Loyola Ramblers Preview – https://loyolaramblers.com/news/2025/1/ ... eph-s.aspxSaint Joseph Stats and Intel - https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/sc ... /2025.htmlRecord: 10-6 (1-2, 10th in A-10 MBB)
Coach: Billy Lange
PS/G: 75.8 (170th of 364)
PA/G: 69.3 (125th of 364)
SRS: 5.39 (103rd of 364)
SOS: -1.05 (203rd of 364)
ORtg: 108.1 (181st of 364)
DRtg: 98.9 (102nd of 364)
Loyola Chicago Ramblers (10-5, 1-1 A-10) at Saint Joseph Red Hawks (10-6, 1-2 A-10)Philadelphia, PA; Saturday, January 11, 2025 2:00 pm at Hagan Arena
Loyola’s 2-game Philly trip continues with Saturday afternoon’s finale at Saint Joseph’s. Saturday is the 9th ever matchup between the Hawks and Ramblers. Saint Joe’s won five of the first six games, but Loyola claimed both games last year.
Last time out, the Ramblers ended their 4-game losing streak, improving to 10-5 (1-1) on the season, with a 79-68 win over La Salle on Wednesday night. Loyola Chicago, favored by 2 points, covered the spread in the victory.
After leading 40-32 at halftime, the Ramblers scored 39 points in the 2nd half while allowing 36 to La Salle. Despite giving up 68 points, Loyola Chicago held La Salle to 40% shooting from the field. Loyola ended up shooting 48.1% from the field with an effective field goal percentage of 55.6%, hitting 42.9% (9 of 21) of their attempted threes. More importantly, they earned their best mark of the season at the free throw line, hitting 18 of 23 for season-best 78.3%. Jayden Dawson and Sheldon Edwards Jr. led the Ramblers with 20-apiece, with Dawson hitting 60% of his threes and Edwards connecting at a 57.1% rate. Also contributing were JQ (13) and Jalen DeLoach, who had his best game as a Rambler with 12pts and 5reb.
As some have noticed, having/needing a handful of scorers each game is a thing for the Ramblers. Per the Rambler Sports Network (Sudikoff),
“Ramblers are 29-8 the last 2 seasons when 3 players score in double-figures (10-4 this season). 12-1 when 4 players score 10+ (7-0 this season)."Over on the Hawks’ side, in their last game that was also on Wednesday night, Saint Joseph’s lost on the road 85-81 to Duquesne. Saint Joes, who was projected to finish third in the A-10 preseason poll, is a streaky team as they’ve had a couple of nice stretches this year and a few bad ones. Saint Joseph opened the season 4-1 with a lone loss to Central Connecticut, but with quality wins over Navy, Villanova, Penn and Texas Tech. Then followed a poor stretch with losses to Texas, Princeton and Charleston followed by some nice recent wins over Virginia Tech, Delaware State, and UMass.
The Red Hawks, who went 21-14 last season and return 58% of their scoring, are led by 4 starters who are averaging at least 10 ppg (3 of them are 15 ppg or better). Rasheer Fleming, who has been a beast for them this year, leads in scoring and rebounding (16.3 ppg and 9.1 rpg). Fleming has six double-doubles this season, including the last two games, and leads the A-10 in this statistic. Right behind Fleming is Erik Reynolds II (our dear friend) a First Team Preseason selection averaging 15.3 ppg on 14 fg attempts per game, and A-10 Second Team selection Xzayvier Brown who averages 15.1 ppg and an impressive 5.2 assists per game. Brown is a very talented and well-rounded player, as he is also second on the team in rebounds, at 4.6 per game. Guard, Derek Simpson then averages 10 ppg with 4 assists per game.
Despite their scoring abilities, this trio of guards shoots very poorly overall from the field and from deep - 36% (Reynolds), Brown (38%), Simpson (37%).
The Red Hawks will run a starting lineup of 6-10 F/C Justice Agabor, 6-9 F/C Rasheer Fleming, 6-2 guard Erik Reynolds, 6-2 guard Xzayvier Brown, and 6-3 guard Derek Simpson. Off the bench, forwards 6-8 Dasear Haskins and 6-6 Anthony Finkley both provide scoring and rebounding playing 20 minutes apiece.
For the third straight game, Loyola will run a lineup of JQ, Dawson, Watson, Rubin and DeLoach. Since being inserted into the starting lineup, DeLoach has had his two best games as a Rambler.
Notable - Saturday features the top two teams in the A-10 in assists per game. The Hawks lead the way at 16.4 per game, with Loyola at 16.3. Saint Joe's has won each of its last eight day games at Hagan Arena against non-AP-ranked opponents.
STATS, RANDOMS, NUMBERS FROM HERE AND AROUND THE ‘NETRSN – “The Ramblers are 9-5 in true road games the last 2 seasons (after starting 0-2). They've had 12 or fewer turnovers 9 out of 14 games. In 9 Wins: 10.7 TO / In 5 Losses: 15 TO”
RSN – “The Ramblers had 10 turnovers at La Salle, which is the 7th time this season they've had 10 or fewer in a game. Loyola is 6-1 when they commit 10 or fewer turnovers.”
RSN - After allowing their highest Defensive FG% (49.2%) vs. VCU, the Ramblers rebounded with their 4th best outing vs. a D-1 opponent (40.9%) at La Salle. Loyola has now held their opponents under 42% FG 7 times this season. Now 7-0 when doing so.”
AR - Miles Rubin leads the A-10 in field goal %, .704 on 57-81FG.
AR - Jalen Quinn leads the A-10 in personal fouls, with 45 total. Next closest for us is Rubin at 37.
Watch / Listen – Saturday's game will be nationally broadcast on CBS Sports Network, with Tom McCarthy and Isis Young on the call, and can be listened to Rambler Sports Network with our friends Sudikoff and CT.
Postgame Show - Tune in to Sudikoff on RSN, followed by TalkinBlers Spaces on the X:
https://x.com/blerstalking?s=21Odds: Saint Joe’s -5.5