Bubble Watch 2021: Loyola inches closer to tourney return
Loyola Chicago made it to the Final Four in 2018. Three years later, the Ramblers are in a position for a return to March Madness.
Loyola Chicago made it to the Final Four in 2018. Three years later, the Ramblers are in a position for a return to March Madness.
— Jayson Kent had 15 points off the bench to lead Bradley to a 67-61 win over Drake on Saturday night.
— Darnell Brodie had a season-high 21 points as Drake defeated Bradley 80-71 on Friday night.
— Joseph Yesufu had a career-high 36 points as Drake topped Evansville 74-63 on Monday night.
Drake point guard Roman Penn will miss the rest of the season with an injury to his left foot that requries surgery.
— Joseph Yesufu had a career-high 32 points as Drake beat Evansville 85-71 on Sunday.
— Aher Uguak scored 20 points while leading No. 22 Loyola Chicago to an 81-54 win over Missouri Valley Conference rival Drake on Saturday.
Gonzaga and Baylor remain perched atop the AP Top 25 poll, while Oklahoma vaulted from No. 24 to No. 9 after three straight wins against top-10 teams.
Oklahoma beat Texas in a thriller and defeated a red-hot Alabama team to rocket up the Power Rankings.
An active night in college basketball has prompted a number of pressing questions.
From Baylor to Winthrop, there are more undefeated teams than usual for this time of year. They'll probably all lose at some point. But when?
Seth Greenberg and Dan Dakich tip off the podcast with NCAA SVP of Basketball Dan Gavitt to discuss Indianapolis hosting the entire NCAA Tournament, the living and practice set-up for teams, family’s being allowed to attend, and the difference between a controlled environment and a bubble. Then, the guys get into their thoughts on a very down ACC, the top-four conferences, Drake’s 13-0 start and if it makes sense to play conference tournaments. Later, Texas head coach Shaka Smart stops by to talk about leaving the Bald Brotherhood, Jericho Sims as the unsung hero of his team, beating Kansas by a bunch at Phog Allen, the bench generating energy without fans and throwing pig guts in the locker room to send a message to his players.
— Shanquan Hemphill had 19 points and seven rebounds as Drake stretched its season-opening winning streak to nine games, romping past North Dakota 88-55 on Tuesday night.
— D.J. Wilkins scored a career-high 23 points on 7-of-11 shooting from 3-point range and Drake rolled past Air Force 81-53 on Sunday.
— D.J. Wilkins had 19 points to lead five Drake players in double figures as the Bulldogs routed Nebraska Omaha 87-66 on Thursday night.
— Joseph Yesufu had 14 points off the bench to lead Drake to a 69-53 win over South Dakota on Friday in the Little Apple Classic
Kansas State will open the season by hosting the inaugural Little Apple Classic, a four-team event also featuring Colorado, Drake and South Dakota State.
TEAM | CONF | GB | OVR |
---|---|---|---|
Loyola Chicago | 16-2 | - | 21-4 |
Drake | 15-3 | 1 | 24-3 |
Missouri State | 12-6 | 4 | 16-6 |
Indiana State | 11-7 | 5 | 14-9 |
Evansville | 7-11 | 9 | 9-15 |
Northern Iowa | 7-11 | 9 | 9-15 |
Valparaiso | 7-11 | 9 | 10-17 |
Bradley | 6-12 | 10 | 12-15 |
Southern Illinois | 5-13 | 11 | 11-13 |
Illinois State | 4-14 | 12 | 7-17 |
Final Fours | 1 |
Tournament Record | 5-4 |
Championship Seasons | None |
Tournament Appearances | 4 |