Tuesday, February 25, 2014 7:00 p.m.
JQH Arena, Springfield, MO


Loyola earned its first ever MVC victory against Missouri State on January 5 in a shocking 89-57 win at Gentile Arena. Devon Turk scored a career high 30 points on five three pointers and 13-for-13 perfection from the foul line. MSU’s leading scorer, 6’5” senior forward Jarmar Gulley (15.1 ppg) was held to only four points, and the Bears shot only 39% from the field.

Since that head-scratching 32-point loss, the biggest blowout MSU has suffered on the year (they lost by 30 at Louisville), the Bears are 7-7 in conference. They are an excellent team at home (12-2), with their only two losses in Springfield coming by three points in overtime against Wichita State and by two points to Northern Iowa (after trailing by double digits at halftime).

The Bears are very solid, experienced and deep at most positions. They do everything moderately well, ranking in the middle of the pack in the conference in most offensive and defensive categories. If they have a particular weakness, it’s in their reliance on outshooting the opposition from three point land—something that spelled their defeat at Loyola. Missouri State ranks second in the league in three point shooting percentage, but eighth in three point shooting defense. When their threes aren’t falling (they were 4 of 20 at Loyola), it allows the defense to key on their big men, and their entire offensive scheme is foiled.

Besides their 32-point loss at Loyola (in which the Ramblers were 50% behind the arc), the Bears were outshot from three point land in their home loss against Wichita State (MSU was only 2 of 13 behind the arc after halftime). In their 18-point loss at Southern Illinois, the Salukis outshot the Bears by 53% to 14% behind the arc. A 21-point effort from Seth Tuttle and 20 trips to the foul line by UNI sank the Bears in their other home loss.

If the Ramblers want to stage another improbable win against Missouri State—on their home turf—the keys to victory are to: 1. Shut down the MSU three point game, HARD, 2. Provide great help interior defense against Jarmar Gulley, 3. Run screens to get open threes, and 4. Get to the foul line.

In the previous game against MSU, Loyola started Cody Johnson at center/forward, and he scored 10 points on 4-of-5 shooting in 19 minutes. In that same game, Matt O’Leary scored four points to go with three assists, three rebounds, and a block in 23 minutes. Despite the increasing minutes for Nick Osborne, going with taller or more active frontcourt players might be preferable against the MSU offense.

The Loyola-Missouri State game will be senior night for the Bears, in which they will honor Gulley, Keith Pickens, Emmanuel Addo, and Nathan Scheer before a vocal and emotional crowd expected to be in excess of 6000.


Vegas opening line: Missouri State by 8.5

Loyola game notes: Pending

Missouri State game notes: http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/mos ... elease.pdf

Video (pay): http://www.missouristatebears.com/allaccess/

Loyola audio: http://client.stretchinternet.com/client/luc.portal#

Missouri State message board: http://missouristate.247sports.com/Boar ... orum-59468

Under 10. Hanging tough. Down 16-18. We weathered a MoSt run at the start of the game. Nixon giving some critical minutes. No use harping on it now, but this season could have been VERY different had Nixon actually played at the start of the year. Just another example of PM not getting it.

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Cigarboy sucks!

And now they're pulling away. 18-27.

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Cigarboy sucks!

Crisman seems to be the only one who really wants to play.

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Cigarboy sucks!

Trailing by 11, and we've already played two walk-ons. No trips to the foul line, Devon Turk hasn't hit rim or net, and Joe Crisman is our leading scorer.

Miserable.

27-41 at the half---That of course tells you that we have neither Offense or Defense--which means NOTHING !!

Losing like this to the likes of Missouri STATE ! YUCK ! We are fast becoming the laughing stock of the League. Disgrace !

I am totally devastated especially for you young Fans. Lose Lose Lose---When will this chainge ?? Now we have a suspension--Worst possible thing to have happen short of injury of course.

Osborne MUST have done more than pick up a technical last game. If it WAS this. no way for Coach to suspend the player---Defend him on the outside --not humiliate him--but sit him down IN PRIVATE for the real discussion.

Has Porter Moser lost this team ??? Last few games suggest just this !!!

To the likes of Missouri state? They are sitting in the top half of this conference, clearly they are not a bad team.

Evansville is tearing Drake apart in the second half. We're going to finish 10th no matter what now.

Billy Clark? I love his enthusiasm, but ?????????

Is Jeff White hurt????? and here go the turnovers again