Indiana State Sycamores (8-4, 0-0) vs. Loyola Ramblers(7-6, 0-0)
Gentile Center - Chicago, IL
Wednesday, January 2, 2019
9:00 PM EST Tip
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[January 2, 2019] Indiana State (8-4) at Loyola (7-6)
- Thread starter Jason Svoboda
- Start date
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Indiana State Sycamores (8-4, 0-0) vs. Loyola Ramblers(7-6, 0-0)
Gentile Center - Chicago, IL
Wednesday, January 2, 2019
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GoSycamores
The Renn Level
Valley Play Commences Wednesday Night At Loyola
Indiana State Basketball begins the Missouri Valley Conference portion of the schedule on Wednesday, January 2 as they take on Loyola -- a team which advanced to the NCAA Final Four in 2018. Tip-off is set for 9:00 p.m. (ET) from the Gentile Arena, and will be televised on Fox Sports Indiana and Midwest as well as NBC Sports Chicago. The game will also be available on the Fox Sports Go app as well as ESPN+. The game will also be broadcast on WIBQ 97.9 FM as well as streamed (audio) on GoSycamores.com.
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Indiana State Basketball begins the Missouri Valley Conference portion of the schedule on Wednesday, January 2 as they take on Loyola -- a team which advanced to the NCAA Final Four in 2018. Tip-off is set for 9:00 p.m. (ET) from the Gentile Arena, and will be televised on Fox Sports Indiana and Midwest as well as NBC Sports Chicago. The game will also be available on the Fox Sports Go app as well as ESPN+. The game will also be broadcast on WIBQ 97.9 FM as well as streamed (audio) on GoSycamores.com.
More...
This is one of those games that I wouldn't be surprised if we won, but I also wouldn't be surprised if we lose.
Loyola seems to be a team that doesn't know how to score, but plays solid defense. This might sound like common sense, but if we can play good defense, limit our turnovers, and score then we should win. If we don't we still might have a chance depending on which Loyola team shows up. Turnovers might be the key, because you don't want to give teams easy baskets that struggle to score.
I haven't seen them play this year, but I am still leary of them just because they do have 3 starters back from a Final 4 team. I'm not sure why they are struggling on offense so much. I'm also going to assume that they will have a good crowd, which is something else we'll have to overcome.
Prediction: We fall short in a tough game; Loyola 64 ISU 59
Loyola seems to be a team that doesn't know how to score, but plays solid defense. This might sound like common sense, but if we can play good defense, limit our turnovers, and score then we should win. If we don't we still might have a chance depending on which Loyola team shows up. Turnovers might be the key, because you don't want to give teams easy baskets that struggle to score.
I haven't seen them play this year, but I am still leary of them just because they do have 3 starters back from a Final 4 team. I'm not sure why they are struggling on offense so much. I'm also going to assume that they will have a good crowd, which is something else we'll have to overcome.
Prediction: We fall short in a tough game; Loyola 64 ISU 59
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don't forget the game doesn't start until 9pm. Why isn't Indiana on Central time??
https://www.tribstar.com/sports/loc...cle_1e319b45-af9a-5e8b-a4e1-b906d509bd6d.html
https://www.tribstar.com/sports/loc...cle_1e319b45-af9a-5e8b-a4e1-b906d509bd6d.html
Because we don't want it to get dark at 4:30 in the afternoon. I feel bad for anyone that lives in Illinois in the winter time.
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I think we're like 6.5 point dogs which is ridiculous. Obviously these are the types of games you have to go on the road and win. If anyone has any positive momentum heading into the conference it's us and Drake. My gut tells me the Sycamores get beat but I'm not going to trust my gut.
Sycamores 63
Ramble 61
Sycamores 63
Ramble 61
I have three extra tickets to this game, free to anyone who wants them. Send me a private message.
Southgrad07
The Renn Level
I think you have to win at least half of these types of games if you want a shot at winning the conference title. I fully expect Loyola to be in the top half if not battling at the top of the league when its all said and done. You need to go on the road and get 2 of the top 4/5 teams on their home floor and then hold home court against them all. This is a prime opportunity because a very important piece for them (Lucas Williamson) is still out. I think it speaks highly of what most of us think about our team though that the first game of the season is at the defending champs place and we still think it's about a coin flip.
Sycs-64
Ramblers-62
Getting myself up to speed on Loyola, and I'm not impressed. Their best non-con win is...Niagara? Maybe Richmond? Eliminating their exhibition and D2 games, they're 6-6 on the season. They've played probably the second toughest non-con (second to us), but did nothing with it other than losing to all of their decent opponents (and to UIC!!!). They're made up of the same guys you know...Custer, Townes and Krutwig. Those guys are as good as last year, but they don't have the help around them the did before. Basically, they very badly miss Donte Ingram and Ben Richardson, who were two very reliable all-around players.
