Loyola Chicago Basketball: 3 keys for Round of 64 matchup vs Ohio State
Production from Ramblers frontcourt
Ohio State is taller and more muscular than the Ramblers. Liddell, Young, and Key are all 6’7 or better and tip the scales at 225 or more. While LUC is a physical team their center position is a three-man rotation.
Senior transfer Chris Knight has taken over the starting spot, but the Rambler post position is actually a three-headed monster. Knight dives to the rim and is effective in Loyola’s pick and roll game and has started the last 13 games.
Knight is 6’7 and 6’10 sophomore Jacob Hutson has started 19 games. Hutson is a muscular 240 pounds but isn’t as quick as Knight.
Fellow-sophomore Tom Welch is the 6’8, 215 pounds, third head of the three-headed monster. The three post players combine to score 16.4 points and 7.8 rebounds and 4.7 FOULS per game. They wear down opposing post players, not just with fresh legs and physical play, but three different styles.
Hutson is adept at passing the ball out of the post, Knight excels at tip-ins and put-backs and Welch is unique ‘energy’ guy.
Loyola revels in the NCAA Tournament ‘underdog’ role and they find themselves in that spot again. They will not be intimidated and the stage is not too big for this veteran squad. Williamson, Uguak, Hall, and Keith Clemons are all ‘super seniors’ that returned to Loyola to ‘run-it-back’. They’ve won the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament, but expect to compete deep into March and play their old familiar role.
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If they can minimize Liddell’s effectiveness, continue to drill threes, and get their post players performing at a high level, they can look forward to a second-round game on Sunday.