CHICAGO (November 12, 2021) - Coming off a record-setting 103-45 victory over Coppin State in Tuesday's season opener, Loyola continues a four-game homestand Saturday afternoon when it welcomes Florida Gulf Coast to Gentile Arena. The Ramblers are looking to open a season with back-to-back wins for the second year in a row.
 
The Ramblers sank a single-game, program-record 20 three-point field goals in Tuesday's win over Coppin State, easily surpassing the previous record of 15 set versus Saint Louis on January 24, 1991.
 
Gentile Arena has become one of the most difficult places in the country for opponents to play and the Ramblers bring a 23-game home-court winning streak, the fifth-longest active streak in NCAA Division I play, into Saturday's game versus Florida Gulf Coast. Loyola has won 30 of its last 35 (.857) nonconference games at home.
 
Since the start of the 2017-18 season, Loyola is 55-7 (.887) overall and 34-2 (.944) in MVC action at Gentile Arena. 
 
In its last five nonconference home games, Loyola is producing 83.2 points per game and is shooting a scorching 55 percent (154-for-280) from the field and 42.5 percent (54-for-127) from three-point territory.

The 103 points Loyola scored against Coppin State Tuesday night were its most in a season opener since a 106-84 victory against Robert Morris (Ill.) on November 15, 1997. The 58-point win over the Eagles was also the Ramblers' largest margin of victory since a 64-point (133-69) pasting of Loras on November 25, 1978.
 
Saint Thomas' 13 points against Coppin State were the most by a Loyola true freshman in a season opener since Cooper Kaifes tossed in 19 points against Kansas City on November 6, 2018.
 
Loyola – Florida Gulf Coast – The Series
This is the first meeting between Loyola and Florida Gulf Coast. The Ramblers are 4-4 all-time against current members of the Atlantic Sun Conference, with all eight of those games coming versus Eastern Kentucky, which just joined the A-Sun this season.
 
Loyola is 4-2 versus teams from the Sunshine State, with two of those wins coming during the magical 2017-18 season that ended with a trip to the NCAA Final Four. That year, the Ramblers took down No. 5 Florida (65-59) in December and No. 22 Miami (64-62) in the NCAA Tournament First Round.
 
Scouting Florida Gulf Coast
The Eagles went 10-8 during an abbreviated 2020-21 season and are coming off a 94-57 victory over Florida National in the 2021-22 season opener Tuesday night.
 
Senior guard Austin Richie, who had 11 points in Tuesday's season opener, hails from Glenwood, Ill., and attended suburban Bloom High School.
 
After shooting just 29.3 percent (146-for-499) from three-point land a season ago, Florida Gulf Coast came out and drained 13 of 33 attempts (.394) from beyond the arc versus Florida National on November 9.
 
Sophomore guard Victor Rosa, who accounted for only 1.9 points per game a year ago, poured in 20 points and hauled in four rebounds in Tuesday's opener against Florida National. Last season's leading scorer, Cyrus Largie (13.4 ppg), tallies 11.0 ppg this year.
 
Free throw shooting was a problem for FGCU in 2020-21 as the Eagles converted only 66.4 percent of their charity tosses. Although the sample size is small, FGCU is struggling at the foul line this season, hitting just 13 of 22 attempts (.591).
 
Up Next
Loyola hosts city rival Chicago State Tuesday night (Nov. 16) at 7 p.m. That contest will be broadcast live on NBC Sports Chicago.