CHICAGO - Loyola heads out to Davidson Wednesday night for its final road game of the regular season. The Ramblers are coming off their first ranked win at home since 1986 after beating Dayton last Friday, 77-72. The Wildcats dropped their last game at UMass and are on a three-game skid. Tipoff is set for 6 p.m. CT.
Wednesday's game can we watched on ESPN+ or be listened to on the Rambler Sports Network with Scott Sudikoff (PXP) and Christian Thomas (Analyst).
Quick Hits
• Loyola upset No. 21 Dayton last Friday, 77-72. It's the first ranked win at home for the Ramblers since 1986.
•
Des Watson matched his career-high 24 points on 9-of-13 from the field and 4-of-5 from three. It's his fourth 20-point performance this season and third time he has scored 24 this year.
•
Braden Norris notched a double-double with 19 points and 11 assists. His 11 assists is a season-high and one shy of matching his career-best. Norris needs just three more assists to hit the 500 mark as a Rambler.
• Norris went 4-of-7 from three vs. the Flyers. He has 251 career made three-pointers. Eleven more will give him the all-time career record at Loyola.
•
Philip Alston improved his double-figure scoring streak to seven games with 13 points vs. Dayton. He also grabbed a team-high seven rebounds and tallied two blocks.
•
Miles Rubin protected the rim, blocking four shots vs. the Flyers. He has 61 blocks this season and needs six more for the single-season record.
• In the NCAA, Norris ranks 43rd in assists per game (5.1) and total assists (45). Rubin sits at 26th in blocks (61).
• As a team, Loyola averages 17.1 assists per game, ranking 19th in the country. The Ramblers have had more assists than their opponents in the last nine games, including 24 vs. George Mason. The 24 assists is a single-game high in league play this season.
• Head coach
Drew Valentine is in his third season at the helm. He holds a 56-36 overall career record.
Scouting Davidson
The Wildcats are 15-14 overall and 5-11 in Atlantic 10 play as the team enters the final week of regular season play. Davidson has dropped its last three games at Richmond, Dayton and UMass. In league play, the Wildcats are 2-6 on their home court. They beat La Salle and Fordham at home in February.
Grant Huffman has started all 29 games for the Wildcats this season, and he is averaging 12.9 points per game. Huffman is shooting over 45 percent from the field and is just 18-of-63 (.286) from three-point range. He has scored double-figures in four of the last six games, including 14 in the loss to UMass. He had 23 points, eight rebounds, and seven assists against Loyola earlier this year.
In his second season leading Davidson, Matt McKillop is 31-30 overall.
Series History
Davidson leads the all-time series 2-1. Loyola beat the Wildcats at home earlier this season, 76-63.
Des Watson filled the box score with 18 points (5-9 3PT), five rebounds and six assists.