2026-2027 men’s basketball season preview: Can Loyola rebuild after bottom-place finish?

The Loyola men’s basketball team will launch into the 2026-2027 season Nov. 2 with a home game against The Citadel, marking their fifth season in the Atlantic 10 (A10) conference. 

After a dismal 9-24 season, the Ramblers defeated the University of Richmond in the first round of the A10 tournament. The team then fell in the second round to Davidson College, ending their postseason run. 

A preseason poll published by Busting Brackets put Loyola eighth out of the 14 teams in the A10. Many stars for the Ramblers have either graduated — like guards Kyamany Houinsou and Caleb Reese — or took the chance to enter the transfer portal, like center Miles Rubin, who left for the University of Tennessee Knoxville, or guards Justin Moore and Deywilk Tavarez, who both ended up at Hofstra University. 

With an almost entirely new roster, as well as three returning veterans, Loyola is striving for a stronger season this year. 

The new additions

Third-year guard Dayan Nassah transferred to Loyola from Cleveland State University. During his year at Cleveland, Nassah appeared in 27 games, averaging 15.4 points and 2.4 assists per game.

Nassah, originally from Geneva, Switzerland transferred to Cleveland from A10 opponent George Washington, where he appeared in 21 games. 

Jason Schofield comes to Loyola from Marist University as a fourth-year center. In his two seasons at Marist, Schofield played 54 games, shooting over 54% from the field. The Poughkeepsie, N.Y. native has recorded 10 double-figure efforts, eight of which were during his first-year.

Fourth-year guard Guillaume Grotzinger hails from Dessenheim, France, where he played for Champagne in the France-ELITE 2 League in the 2025-26 season. He appeared in 32 games and averaged 14.5 points per game, shooting 52.9% from the field. 

Sterling Knox, a fourth-year guard, comes to Loyola after playing two seasons at Independence Community College and a year at Creighton University. The Las Vegas native averaged 15.7 points per game and shot 53.8% from the field. He totaled 140 rebounds last season and dropped double figures 20 times throughout the season. 

Third-year guard Dayton Williams, from Louisville, Ky., comes to Loyola from Vincennes University. He touts 26 double figure performances and an average of 48.9% from the field. 

Brooklyn, New York native Chris Jeffrey, a second-year guard, makes the trip to Chicago from Villanova University. He appeared in 22 games, where he averaged three points over eight minutes of action. 

Eddie Ricks III is a fourth-year forward from Clarksville, Tenn., who spent a year at Morehead State University before moving to James Madison University, ending at Loyola. Last season, he made 20 starts over 32 appearances and averaged 7.1 points per game. 

Fourth-year forward Elias Rapique journeys from Berlin, Germany, spending the last three seasons at Kansas State University, where he made 12 starts in 20 game appearances. He averaged 46% from the field and 40% from the three-point line. 

The sole first-year on the team, Ryan Kreager, is a guard from Faribault, Minn. He was a four year letter winner at Faribault Senior High School and was a three-star recruit, according to 247Sports. Across his four years, he played in 69 games, totaling 793 points, 579 rebounds and 132 blocks. Kreager was a unanimous Big Nine All-Conference selection. 

Fifth-year guard Donald Hand Jr. comes to Loyola from Boston College, where he played four full seasons. The Virginia Beach, Va. native started in 57 games and averaged 14.2 points per game. 

Originally from Coppell, Texas, fifth-year guard Ryan Agarwal played four seasons at Stanford University before coming to Loyola. Over 60 appearances and 48 starts, Agarwal averaged 7.3 points and 4.9 rebounds per game. He was a two-time ACC All-Academic Team selection. 

Third-year center Malick Diallo comes to Loyola from Texas Christian University, and is originally from Bamako, Mali. In his 29 game appearances, Diallo averaged 2.7 rebounds per game over 10.9 minutes as a first-year. 

Diallo made his first career start in TCU’s season opener last year before suffering a season-ending knee injury. In 2022, Diallo played for Mali at the FIBA U18 African Championship. 

