No. 8 Creighton Overwhelms Rambler Men Taking Holiday Showdown 88-65

The Loyola men’s basketball team was overpowered by an explosive offensive performance by No. 8 Creighton University who defeated the Ramblers 88-65 Nov. 22 in the first round of the Hall of Fame Classic in Kansas City, Missouri.

Third-year guard Des Watson and graduate guard Braden Norris made the biggest impact for Loyola as Watson scored 15 and grabbed six boards while Norris contributed 14 points and five assists. 

The Bluejays were led by stand-out performances from fourth-year center Ryan Kalkbrenner who scored 29 points and fourth-year guard Baylor Scheirman who finished with 24 points and 12 rebounds. 

The Ramblers made the trip to Kansas City after improving to 2-2 with a win over University of New Orleans Nov. 18. Creighton came into play boasting a top 10 national ranking and an undefeated 4-0 record. 

Scheirman exploded out of the gates scoring eight points in the first five minutes to give Creighton an early lead. Loyola stayed competitive and responded with a 7-0 run punctuated by a Watson three and Norris transition lay-up, giving the Ramblers a 12-9 lead just before the first official timeout.

Watson and Norris both hit three pointers, then graduate forward Dame Adelekun scored in the post, putting Loyola up 21-16. Scheirman helped the Bluejays jump right back to a 26-23 lead after he hit a corner three off an inbounds play. 

Watson tied it back up with a three of his own, but Creighton then scored eight unanswered on the backs of threes by Kalkbrenner and Scheirman. Loyola’s big men helped chip away at the 34-26 deficit as Adelekun again worked in the post and first-year center Miles Rubin came up with a huge rejection. 

Kalkbrenner dropped in another three which put the Bluejays up 41-32 with just under four minutes to play in the half. The Ramblers weren’t ready to go away as Watson drained a deep three at the shot clock buzzer. A few possessions later, graduate guard Greg Dolan made it a five point game with a driving layup.

Scheirman ended the Rambler run and sent Creighton to the locker room with a comfortable 45-37 lead after he drilled a three in the corner in the half’s final minute. 

Norris got things going in the second with a fade-away jumper in the paint. On the other end, the Bluejays set the tone for the half when Kalkbrenner grabbed his own rebound and jammed it home. A few plays later, Bluejay redshirt first-year guard Isaac Traudt hit a contested three, quickly putting Creighton up 50-41. 

Loyola’s offense went quiet as the Ramblers scored just two of the game’s next 18 points. 

Norris and Watson got the ball rolling again when Norris found Rubin for a bucket on a lob then hit a well defended three-pointer. Watson created a spark when he intercepted a pass and took it coast to coast for an easy lay-in. He scored down low a few possessions later making it 69-55.

The Ramblers failed to keep up with Creighton, who outscored them in the second half 43-28. Kalkbrenner added five more with a three and hard slam-dunk which extended his team’s 76-55 lead with just over five minutes to play.

Loyola’s offense picked up in the last minutes of the game, getting boosts from second-year guard Jalen Quinn and redshirt second year forward Ben Schweiger, but it was too little too late.

Another couple baskets from Schierman and Kalkbrenner helped the Bluejays glide to an 88-65 victory, earning them a shot at the Hall of Fame Classic championship the next day against Colorado State University. 

Rubin turned in another strong performance coming off the bench with nine points and three blocks. Dolan and Adelekun continued to show their worth as transfers, scoring six and eight points, respectively, while Dolan also picked up four assists.

Head coach Drew Valentine gave credit to Creighton and said the Bluejays showed why they are ranked among the top offensive teams in the country. 

“We showed at times today just how competitive we will be this season,” he said. “I think this group, as we continue to get guys back from injury, stay healthy, and get our newcomers accustomed to playing mistake free, has a high ceiling.”

The Ramblers are back in Gentile Arena Saturday, Dec. 2 where they will take on Harvard University. First-tip is scheduled for 3 p.m. and the game will be broadcast on NBC Sports Chicago+.

Feature Image Courtesy of Bonnie Ryan | Loyola Athletics