By Jeysla Gonzalez
4 1 2025
Loyola, Chattanooga To Play in NIT Semifinals
LOYOLA GAME NOTES
https://loyolaramblers.com/documents/2025/3/28/37_-_Chattanooga.pdf
CHICAGO – Loyola Chicago is headed back to the NIT Semifinals for the first time since 1962 after beating Kent State last week, 72-62. The Ramblers will take on the Chattanooga Mocs who were the SoCon regular season champions. Tip-off is set for 8:30 p.m. CT April 1 at Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.
Tuesday’s game can be watched on ESPN2 with Mike Corey (PXP) and Fran Fraschilla (Analyst). The game can also be listened to Rambler Sports Network with Scott Sudikoff (PXP) and Christian Thomas (Analyst).
RAMBLINGS
• Loyola’s win over Kent State marked with No. 17 at Gentile Arena this season. It is the most home wins in a single season for the Ramblers. Loyola had 16 back in the 1965-66 season, and this is the first season above 15 since then.
• Miles Rubin led Loyola with 18 points and nine boards in the win. He was 8-9 from the field, bumping his season field goal percentage to 70.4 percent on the year.
• Rubin added two blocks in the game, moving his season total to 84. He broke the single-season record with his 77th of the year, which he set in his freshman campaign with 76 in 2023-24.
• Rubin is in national rankings. He sits sixth in total blocks (84), ninth in block percentage (11.8), and 13th in blocks per game (2.3).
• Jayden Dawson (13) and Sheldon Edwards Jr. (12) added double-digit efforts with 13 and 12 points, respectively. Jalen DeLoach added a career-high four blocks.
• The Ramblers assisted on 20 of their 27 made field goals. Edwards Jr. dished out five, while Des Watson added four, including a no-looker, behind the back dime to DeLoach that landed on Sports Center Top-10.
• Loyola handed San Francisco its first loss on its home court last week in the second round match-up, 77-76. The Ramblers were led by Dawson who exploded for a 35-point career-high performance.
• This marked Dawson’s sixth game with at least 20 points this season and first ever career game eclipsing 30. He’s the first Rambler since the 2018-19 season to score 30+.
• Watson added 12 points, six rebounds, and three assists. He was the only other Rambler to hit double-figures.
• Edwards Jr. neared a double-double with seven points and eight rebounds, while Rubin added six points, six boards, and three blocks.
• Unlike the first time around vs the Dons, Loyola had success at the line, shooting 22-24. The 91.7 percent outing was their best finish at the charity stripe this season.
• Loyola also committed the fewest turnovers under head coach Drew Valentine with four. The previous low was five vs. Rhode Island back in January.
• Head coach Drew Valentine is in his fourth season at the helm. He has compiled a 83-50 overall record as head coach.
SCOUTING CHATTANOOGA
Chattanooga enters the semifinal at 27-9 overall, picking up wins over Middle Tennessee State, Dayton, and Bradley. The Mocs went 15-3 in the Southern Conference, winning the regular season title. Furman upset Chattanooga in the conference semifinal, 80-77. The Mocs rank seventh in th NCAA in assist to turnover ratio (1.67) and fall in the NCAA top-30 in assists per game (17.0), effective field goal percentage (.564), and field goal percentage (.481).
Helping the team to its 1.67 assist to turnover ratio is Garrison Keeslar. He leads the country at 5.40. He’s averaging 4.5 assists per game. Honor Huff leads the Mocs in scoring, averaging 15.3 points per game. He’s scored double-figures in 14 of the last 15 games, including six games with 20+. Huff had 26 against Dayton and 21 at Bradley.
Dan Earl is in his third season leadings the Mocs. He has a 66-38 record with the team.
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Men’s Basketball Meets Loyola Chicago in NIT Semifinal on Tuesday Night
CHATTANOOGA GAME NOTES
https://gomocs.com/documents/2025/3/27/37-NIT_Semifinal_Notes.pdf
CHATTANOOGA (March 31, 2025) — For the first time in program history, the Chattanooga Mocs men’s basketball team is geared up for an NIT Semifinal appearance as the squad meets Loyola Chicago inside famed Hinkle Fieldhouse late Tuesday night in Indianapolis, Indiana.
Tip-off for the semifinal contest is set for 9:30 p.m. ET and will be televised nationally on ESPN2. The first semifinal game between UC Irvine and North Texas is slated for a 7 p.m. ET start on ESPN.