Aidan Wing is a third-year forward from Kansas City, Kan., where he attended Johnson County Community College. 

Returning after a year at University of Kansas is fifth-year guard Jayden Dawson, an Omaha, Neb. native. After suffering an injury last season, Dawson has been granted temporary eligibility for the year and is practicing with the Ramblers. 

At Kansas, Dawson played 24 games, averaging 9.6 minutes and 2.1 points per game. He was named to the 2026 Academic All-Big 12. 

The previous year, Dawson started in 32 games for Loyola and averaged 13.9 points per game, dropping a career-high of 35 points against San Francisco March 23. 

Games to look out for

The men’s basketball team starts preseason with an exhibition match against Red Line Rivals DePaul University Oct. 18 at Gentile Arena. The rivals played last year at Wintrust Arena, where Loyola lost 92-90 in overtime. 

Loyola opens their regular season Nov. 3 at home against The Citadel, following with another home game against West Georgia University Nov. 5. 

The Ramblers start road games against Air Force Nov. 11 and finish their home-and-home series with Colorado State University in Fort Collins, Colo. Nov. 14. 

The week of Thanksgiving, Loyola will travel to Palm Springs, Calif. to play in the Acrisure Series, facing off against San Jose State University and either Seattle University or University of California San Diego. 

Over winter break, the Ramblers compete in the Texas Legends College Classic in Frisco, Texas, facing off against Florida Atlantic University and the University of Nevada. 

The Ramblers begin A10 basketball play in Gentile Arena against George Washington Dec. 30. 

The A10 men’s basketball conference tournament will be held at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York March 10-14, 2027. 

Atlantic 10 opponents

After last year’s season, Saint Louis University secured the top spot in the A10 standings, with a 15-3 conference record. The Billikens enter this season without one of their key players, Robbie Avilla, who dominated Loyola with 12 points and six rebounds in the teams’ second conference matchup March 4. 

Saint Louis retains third-year guards Amari McCottry and Trey Green, who both average 10 points per game and move up to key players in the Billikens’ offense.  

Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) slots into second place after tying the record of 15-3 in conference. The Rams return to the court without Terrence Hill Jr., who transferred to the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. Hill Jr. put up an impressive 24 points against the Ramblers in their matchup Jan. 30.

The Rams gained transfer third-year forward Torey Alston from Middle Tennessee State University, where he averaged 13.1 points and 7.9 rebounds per game. 

Saint Joseph’s University took the third spot last year, going 13-5 in conference and two wins over Loyola Jan. 27 and Feb. 21. One of the Hawks’ key players, Derek Simpson, graduated after averaging 13.8 points per game and leading the A10 in assists per game with 5.2. 

The Hawks still maintain third-year guard Jaiden Glover-Toscano, who led the team in scoring last year with 15.8 points per game. He logged 15 points and five rebounds against the Ramblers in Gentile Jan. 27. 

The University of Dayton Flyers marked the fourth spot with a conference record of 12-6. The Flyers have gained a transfer from A10 opponent George Mason University — graduate forward Jalen Haynes. At George Mason, Haynes averaged 14.1 points and 6.9 rebounds per game. 

Key player De’Shayne Montgomery left the Flyers to play at the University of Louisville after putting up 20 points against Loyola in a 70-68 Flyers victory Jan. 3 and a season high of seven steals in the same game. 

Next in the standings was George Mason with a record of 11-7 in conference. Key player Kory Mincy transferred to the College of Charleston after dropping 11 points and three rebounds against Loyola in their one conference match up Jan. 13. 

The Patriots keep fourth-year forward Elijah Jones, who ranked second on the team in scoring with 13.1 points per game and was named an All-Conference USA Honorable Mention. George Mason also retains second-year forward Emmanuel Kanga, who touted four rebounds and two assists against Loyola Jan. 13. 

The sixth spot in the A10 standings went to Davidson College, who ended 10-8 in conference play. The Wildcats found a key loss in Roberts Blums, who dropped 15 points on Loyola Jan. 7. Blums transferred to play at Pennsylvania State University. 

