Mid-major Basketball: 5 programs to watch for 2020-21 season

By Tim Edmonds | Jul 3, 2020

LAHAINA, HI - NOVEMBER 27: TJ Haws #30 of the BYU Cougars gets five from teammate Alex Barcello #4 after making a three point basket during the second half of the game against the Virginia Tech Hokies at the Lahaina Civic Center on November 27, 2019 in Lahaina, Hawaii. (Photo by Darryl Oumi/Getty Images) /

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ATLANTA, GA – MARCH 24: Cameron Satterwhite #23, Cameron Krutwig #25, Lucas Williamson #1, Nick Dinardi #44 and Christian Negron #12 of the Loyola Ramblers (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) /

Loyola Chicago Ramblers

After a pair of seasons in which they’ve missed the NCAA tournament, the Ramblers are loaded and ready for another Cinderella run in 2020-21.

Head coach Porter Moser returns his entire core from a season ago, with just two departures in guards Jalon Pipkins and Bruno Skokna — both who played sparingly last season. In addition to returning all five starters, Moser welcomes back the MVC Sixth Man and Freshmen of the Year in guard Marquise Kennedy (9.2 ppg, 51.4 FG%) as well as 3-star guard Baylor Hebb from Colleyville, Texas.

Key starters for the Ramblers include members of the 2018 Final Four team in guard Lucas Williamson and Center Cameron Krutwig. Now seniors, the pair have contributed to 73 victories in their three previous seasons in Chicago and figure to be the key to the Ramblers’ potential success this coming season.

Krutwig is coming off one of the most impressive seasons of any center in college basketball, as he led Loyola with 15.1 points, 8.1 rebounds, and even 4.2 assists per game. Best showcasing these talents with a triple-double on national television against Vanderbilt.

Other keys to the Ramblers are standout returners in forward Tate Hall and guard Keith Clemons, both of which had outstanding debut seasons in Chicago after arriving from other programs.

Hall quickly transitioned from playing Div. III at the University of Indianapolis to capture Missouri Valley Conference All-Newcomer honors and a place on the MVC Third Team. Leading the Ramblers with 1.81 made 3s per game while also scoring 12.7 points per game, Hall is a skilled scorer who could be key for Loyola come March.

While Clemons, a junior college transfer shook off early season injury trouble to become a solid scorer and floor general for the Ramblers last season, picking up averages of 10.4 points per game and shooting just under 46 percent from the field.

With experience, size, depth, and talented youth, Moser’s team have all the makings of a team capable of a deep run in the NCAA tournament come March.

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