March Madness: Loyola-Chicago and Michigan clash in more ways than one
Loyola-Chicago and Michigan will face each other on the floor this Saturday as march madness winds down, but they also clash in so many other ways.
In the early semifinal, one that may not receive the same amount of attention as the later one, the Loyola Ramblers will set out to continue their improbable Cinderella run through the tournament when they take on the Michigan Wolverines.
Besides the obvious reasons why this game will interest not only the common college basketball fan but the common person, such as Sister Jean and Loyola, there are other reasons this matchup is intriguing. Both teams are on a roll coming in and have won games in unlikely fashions. Also, the proximity between the two makes for an interesting national semifinal, as the schools sit just a state and part of a lake away.
But despite all of these similarities Loyola and Michigan share, their clash in the final four is made more captivating by their differences.
The clearest difference is the David vs. Goliath sort of feel this game gives off, with the Wolverines coming from the Big Ten and being favored in every game so far this tournament, and the Ramblers coming from the somewhat obscure Missouri Valley Conference and coming into each tournament game as underdogs.
More from Busting Brackets
- NCAA Basketball Recruiting: Analyzing top 4 teams for PF Jaxon Johnson
- NCAA Basketball Recruiting: Analyzing top 5 teams for top-100 SG Larry Johnson
- Oregon Basketball: Projected starting lineup and depth chart for 2023-24
- Big East Basketball: Ranking all head coaches going into 2023-24 season
- Florida State Basketball: Is Seminoles roster good enough to win in 2023-24?
To add to this feel, just take a look at the rosters and leading scorers for each team. While Michigan has two players on the national radar in Moritz Wagner and Muhammad-Ali Abdur-Rahkman, Loyola’s leading scorer is Clayton Custer, a junior guard from Kansas who hasn’t been on anyone’s radar.
The differences are not only in the public’s perception of the two teams though, they are also in the way the teams find success. Michigan is one of the better defensive and three-point shooting teams in the country, getting through the first four rounds using this formula. Loyola, on the other hand, will play the less glamorous style of working the interior and finding ways to put the ball in the basket from close range. Their guards are among the best in the country at working their way into the paint and doing the dirty work.
Stylistically, these teams get the job done in different ways. But ultimately, they’ve both found a way to get the job done to this point, whether it be Michigan taking care of business or Loyola capturing the hearts of millions throughout their stunning run.
Next: 10 best transfers from the 2017-18 season
With so many storylines culminating in a stylistic clash between a team that has caught the attention of all of sports and one of college basketball’s hottest teams will make for a national semifinal for the ages.