Through eight games in Atlantic 10 play, some could say The Loyola Ramblers have had God on their side.
Not only was their esteemed chaplain, Sister Jean, in attendance on Tuesday night, but so were a mass of priests for Loyola’s annual Jesuit Jam.
They watched on as the Ramblers (14-7, 6-2 A10) defeated the Saint Louis Billikens (8-13, 1-7 A10) by a score of 77 to 62 at Gentile Arena.
The Billikens put the Ramblers in a hole early and took advantage of their mistakes to go in front by nine with 8:19 remaining in the first half.
Last year’s Ramblers might have seen that score and simply counted themselves out, but junior guard Des Watson said that team continued to stay together as the game went on.
“Some calls didn’t go our way, the ball might not have dropped our way, but we just gotta stay solid,” he said. “I feel like we’ve faced adversity all season in many different ways, and it was just another way we faced it.”
Slowly but surely, they rode the back of their strong defense – a unit that is near the top 50 as of tonight’s KenPom rankings in terms of defensive efficiency.
Quick transition three-pointers from graduate guard Greg Dolan and senior guard Sheldon Edwards, Jr. followed, pushing the Ramblers back in front in the blink of an eye.
Now, some Loyola fans might be reading the words “Sheldon Edwards” and be shocked. The sharpshooter from West Palm Beach has played sparingly.
He rose to the occasion and made his first start of the season in place of sophomore guard Jayden Dawson, who was seen in an ankle boot and street clothes during the pregame shoot-around.
Head coach Drew Valentine said Edwards had played the best out of the three players he’s used experimentally over the last few games: sophomore swingman Ben Schwieger and redshirt freshman guard Trey Lewis, who have all seen a brief usage in the rotation at one point or another.
Edwards hit one of his two three-point attempts, grabbed three boards and two helpers in nine minutes of play.
Valentine added that Dawson “rolled his ankle” yesterday and did not provide a timetable for his return.
Loyola’s one-point lead at 5:01 in the first half continued to balloon until the clock hit double-zero at the end of the game. The Billikens were stymied by Loyola’s suffocating two-point defense, shooting 10/29 inside the arc in the second frame.
Valentine said the team played “too soft” in the first half but was pleased with the halftime adjustments and overall team progression.
“There were just a lot of improvements against SLU this time around and our guys were ready for the moment,” he said.
This loss marks a fifth straight for Travis Ford’s squad, who remain in the basement of the Atlantic 10. His seat continues to get hotter and a future at West Pine Boulevard continues to become more uncertain with every passing game.
Watson led all scorers with 20 points – 12 of which came in the second half. His next test might be the most interesting of the season when the Davidson Wildcats (12-8, 2-5 A10) come to Rogers Park on Sunday afternoon.
When asked about playing against his former team, he said that he and the team are ready, but he has an “extra chip on his shirt.”
Tip-off is at noon and will be broadcast on CBS Sports Network.
