CHICAGO (February 8, 2022) - Loyola has won four of its last five outings as it heads into another big Missouri Valley Conference road game at Bradley Wednesday night. Seventy points has been the magic number for the Ramblers this season, as they are a perfect 13-0 when scoring 70 or more points and 5-4 when scoring fewer than 70 points.
The Ramblers bring a 23-game win streak versus teams from the state of Illinois into Wednesday's game at Bradley. Included in that stretch are 12 straight victories versus Valley teams from the Land of Lincoln. Loyola has not stumbled versus an in-state rival since a 68-63 setback at Southern Illinois on January 29, 2020.
Loyola has prevailed in 13 of its last 15 true road games, with both losses in that stretch coming at Drake.
Carver Arena holds a special place in graduate student Lucas Williamson's heart. The 6-foot-4 guard won a pair of IHSA Class 4A state titles on the floor at Carver Arena as a prep star at Whitney Young High School. In two games there during the 2017 IHSA Tournament, Williamson averaged 18.0 points, 8.0 rebounds, 1.0 blocks and 2.0 steals per game, while shooting 71.4 percent (5-for-7) from three-point range. He racked up 19 points, nine boards, two thefts and a rejection in a 60-50 victory over Simeon in the championship game on March 18, 2017.
Dating back to last season, Loyola has won 37 of its last 43 contests (.860).
Loyola – Bradley – The Series
Old rivals Loyola and Bradley are matching up for the 69th time in a series that started in 1928. Although the Ramblers trail the all-time series, 36-32, they have captured 15 of the last 19 meetings between the teams, including each of the last five.
In Peoria, Loyola has gone just 11-23, but has had a good deal of success in recent history, winning six of the last eight contests at Carver Arena. Five of the last eight encounters at Carver Arena have been decided by seven points or less. The Ramblers have claimed three in a row in Peoria.
When the teams paired up at Gentile Arena in Chicago last month, Loyola stormed back from a 16-point, second-half deficit to force overtime and eventually pull out a 78-71 victory. Lucas Williamson scored 20 points and Aher Uguak added 16 points for the Ramblers, whose bench out-scored Bradley's, 33-13.
Scouting Bradley
The Braves, who lead The Valley in both rebounding margin (+7.0) and field goal percentage defense (.394), have won five of their last six contests and over their last four wins, have surrendered only 52.8 points per game.
Bradley has picked up wins in eight of its 10 outings at Carver Arena this season and has prevailed in three straight and eight of its last nine on its own floor.
Four players are scoring in double figures for coach Brian Wardle's club, led by junior guard Terry Roberts, who is putting up 15.4 ppg, along with 5.2 rpg, 4.5 apg and 1.6 spg, in his first season at Bradley. Sophomore forward Rienk Mast has continued his development into one of the top post players in the conference and is contributing 11.3 ppg and 8.2 rpg.
Up Next
Loyola is back at Gentile Arena Sunday afternoon at 3 p.m. for a pivotal showdown with Northern Iowa. That game will be televised live on ESPN2.
