CHICAGO (February 26, 2021) – Loyola University Chicago (10-8, 8-6 MVC) hits the road for the final time during the 2020-21 regular season this weekend as it heads to Springfield, Mo. for a two-game series with No. 23/19 Missouri State, February 27-28. Both matchups are scheduled to tip-off at 5 p.m. from inside JQH Arena.
The Ramblers, who will close out a stretch that has seen them play five games over a nine-day span, and Lady Bears were originally schedule to meet January 15-16, but the series was postponed due to positive COVID-19 tests among Missouri State's Tier 1 personnel.
LAST TIME OUT
A Shay Frederick layup with five seconds remaining was the difference as Valparaiso escaped Gentile Arena with a 57-55 win over Loyola on Wednesday evening.
Sam Galanopoulos paced the Ramblers in the defeat with 13 points and a season-high six assists.
Sitori Tanin also reached double figures in scoring, coming off the bench to add 11 points.
LOYOLA/MISSOURI STATE – THE SERIES
Loyola and Missouri State have met 17 times on the hardwood in women's basketball, all but two of which have come since the Maroon & Gold joined The Valley prior to the start of the 2013-14 academic year. Missouri State owns a 14-3 (.824) lead in the all-time series and has rattled off 14 consecutive wins against the Ramblers since dropping the opening matchup between the two schools as Valley rivals back on January 12, 2014.
The Lady Bears narrowly escaped Gentile Arena with a victory last season, needing a Jazmine Franklin layup as time expired in overtime to secure a 74-72 victory on January 3, 2020. Loyola again gave Missouri State all it could handle in the return matchup at JQH Arena on March 7, 2020, finding itself down by only three late in the fourth quarter, but fell victim to a late surge by the hosts as it dropped a 72-61 decision.
DON'T SLEEP ON THESE BEARS
Missouri State rolls into the weekend at 16-2 overall and a perfect 12-0 in Missouri Valley Conference play. The Lady Bears secured their second straight MVC regular season title on Wednesday night, dispatching Southern Illinois by a final count of 67-55 in Carbondale, Ill. Head coach Amaka Agugua-Hamilton's team currently finds itself ranked 23rd in the Associated Press Top 25 and 19th in the USA Today/WBCA Coaches Poll.
Brice Calip sits atop the scoring chart for Agugua-Hamilton's team averaging a team-best 14.4 points, a mark that ranks fifth overall in The Valley. Calip also resides in second in the league in assists, handing out 4.4 helpers per game. Franklin continues to be a force inside, averaging 11.1 points and a Valley-best 9.2 rebounds.
UP NEXT
Loyola returns home for the final time in 2020-21 next weekend to battle in-state rival Illinois State, March 5-6, in a pair of 3 p.m. matchups.