I don't fear Loyola at all, but starting the conference season on the road is almost always a guaranteed loss...no matter the opponent. In order to win the MVC regular season title we need to hold court at home and find around 4 road wins. I unfortunately don't think this will be one of those. I'm optimistic by our play of late and think we'll compete well tonight, but I just don't like us traveling to start the conference schedule. That's doubly-true after just getting back from a long Hawaii trip. If we manage to steal this first one, I'll be very encouraged.
Loyola 68
Trees 62
I don't fear Loyola at all, but starting the conference season on the road is almost always a guaranteed loss...no matter the opponent. In order to win the MVC regular season title we need to hold court at home and find around 4 road wins. I unfortunately don't think this will be one of those. I'm optimistic by our play of late and think we'll compete well tonight, but I just don't like us traveling to start the conference schedule. That's doubly-true after just getting back from a long Hawaii trip. If we manage to steal this first one, I'll be very encouraged.
Loyola 68
Trees 62
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I think they really started to struggle after Williamson broke his hand. I think he is supposed to be back this month but not sure when.
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Unless Loyola suddenly remembers how to shoot the basketball or we just flat out allow Krutwig to score at will inside I don't see them putting up 68 points. We've got to play really bad defense and they've got to just shoot the ball better than they have all season for that to happen.
I think we've got more scoring threats than they do right now - with JB, Key and Williams followed by some combo of Hughes, Neese, Kessinger and Rickman - we can outscore them.
I absolutely agree...Loyola is not impressive. I only picked 68 points because that's their average for the year so far. But all you have to do is look to their last game against St. Joseph for any proof needed they can't score the basketball right now.
But, even if we were starting on the road at Missouri State or Valpo (or pick whatever team you think get's 10th this year), I'd still be weary of game 1 in the Valley on the road. Home teams dominate in this league, and that's especially true in the first game.
We are better than Loyola right now, and that give me some confidence. Just trying to set realistic expectation in my mind. I like to under-sell and over-deliver.
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I don't see him playing tonight, so that fact remains. They are definitely not the same team without Williamson.
Also, although Krutwig is good he hasn't really taken a step forward this year. He's basically the same player he was last year. Custer and Ingram are the same as well. There hasn't been any progression with their roster at this point in the season.
HA! So I have to feel like that tonight and on Saturday in the opening round of the NFL Playoffs watching the Colts on the road at Houston? I really don't want to have to feel that sort of anxiety twice in once week. I think the only way that the Texans can beat the Colts is for basically the same reason you think the Sycamores will lose tonight.
But yes - tough to win on the road which is why my gut told me to pick against us. But I just can't deny the talent that I think Indiana State has right now. If Greg Lansing can't compete for a conference title with this roster with the way the rest of the Valley has looked so far this year I'm not sure he will ever be able to.
The first game of the season aint a must win by any means - but it will tell me a lot about what I can expect the rest of the way.
I've admittedly not watched them save a few minutes here and there, but maybe Aundre Jackson was a bigger piece than thought? His ability to pull the 4 away from the rim and still shoot almost 60% on the year is a unique skillset that they don't seem to have on the roster.
If we can get the commitment to defense that we showed in the WKU game, they're in trouble as I just spent some time reading their boards and it sounds like nobody can shoot right now.
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I guess I'm guilty as charged. I'm not expecting the Colts to win this week for the same reason, so I'm going in with low expectations and hoping I'll be pleasantly surprised.
And I'm surprising optimistic on the outcome for both of our teams. What has come of the world? Maybe I should be happy with a 50/50 split. In the interest of living in the moment and just being happy with what today brings I'm going to hope for a win by the Sycamores tonight and then worry about Saturday however that plays out.
Southgrad07
The Renn Level
Ingram graduated. To me with watching them a few times and seeing their stats (so take it FWIW) They have fallen to an average team because of Williamson being hurt and most importantly they have not been able to fill the roles of the 3 seniors that departed.
Jackson as Jason pointed out allowed them to be very versatile in how they played, but he was also just a damn good and efficient big. They didn't get the step up season they needed from Christian Negron as a 2nd big and the big true FR they have is still raw. Richardson and Ingram were both good 3 point shooters and defenders. They thought the new mexico transfer Aher Uguak would take Ingrams spot and some even thought he'd be an improvement...He is a physical freak but has been a total brick from the field. Then you have Williamson getting hurt and all of a sudden it's Custer/Krutwig show and not a ton else. Townes is an ok 3rd option but they have gotten little from the rest of the roster so far....Of course the cynical Sycamore fan in me thinks of course they will all break out tonight..But to this point without Williamson our Sycamores are far more talented across the board IMO.
Gotta Hav
The Wade Level
LOL! DST, has absolutely NOTHING to do with CENTRAL TIME. That's Apples and Car Bumpers