Men's basketball returns to solo exhibition on Tuesday

CHICAGO – Loyola Chicago returns to action against Calumet St. Joseph on Tuesday night. Kickoff at Gentile Arena is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. CT. It is the Ramblers' only exhibition game this season before opening 2024-25 home action on Nov. 4 against Chicago State.

GAMBLING

• Loyola Chicago clinched a share of the Atlantic 10 regular-season title last year and a share of the 2023-24 NIT appearance.
• The Ramblers posted an overall record of 23-10, which was the fourth-most win improvement (+12) in the NCAA last year.
• Loyola was ranked fifth in the A-10 preseason poll in early October Of Watson And Miles Ruby bring home individual honors. Watson was named first team while Rubin was named third team and All-Defensive.
• Watson was a second-team honoree and named to the NABC All-District Second Team last season. He started all 33 games for the Ramblers last season and led Loyola with 12.6 points per game and 40.7 percent from the field. Watson was efficient from three-point range, shooting 38.6 percent from beyond the arc. He added 4.9 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 0.9 steals per game.
• Rubin's preseason honor comes after All-Rookie and All-Defensive honors last year. He also received Loyola's only weekly “Rookie of the Week” award on March 11.
• The Chicago native broke a 40-year-old record with 76 blocks in a single season and helped the Ramblers also break a four-decade-old team blocks record. He led the country in blocked shot percentage (14.1 percent). Rubin blocked six shots against La Salle (March 9), the most of his career.
• Loyola added eight new players to its roster in the offseason. Head coach Drew Valentine accepted four transfers and signed four newcomers.
• New at Loyola are transfers Jalen DeLoach, Justin Moore, Kymany HouinsouAnd Francis Nwaokorie. The freshman class consists of Daniil Glazkov, Seifeldin Hendawy, Jack TurnerAnd Brayden Young.
• Valentine enters his fourth season as director. As a head coach, he compiled an overall record of 58-39.

NEXT

Loyola hosts Chicago State for its 2024-25 opener on Nov. 4. It is part of a doubleheader with Loyola women's basketball and will begin after the women's game at 7:30 p.m.