Missouri Valley Basketball Monday: Loyola Chicago keeps coming back

Loyola Chicago playing with fire but has yet to get burned

Loyola is 13-2 and 4-0 in Valley play, but their victories have been anything but ‘walks in the park’. While the Ramblers are off to its best conference start in twenty seasons, they have accomplished that success in a very unconventional way.

LUC has won nine straight games, but the last three have all required the Ramblers to come back from double-digit deficits. All four of their wins since returning from a covid pause have required a significant second-half rally. Valentine’s defensive stoppers seem to go to work when faced with adversity and his star players turn up their offensive production during the closing moments of tight contests.

The championship pedigree and veteran Rambler lineup seem to have all the answers during ‘coin-flip’ games and seem to demoralize their opponents.

During last week’s games, the Ramblers trailed Valparaiso by twelve points and Indiana State by fifteen. The Valpo game saw Loyola win a game in double-overtime where they never had a lead in regulation time. Prior to that, they won an overtime game after overcoming a 16-point, second-half deficit in a game with Bradley.

Lucas Williamson and Braden Norris seem to save their best scoring until the final minutes of each game. Norris scored 14 of his game-high 23 points during the pivotal overtime periods. His seven last-minute points sealed the victory over the Sycamores.

Defense is what sparks these comebacks. During last week’s games, they allowed just 25 second-half points to Valparaiso and 23 to Indiana State.