NCAA Basketball: 10 best players from state of Illinois of last decade
By Joey Loose
9. Cameron Krutwig – Loyola-Chicago
Just a 6’9 center from Algonquin, Krutwig arrived at Loyola-Chicago without national fanfare but he sure left the place with a ton of attention. Krutwig was a starter all four seasons and was a major piece of the Rambers’ run to the Final Four during his freshman season.
He averaged double-digit points in each of his four seasons, while also having decent rebounding and assists numbers throughout his career. He scored 17 points in Loyola’s Final Four loss to Michigan and later helped the team to a Sweet Sixteen run during his senior season. As a junior, he had a 22-point, 10-rebound, 10-assists effort in a win over Vanderbilt, and was an important and impactful piece for the Ramblers, who was the MVC’s best team throughout his tenure.
Krutwig was named All-MVC First Team three straight seasons, finishing his career off as the MVC Player of the Year in 2021. He led the conference in field goal percentage in consecutive seasons, while also leading it in rebounds as a junior. Krutwig played a monumental role in the transformation of the Loyola program from a bottom-feeder to a mid-major power across his four seasons, and continues his professional career overseas in Belgium.