Men’s Basketball Season Ends In NIT Semifinals

The Loyola men’s basketball team’s season came to an end April 1 in Indianapolis at the historic Hinkle Fieldhouse, as the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga defeated the Ramblers 80-73. The Mocs advance to the championship round of the tournament to take on No. 1 seed the University of California Irvine. 

Prior to the game, Sister Jean Dolores Schmidt, BVM shared a message with The Phoenix for students in which she offered support and guidance. 

“Dear Ramblers,” Schmidt wrote. “I’m with you in prayer and spirit. The game on Tuesday night is late, so study early. I’ve been watching the team play from home and sending prayers to the players. Thank you to all for your care and concern. Amen and GO RAMBLERS.”

Fourth-year guard Des Watson — in his final year at Loyola — said he’ll remember the team for what they’ve built both on and off the court. 

“The family, the culture that we’ve built as players within each other,” Watson said. “Just like us as players and us coming together. Like I said the other day, just being humans and being able to create actual relationships, I think that’s what I’ll miss the most.” 

Third-year guard Jayden Dawson led the Ramblers with 19 points, while fourth-year Chattanooga guard Trey Bonham tallied a game high of 23. 

After Loyola came up short on their opening offensive possession, fourth-year Chattanooga guard Trey Bonham scored the first points of the game with a jumper, which was matched by second-year center Miles Rubin on the Ramblers’ next possession. Bonham and fourth-year guard Des Watson traded layups to keep it even at four. 

A jumper by Mocs’ graduate guard Bash Weiland was negated with a three-point play by third-year guard Jalen Quinn, giving Loyola their first lead at 7-6. 

Third-year guard Jayden Dawson hit a three before Weiland made a jumper and Bonham drained a 3-pointer, giving the Mocs the lead back at 11-10. 

Dawson and graduate guard Sheldon Edwards Jr. splashed back-to-back threes while Rubin sent back a block as the Ramblers pulled ahead 16-11. 

A layup by Weiland and a three by third-year guard Honor Huff tied the game at 16, but a three-point play by fourth-year forward Francis Nwaokorie took back the Ramblers’ lead. Loyola’s advantage could’ve increased as Watson made a jumper, but it was called off due to Watson committing an offensive foul on his drive toward the net.

Huff tied the game at 19 with a three, and Bonham took the lead back for Chattanooga with a layup, which Rubin canceled out with a layup of his own. After a jumper by Moc second-year guard and forward Sean Cusano, Dawson completed a three-point play to put the Ramblers ahead by one. 

Rubin and Bonham traded layups before Dawson drained a 3-pointer. Chattanooga’s fourth-year guard and forward Garrison Keeslar stole the ball during a Loyola possession and found Bonham, who scored a layup to cut into the 29-27 Rambler lead.

A Rubin jumper and a three-point play by fourth-year forward Jalen DeLoach extended the lead by seven points, with Edwards Jr. adding two more at the line. The advantage was whittled to a narrow 36-34 after a 3-pointer by fourth-year Mocs guard Jack Kostel and a layup by redshirt third-year forward Makai Richards.

DeLoach ended the half with a successful trip at the line, sending the teams into the locker rooms with the Ramblers ahead 38-34. 

Wieland opened scoring in the second half with a jumper, which was negated by a Rubin dunk. Another layup by Weiland and a three from redshirt first-year forward Collin Mulholland gave Chattanooga the 41-40 lead. 

Rubin finished a layup before being met with one by first-year Mocs forward Latif Diouf and a jumper by Wieland. 

Dawson and DeLoach added five points with a three and jumper before Keeslar and Huff recreated the same actions to neutralize the Ramblers’ gain. 

Watson made two at the line before Richards and Dawson traded jumpers. Dawson added another three to the board before Chattanooga followed with two consecutive buckets from Richards and Cusano — and an extra point by Cusano — for a 62-54 lead. 

A three-point play by DeLoach was matched with a Bonham 3-pointer and a layup by Mulholland before Nwaokorie drained a three. DeLoach completed another three-point play to bring it to 67-63. 

Mulholland made one at the line while Dawson made two of his three attempts. Keeslar converted in the midst of a one-and-one opportunity to put the Mocs ahead 70-65. 

Cusano had a successful trip to the line before Rubin rose up for a tip in to make it a two-point game. A Rubin block on the next possession was called goaltending to give the Mocs a 74-70 lead. 

A clutch three-pointer by Watson made it a one-point game, but, on the next possession, a missed layup by Bonham was ruled for goaltending. It was called back after review, preserving the one-point gap. 

With just over a minute left in the game, the Ramblers began to falter, as Watson and Dawsonmissed crucial shots while Huff hit a tightly contested three over Rubin for a 77-73 lead.

Quinn fouled to extend the game, fouling out in the process, allowing Keeslar to add a lone point from the free-throw line to bring the Mocs’ lead to five with 15 seconds remaining. 

A three-point heave from Dawson bounced off the backboard, with the defensive rebound making its way to Bonham, who finished an authoritative dunk to start the early 80-73 victory celebration for Chattanooga. 

Head coach Drew Valentine said he’ll miss coaching this season’s team and is glad the team could leave their mark on the Loyola basketball program, despite challenges they faced earlier in the season. 

“I think everybody kind of thought that we were dead in the water, we weren’t gonna end up being the team that we were this year,” Valentine said. “For us to have 25 wins — third most in program history — just shows why I recruit the way I do.”