Florida Atlantic vs Loyola Chicago: 2023-24 college basketball game preview, TV schedule
College basketball fans are in for a treat when Florida Atlantic and Loyola Chicago take the floor on Wednesday night in the Barstool Sports Invitational.
TV schedule: Wednesday, November 8, 7:00 pm ET. Barstool TV
Arena: WinTrust Arena in Chicago, Illinois
Last year, one team shocked the world, and that was the Florida Atlantic Owls out of Conference USA. The Owls finished 18–2 in league play. They took home the C-USA Regular Season Championship and C-USA Tournament Championship, punching their ticket to the NCAA tournament for the second time in program history.
When making it to the Field of 68, FAU went on to take down Memphis, Fairleigh Dickinson, Tennessee, and Kansas State to advance to the NCAA Final Four, where they would come up short to the San Diego State Aztecs by one point, missing their opportunity at a National Championship. While the Owls did not finish the job they went out to accomplish, the 2022-23 season will go down as one of the most memorable runs in college basketball for head coach Dusty May and Florida Atlantic.
A year later, the Owls are back with a chip on their shoulder and are looking to replicate their performance from last season. They enter this year as the tenth-best team in the nation after retaining the majority of their roster and entire coaching staff. They also moved up to a mid-major powerhouse, the American Athletic Conference. Two players to watch for FAU will be junior guards Johnell Davis and Alijah Martin, who were named AAC Preseason Players of the Year and each played critical roles in the Owls’ success last year.
The Loyola Chicago Ramblers have won their last 11 season openers and will look to extend that streak against Florida Atlantic. The Ramblers joined the Atlantic 10 last season after nine years as a member of the Missouri Valley Conference. While Loyola Chicago’s adjustment to the A10 did not go as anticipated, finishing in last place in the standings, they will look to bounce back this season with an improved roster. Still, they will be challenged against a talented Owls team in their first game.
The Ramblers will turn to senior forward Philip Alston, graduate guard Braden Norris, and newcomers Patrick Mwamba and Greg Dolan. Last season, Alston averaged 14.6 points, 5.6 rebounds, shot 46.8 percent, and Norris was a solid second option for the Ramblers, averaging 10.9 points and shooting 41.6 percent. Mwamba and Dolan joined the program after several years at the collegiate level and will look to bring their prior experiences and veteran leadership to Drew Valentine‘s squad this season.
Although this matchup may seem one-sided, it may be a closer game than many think. While Florida Atlantic is the clear-cut favorite to win, I don’t see either team running away with a victory. Both teams are well-coached and have pieces that can make a significant impact at any point in the game.
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The main difference is that Loyola Chicago has more veterans but is unproven to succeed; with several new players joining the roster this offseason, FAU has proven to win with this group and has a slight advantage due to its existing chemistry. For that reason, the Owls will be victorious in this one, but don’t be surprised if the Ramblers keep it competitive.
Prediction: Florida Atlantic 78, Loyola Chicago 69