back at the start of the post-World-War-II era, from the 1945-46 through 1948-49 seasons.

In its last three meetings with Northern Iowa at Gentile Arena, Loyola is producing 69.3 points per game and converting 52.9 percent (74-for-140) of its field goal attempts, including a scorching 52.3 percent (24-for-44) of its three-point tries. Nail-biters have been the norm when the Ramblers and Panthers have matched up as seven of the last nine meetings have been decided by six points or less, including four contests determined by a single possession (3 points or less). Both games last season were decided by one point.

The Ramblers need one more Valley victory have notched double-digit league wins for the third straight season. Loyola has won 10 or more conference contests three consecutive years just once in program history - 1982-83 through 1984-85. 

Loyola – Northern Iowa – The Series

Loyola and Northern Iowa are meeting for the 22nd time in a series that commenced in 1994. The Ramblers have captured eight of the last 10 meetings, including five of the last six, but the Panthers hold a slight 11-10 edge in the all-time series. Since joining the Missouri Valley Conference, Loyola is 9-6 versus Northern Iowa.

Playing in Chicago, Loyola is 6-3 against Northern Iowa in the Windy City and has won four straight and five of the last six.

When the teams squared off in Cedar Falls last month in a battle for first place in The Valley race, the Ramblers rallied from an 11-point deficit in the second half to force overtime, but ultimately fell, 67-62, despite 19 points and 14 boards from Cameron Krutwig and 18 points from Lucas Williamson, who held AJ Green to 4-for-12 shooting on the afternoon. 

Scouting Northern Iowa

Northern Iowa has won 11 of its last 12 contests, including each of the last six, and its three losses this season have come by a combined 13 points.

The Panthers are 7-2 overall in true road games this season and are 4-2 away from home in MVC action. UNI has won its last two road games since a 68-66 setback at Southern Illinois on January 22.

Sophomore guard AJ Green leads The Valley in scoring with 20.2 points per game, while junior guard Trae Berhow contributes 14.1 ppg. As a team, the Panthers are shooting 40.2 percent from three-point range, a mark that ranks fifth in the nation.

Up Next

Loyola closes out a brief two-game homestand February 19 when it hosts Illinois State at 7 p.m. CT.