Chattanooga (27-9) is making its first-ever appearance in the NIT Final Four as the program continues its longest postseason run in the team’s long and rich history. The Mocs, who are unseeded, defeated (4) MTSU, (1) Dayton and (3) Bradley during the current run to notch its spot inside famed Hinkle Fieldhouse.
After falling in the A10 semifinals to top-seeded and eventual champion VCU, Loyola Chicago (25-11) has earned a pair of West coast victories at (4) San Jose State and (1) San Francisco before clinching its spot among the final four with a home win over Kent State last Wednesday. The Ramblers famously made a run to the NCAA Final Four back in 2018.
Full game details and notes are below.
2025 NIT – Semifinals (Final Four)
Chattanooga (27-9) vs. Loyola Chicago (25-11)
Date: Tues., April 1 ∙ Time: 9:30 p.m.
Site: Indianapolis, Ind. (Hinkle Fieldhouse)
TV: ESPN2/ESPN+ ∙ Radio: Mocs Sports Network (WFLI)
Follow: Live Stats ∙ @GoMocsMBB on X/Twitter
Game Notes: Chattanooga ∙ Loyola Chicago
NIT Info/Brackets
Complete 2025 NIT information including brackets are located HERE. The winner of Chattanooga/Loyola will face the winner of UC Irvine/North Texas on Thursday, April 3 in the NIT Championship at Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Ind.
Chattanooga’s NIT History
NIT Appearance: 5th (first since four-straight from 1984-87)
NIT Record: 6-4 (.600)
Best NIT Finish/Run: 2025 semifinals… previously 1985 quarterfinals.
All-Time Series vs. Loyola Chicago
Previous Meetings: 2
Last Meeting: Loyola Chicago 61, at UTC 59 (12/18/89)
Record: 0-2 (.000)
Record in Chicago: 0-1 (.000)
Record in Chattanooga: 0-1 (.000)
Neutral: 0-0 (.000)
Story Lines/Notes
CHATTANOOGA PUNCHES TICKET TO NIT SEMIS FOR FIRST TIME
∙ Chattanooga (27-9) advanced to the NIT Semifinals for the first time in program history after rallying for a 67-65 comeback victory on the road at No. 3 Bradley on Tuesday night inside a rowdy Carver Arena in Peoria, Illinois.
∙ The Mocs erased a 16-point deficit (38-22, 1H 2:15) with a dominant second half… UTC held Bradley to just 27 second-half points (42-27) after trailing 38-25 at half.
CHATTANOOGA NIT HISTORY RUNS DEEP
∙ Chattanooga is making its fifth NIT appearance in program history after four-straight berths from 1984-87… now 6-4 (.600) all-time in the NIT after Tuesday’s win… the current run to the semis topped the program’s deepest run (1985 QF).
TUESDAY’S ROAD WIN EXTENDS HISTORIC STREAK
∙ The Mocs have won 10-straight true road games after Tuesday’s win at Bradley… longest road win streak in program history… ties Houston (10) for 2024-25’s longest active streak… Houston (W14) leads in total road win streak… UTC second (W10).
∙ Chattanooga went 12-5 on the road… win total ties 2021-22 for UTC single-season record… now 47-29 (.618) in road games since 2020… most wins in DI over that span.
RECORD-BREAKING SEASON CONTINUES
∙ During the historic 2024-25 season, UTC has set new single-season program marks in multiple categories including: GMS (37); PTS (2,865); ASTS (611); FGM (1,012); FT% (77.0); TO/G (10.1); A/TO ratio (1.67).
APRIL BASKETBALL? SURE THING
∙ Chattanooga will play in the month of April for the first time in program history… latest date before Tuesday’s (3/25) win at Bradley was 3/24/1985.
∙ The Mocs are the only current SoCon member to play in April in an NCAA-sanctioned event (Samford, 4/1/14, CIT Semis)… first SoCon school since N.C. State in 1947 to reach NIT Semifinal stage.
DAN EARL(Y) SUCCESS AMONG THE BEST
∙ Dan Earl earned win No. 66 at UTC in his third season… most by a UTC HC in first three seasons (DI era)… prev. Mack McCarthy (62, 1985-88)
∙ Earl is the first UTC head coach since McCarthy to reach 60 wins in first three seasons… just the third to reach 60+ wins in first three seasons (DI era).
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