Loyola Opens A-10 Play vs. VCU

CHICAGO – Loyola Chicago opens Atlantic 10 play at home against VCU Saturday afternoon. The Ramblers and Rams will tip-off on national TV at 1 p.m. CT. Loyola looks to win its 15th straight home contest while VCU looks for its first away win of the season.

Saturday’s game can be watched on CBS Sports Network with Jason Knapp (PXP) and Tim Doyle (Analyst) and can be listened to Rambler Sports Network with Scott Sudikoff (PXP) and Christian Thomas (Analyst).

RAMBLINGS

• Loyola finished it’s non-conference schedule at 9-4 after wrapping up play at the Diamond Head Classic in Honolulu.

• Over the three games in Hawaii, Miles Rubin led the Ramblers with 15.7 points per game on 87 percent from the field.

• Rubin became the fourth Rambler this season with a 20-point performance, scoring 21 points vs. Oakland in the opener. He was 9-of-11 from the field and 3-of-4 at the line. Rubin went 4-of-5 vs. Charleston and 7-of-7 against Murray State.

• Sheldon Edwards Jr. also made an impact, scoring 13.7 points per game at Diamond Head. He shot over 34 percent from three-point range, which included a 6-of-13 game vs. Oakland.

• Edwards Jr. has made at least one three-pointer in every game this season and is averaging 2.9 threes per game, which ranks third in the Atlantic 10. His 37.3 percent from deep sits 24th in the league.

• Against Oakland, Edwards Jr. dropped 20 points for his second straight game with at least 20. He rides a four-game double-figure scoring streak into conference play.

• Jalen Quinn added 11.3 points per game over the three games in Hawaii. He scored 10 in the opener vs. Oakland to go with six rebounds, two assists, two steals, and a block. Quinn followed up with a career-high 17 points vs. Charleston. He was 6-of-7 from the field and 5-of-6 at the line.

• Loyola shot a season-high 62.5 percent against Murray State. The Ramblers made their first 13 baskets of the game before a miss came with 2:15 to play in the half. It’s the second-best single-game field goal percentage recorded by an A-10 team this year.

• Individually, Rubin ranks third in the league, shooting 68.4 percent from the field. Quinn also falls in the top-15 ranked 14th, shooting .513 for Loyola.

• Head coach Drew Valentine is in his fourth season at the helm. He has compiled a 67-43 overall record as head coach.

SCOUTING VCU

VCU posted a 10-3 non-conference record and sit at 10-4 after dropping its A-10 opener at St. Bonaventure by a bucket earlier this week. The Rams opened the year at 4-0 with wins over Bellarmine, Boston College, Merrimack, and Loyola (Md.). VCU holds the best scoring margin in the league at +15 and have the third-best defense, giving up just 62.4 points per game.

Joe Bamisile sits ninth in the league and leads the Rams, scoring 16.7 points per game. He has scored at least 10 in all but one game this season. Bamisile is on a six-game double-figure scoring streak, which includes three games with at least 20 points. He dropped a season-high 25 points vs. Colorado State.

Head coach Ryan Odom is in his second season at the helm with a 34-18 record at VCU.

SERIES HISTORY

VCU leads the all-time series, 2-0. The Rams won last season’s lone meeting, 74-67. Miles Rubin had his first career double-double with 11 points and 11 rebounds.