Loyola Chicago Basketball: Ramblers offense falls flat in loss to Ohio State

Hopes of a deep run come to an end for Loyola-Chicago Basketball as they fall to the Ohio State Buckeyes in the Round of 32.

Loyola Chicago Basketball’s offense took the wrong day to misfire. The Ramblers’ season ends with a 54-41 loss to Ohio State. LUC (25-8) never got the offensive part of their attack in gear. They made just .268 from the floor and .300 from the free-throw line.

While the Loyola defense was outstanding, they struggled to slow down Buckeye all-American E.J. Liddell. The 6’7 forward scored 16 points, grabbed ten rebounds, and blocked three Rambler shots. Eight of his points came from the charity stripe.

Freshman Malaki Branham (14 points) was the only other Buckeye to reach double figures as LUC harassed OSU into a one for fifteen shooting night from long distance.

The Ramblers defended with a passion, but couldn’t get their shots to fall.

Missouri Valley Conference all-league guard Lucas Williamson made just one of ten field goal attempts and one of six from the free throw line. The rest of his game was fine. He grabbed five rebounds, handed out six assists, and accumulated three steals. He just couldn’t shoot.

That was a common theme in Friday’s season-ending loss.

Loyola is a team that expects to play multiple March Madness games, but like many other tournament teams, their season came to a sudden end.

Head coach Drew Valentine says Friday’s loss doesn’t define what Williamson and his veteran teammates have meant to Loyola Chicago basketball.

"“I don’t want this game to define our season,” said Valentine. “I don’t want this game to define a lot of these guys’ career that have been part of our program that are now going to be obviously not playing college basketball anymore. Because where this program has been, where this program has come, and obviously it started with Coach Moser and his coaches, all the former players. But these guys have been the latest edition of the players that have helped elevate this program.”"

Graduation departures will be significant. Three starters, Williamson, Tate Hall and Aher Uguak will definitely be gone next season. Bench contributor Keith Clemons has exhausted his eligibility too and LUC is unsure about the status of Ivy League transfers Chris Knight and  Ryan Schwieger.

Valentine says he and his coaching staff have to help current players continue to improve and need to hit the ‘transfer portal’ to restock the graduation diminished roster.

"“We gotta get the right guys,” said Valentine. “We have to obviously continue with the culture piece off the court, on the court, the vibe, and then we gotta continue to get our guys better.”"

Loyola’s offense wasn’t good on Friday, but the LUC program will be working aggressively to make the NCAA Tournament a normal rite of spring.