March Madness 2021: Top 10 moments from NCAA Tournament
By Adam Childs
7. Ramblers best team in Illinois
The Illinois Fighting Illini came into the tournament as hot as anyone in the country. They landed a one-seed and were a popular pick to not only make it to the Final Four but to also give Baylor and Gonzaga a run for their money.
On the other side Loyola, Chicago was coming into the tournament thinking they were underseeded and looking to conjure up another magical run like their 2018 Final Four run. They ran through a hot Georgia Tech team in the first round to set up the in-state game.
Illinois was a heavy favorite but the Ramblers played like the better team throughout. Head coach Porter Moser had a brilliant game plan and they executed it to perfection. They slowed Ayo Dosunmu who was averaging over 20 points per game and frustrated Kofi Cockburn down low.
They made life miserable for the Illini while also running their own offense to perfection. Cameron Krutwig, a holdover from the Final Four team, scored 19 points and did basically whatever he wanted on offense to help lead the Ramblers to the upset.
Illinois had grand plans for the tournament, but it turns out they weren’t even the best team in their own state. Loyola, Chicago made sure everyone knew that.
The Rambler’s run would end the next game, but it doesn’t take away from how they played the first weekend and sent them to their second straight Sweet 16 appearance.