You’ve heard of Sister Jean, you’ve heard of Cameron Krutwig, and you’ve heard of the Loyola-Chicago basketball team. 

The Ramblers have become a household name in March. Two different tournament runs in 2017 and 2021 have made this team a nationwide fan-favorite come tourney time. This year is no different.

Despite going 22-7 in the regular season, Loyola-Chicago came into the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament as a four seed. It was business as usual for Drew Valentine’s squad in their first-round game against Bradley.

A disciplined offense paired with a ferocious defense led the Ramblers to a 66-50 victory over the Braves in a game that was out of reach by halftime. Loyola had 14 points in the first half off turnovers: the perfect way to turn defense into offense.

A balanced offensive approach in the first half saw 44 total team points, but not a single player scored over 8. 

The story continued in the second half. Relentless defense and a smart offense kept the Ramblers with a healthy lead. Lucas Williamson led the squad on both ends of the floor with 13 points and 3 steals.

Loyola also had 28 bench points: a strong showing from one of the deepest teams in the country. 

Junior Terry Roberts led Bradley with 17 points and three steals of his own. Sophomore forward Rienk Mast from the Netherlands had a double-double, securing 11 points and 13 rebounds. The Braves ended their season with a 17-13 record.

Loyola-Chicago now faces off against Northern Iowa, a rematch from just a week ago, in which UNI took home the MVC regular season trophy. This is a potential win-and-in game for the Ramblers, as they are squarely on the bubble.

Loyola vs UNI will take place tomorrow at 2:35 pm CDT from Enterprise Center.