Loyola @ #11 Purdue - 11/18/08

Purdue, 78 - Loyola, 46... and Rambler fans everywhere shed a single tear.

"Hope is the worst of evils, for it prolongs the torments of man."

Friedrich Nietzsche uttered those infamous words long ago as an eerie premonition about the state of Loyola Rambler basketball fans in the 21st century.

Loyola was once a proud basketball program.  The Ramblers reached the NIT Finals in both 1939 and 1949.  In the 1962-1963 season, the Ramblers, led by coach George Ireland, took home the national title by winning 60-58 over Cincinnati in the NCAA Tournament.  Loyola returned the following season to the Sweet Sixteen and once again in 1985.

My tenure at Loyola is probably best remembered for the selfish heroics of the miniscule star guard David Bailey, and later the fearsome duo of Blake Schilb and Majak Kou.  Those 3 Ramblers gave hope to a program that hasn't seen any significant success since the mid 1980s.  However, those 3 Ramblers, along with thousands of Ramblers fans/students had their hopes dashed repeatedly.  I was, and continue to be, one of them.

Yet each year, forgetting the disappointment of January and February, we once again let hope rise in us like mercury, thinking, "This is our year," like some sort of idiotic Cubs fan.  Speaking for myself, this season is no different.  The Ramblers return with an experienced team that has faced tough competition year-in and year-out against an increasingly talented Horizon League.  Battle-hardened veterans like JR Blount, Darrin Williams, and Leon Young have seen the ups and downs of the program and have begun to stand out as the unquestioned leaders of the squad.

Blount especially has become a fan favorite by averaging 10 or more points-per-game during his first three seasons at Loyola.  Two games into the season, it appears he's ready to continue that trend in 2008 and 2009.

Loyola opened the season against a relative cupcake in Division II Rockhurst.  Blount showcased his quickness, scoring prowess, and mettle by hitting 12 of 22 from the floor and 17 of 20 from the line for a total of 42 points (tying David Bailey's record for total points at Gentile Center).  However, a weak performance from the bench put a damper on Blount's record night and cast an ominous shadow over the rest of the upcoming season.  Rockhurst took advantage of terrific 3-point shooting to upset the Ramblers 86-79.  Plus, rebound fiend Leon Young suffered a broken hand and will be missing for 4-6 weeks.

Scheduling a Division II team for the season-opener is a double-edged sword.  One one hand, it usually proves to be an easy win and can help build momentum.  On the other, though, a loss can be devastating.  In either case, it tends to set the tone for the season, and judging by Loyola's loss, it's hard to remain optimistic competing in an increasingly difficult Horizon League field.

However last night, the Ramblers, true to form, have gotten our hopes up once again.  In the opening round of the NIT Season Tip-Off, the Ramblers faced a Georgia team that carried a losing record last season but still managed to make it to the big dance by winning the SEC tournament.  The last time Loyola had beaten a current member of the SEC was in 1964 against Kentucky in the NCAA Tournament.

Loyola brought a balanced, efficient offense and a stingy defense to stomp the untested, green Georgia squad 74-53.  Blount didn't put up 42, but he did manage 16 points, 7 assists, 3 rebounds, and 3 steals to lead 4 Loyola scorers in double digits.  Solid, unselfish play from all five starters overwhelmed a weary Georgia team early in the second half and advanced Loyola to the regional finals.

Tonight, Loyola takes on a Purdue squad ranked 11th in the nation in West Lafayette.  Still riding high off the win against Georgia last night, I'm praying to the basketball gods that we don't get completely destroyed by the team predicted to win the Big10.  A loss against Purdue definitely isn't a bad thing.  We've seen that 3 times in the last 4 years.  Losing to a Big10 team, especially a ranked one, isn't going to demoralize the players.  But they can't get blown out.  Loyola beat Purdue in Chicago in 2005.  Granted, this is a very different Purdue team, more similar to the one that shot almost 60% from the floor against the Ramblers last year, but winning is not out of the question.

Loyola upset #15 Butler last season and has proven it has the talent to take down programs that make mistakes, but the Ramblers need flawless play from all five starters and solid defense from the bench to have a shot at this one.

The ability to force turnovers and keep the ball out of E'Twuan Moore, JaJuan Johnson, and Robbie Hummel's hands as much as possible.  Purdue will shoot the ball well and is very adept at forcing turnovers.  Loyola needs to continue last year's efficient, mistake-free offense and force Purdue to foul Blount.  Darrin Williams holds a 25 pound advantage on JaJuan Johnson and could cause problems for the Boilermakers in the post and on the glass.

Loyola is 8-1 in their last 9 games when scoring 70+ points.  But that won't matter tonight.

My prediction: Purdue wins 87-71.  The Boilermakers advance to the semifinals at Madison Square Garden, go on to win the Big10 and earn a spot in the Elite Eight.  Loyola hovers just over .500 in the Horizon League, makes a deep run in the conference tournament, but gets stood up for the big dance despite a winning record and all-conference honors for Blount and Williams.