MVC Basketball: Ranking of 25 best players from last decade (2013-23)

15. Lucas Williamson

Williamson is a 6’4 guard from Chicago who stayed right at home and became a major piece of the success at Loyola-Chicago. He began his college career in 2017 and played decent minutes during the Ramblers’ run to the Final Four as a freshman. By the end of his five seasons at Loyola, he had become a significant part of the program’s history.

During that aforementioned run, he had 8 points against Kansas State in the Elite Eight but would enter the starting lineup as a sophomore. He’d blossom into a decent offensive option and elite defensive player for the Ramblers. During his senior year, he helped lead Loyola to another MVC Tournament title and a trip to the Sweet Sixteen, scoring 21 points against Georgia Tech in the opening round of the Big Dance. He had his best individual season in his fifth and final year, averaging 13.7 points and 5.0 rebounds and spearheading another MVC title.

Revered for his role in Loyola’s recent success, Williamson was the defensive stalwart for the Ramblers, winning MVC Defensive Player of the Year honors in each of his last two seasons. He was also named First Team All-MVC and the Tournament MVP in that final year, which was certainly his best performance. He had a lot of steals, scored a bunch of points, and was certainly a significant part of both the Final Four run and the complete turnaround for this program, which left the MVC after his departure.