Friday, February 17, 2023 6:00 p.m.
Gentile Arena, Chicago, Ill.
The Ramblers return home to a sold-out Gentile Arena for a Friday night matchup with the Dayton Flyers. Dayton was the league favorite in the preseason, and after enduring some injuries in the middle of the season have surged back to second place in the A-10. The Flyers and Ramblers went to overtime in Dayton on Jan. 31, with the Flyers coming out on top 85-81.
Loyola returns home after a successful two-game road trip where they pushed Richmond to the limit before losing 74-71, and then held on to a big lead in a UMass comeback surge. The Ramblers went up by 18 with less than 10 minutes left before turnovers, one and done possessions, and UMass shooting brought the Minutemen to within two. A missed tip for a tie at the buzzer gave Loyola their first A-10 conference road win, 64-62.
Dayton has had a week off, after beating VCU on the road and Saint Louis at home in their last two games and rising to second place in the process. Since guards Kobe Elvis and Malichi Smith have returned from injury, Dayton has looked much more like the Dayton they were expected to be. Junior forward Toumani Camara has been especially effective, averaging 21.8 ppg AND 12.8 rebounds over the past four games.
Coach Anthony Grant will likely be starting A-10 preseason player of the year, 6'10" sophomore forward DaRon Holmes II (17.5 ppg, 7.9 rpg); 6’8” junior forward from Belgium, Toumani Camara (14.0 ppg, 9.3 rpg); 6’6” sophomore forward RJ Blakney (7.1 ppg); 6’2” sophomore guard Kobe Elvis (8.9 ppg); and 6’0” sophomore point guard Malachi Smith (8.2 ppg, 5.5 apg). Mustapha Amzil (9.6 ppg), Koby Brea (41.1% from three), and Mike Sharavjamts (5.8 ppg, 2.9 assists from a 6’8” forward) are some terrific players coming off the bench.
Loyola’s overtime game at Dayton was about the best the Ramblers have played in a losing effort: three players in double figures, 21 points off the bench, 52% shooting on threes and 49% overall, “only” 14 turnovers in an OT game. Were it not for a 31-12 difference in free throw attempts and 31 points from Camara, Loyola might have had their best win of the year. Can a home court rematch with some tweaking to the game plan put the Ramblers over the top?
Dayton is 3-3 on the road in league play, while the Ramblers are 2-4 at home in A-10 play.
Loyola game notes: https://loyolaramblers.com/documents/20 ... ayton2.pdfDayton game notes: https://daytonflyers.com/news/2023/2/15 ... riday.aspxTV/Streaming video: ESPN2
https://www.espn.com/Radio/Streaming audio: https://loyolaramblers.com/watch/?Live=144&type=LiveLive stats: https://stats.statbroadcast.com/broadcast/?id=426269Vegas odds: Dayton by 7