By Chris Garvin
3/1/2024
LOYOLA GAME NOTES
https://loyolaramblers.com/documents/2024/2/28/2023-24_MBB_Notes_-_Dayton.pdf
CHICAGO – Loyola Chicago is set to host No. 21 Dayton Friday night for an 8 p.m tipoff inside Gentile Arena. The Ramblers and Flyers are tied for second in the Atlantic 10 standings at 12-3 overall. Loyola fell to St. Bonaventure earlier this week, which snapped a seven-game win streak, while Dayton rebounded from a loss at George Mason with a win over Davidson Tuesday.
Friday’s game can we watched on ESPN2 with Mike Corey (PXP) and Dalen Cuff (Analyst) or be listened to on the Rambler Sports Network with Scott Sudikoff (PXP) and Christian Thomas (Analyst).
Quick Hits
• At St. Bonaventure, Philip Alston and Braden Norris led the Ramblers scoring 12 and 10 points, respectively.
• Alston is on a six-game double-figure scoring streak. The stretch kicked off with 14 points at George Mason. He had 10 more at George Washington to complete the road trip. At home, Alston netted another 14 vs. Saint Joseph’s. He followed up with his fourth 20-point performance dropping 21 at Rhode Island. Alston had 10 and 12 in the last two games.
• Loyola assisted on 17 of its 21 made field goals at St. Bonaventure. Norris led with seven, while Des Watson tallied five assists.
• In league play, the Ramblers lead the A-10 averaging 16.53 assists per game. It’s nearly 2.0 more assists per game than UMass in second.
• Norris needs just 15 more assists to record 500 career assists as a Rambler. He will finish his career ranked fourth on the Loyola charts.
• In addition to assists, Norris needs just one more start to be the program’s all-time leader. The sixth-year guard also needs 16 more three-pointers made to be the all-time career leader at 263.
• Over the last five games, Watson has recorded at least five rebounds in each game. Watson matched his season-high nine boards against the Bonnies. He had seven at George Washington and vs. George Mason. The junior guard had eight at home vs. Saint Joseph’s and five at Rhode Island. He is now the team’s leading rebounder with 4.8 per game.
• Head coach Drew Valentine is in his third season at the helm. He holds a 55-37 overall career record.
Scouting Dayton
The Flyers enter the week ranked No. 21 in the AP Top-25 with an overall record of 22-5. They sit at 12-3 in the league standings tied for second with the Ramblers after falling to George Mason last week. Dayton has also fallen to Richmond and VCU who complete the top-four in the A-10.
DaRon Holmes II is a five-time A-10 Player of the Week selection this season. He’s first in scoring at 20.0 points per game, which ranks 32nd in the NCAA. In A-10 play, Holmes has only been held to single-digits one time. He had a season-high 34 points vs. St. Bonaventure, which was the second 30-point performance of the year for him. Holmes also has nine double-doubles, and leads Dayton with 8.0 rebounds per game.
Anthony Grant is in his seventh season leading the Flyers with a 146-69 record at the helm.
Series History
Dayton leads the all-time series, 35-15. The Flyers swept last season’s series, despite an overtime battle on Jan. 31. Philip Alston had 22 points in that meeting.
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