The Wildcats gained redshirt second-year guard Nick Janowski from the University of St. Thomas, where he averaged 16.1 points per game and was named 2026 Summit League Freshman of the Year and to the First Team All-Summit League. 

Duquesne University landed in the seventh spot in the standings, breaking even at nine wins and nine losses in conference. The loss of Tarence Guinyard and Jimmie Williams will hit the Dukes, but fourth-year guard Josh Smith, a transfer from University of West Georgia, will bolster Duquesne’s roster. 

Smith owns a scoring average of 11.1 points per game and a career 72.6% at the free-throw line. 

Fordham University ended in eighth place, with a record of 8-10 in conference. The Rams suffered the graduation of Dejour Reaves, who put up 24 points and seven rebounds against Loyola Feb. 18. 

The Rams gained third-year guard Amir Lindsey, who transferred to Fordham from the University at Albany, where he averaged 17.9 points per game and was named to the American East All-Conference First Team and America East All-Academic Team. 

George Washington slotted below Fordham in the rankings after going 8-10 in conference. Loyola lost to the Revolutionaries Jan. 10, but defeated George Washington 68-62 March 7. 

The Revolutionaries lost Rafael Castro and Garrett Johnson, who shot 14 points and 18 points against Loyola Jan. 10, respectively. George Washington gained transfer fourth-year guard Andrew Phillips, who averaged 13.9 points per game in his last season at Lafayette College. 

Rhode Island University placed 10th in the conference last year after recording 7-11 in conference, losing 61-57 to Loyola in their conference opener Dec. 31. The Rams lost Tyler Cochran, who shot 15 points on Loyola in their singular conference match up. 

Rhode Island retained fifth-year guard Jonah Hinton, who recorded 15 points against Loyola and led the Rams with 76 three-point baskets. 

The University of Richmond slotted into 11th place, going 5-13 in conference and losing both games to Loyola Feb. 28 and March 11. 

The Spiders lost key players AJ Lopez and Will Johnston after they both graduated. Richmond gained transfer fourth-year guard Derin Saran from the University of California, Irvine, where he averaged 11.5 points per game and was an Honorable Mention All-Best West selection. 

In 12th place, La Salle University went 5-13 in conference, falling 71-61 to Loyola Feb. 3. The Explorers lost Jaeden Marshall, who shot 18 points against Loyola in their one conference match-up. 

Redshirt third-year guard Rob Dockery, who scored five points on Loyola and averaged 12.5 points per game, remains for La Salle. Dockery led the A10 in free throws made with 91 shots on 119 attempts. 

To round out the standings, in 13th place and a 4-14 conference record, is St. Bonaventure University. The Bonnies lost Darryl Simmons II to Villanova after he dropped 26 points against Loyola Jan. 20. 

St. Bonaventure gained a transfer from the New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT) — third-year guard Ari Fulton. Named to second team All-America East, Fulton averaged nine points and 5.8 rebounds per game over two seasons at NJIT. 

Bovino’s beliefs 

Last season for the Ramblers was rough. Loyola landed 14th in the A10 after going 4-14 in conference and 9-24 overall.

With 13 new roster members, Loyola will need to find their footing with connections on and off the court. A team that gels off the court will work better on the court. 

Second-year guard Nic Anderson and fifth-year forward Xavier Amos are the returning players for the Ramblers, giving them an opportunity to tally minutes and show leadership in the team. 

With the exit of Rubin, Loyola lost their star center, but the height in Schofield and Kreager can help fill the gap. Over half the transfers come in with shooting stats over 50%, which bodes well for Loyola’s field and free throw season percentage.

The potential return of Dawson brings a new energy this season for Loyola. He knows the A10 opponents, he knows what Head Coach Drew Valentine wants and he knows Loyola. 

Valentine has his work cut out for him, but with the experience and seniority of Dawson, Anderson and Amos, the team — while they may not be championship bound — has a chance at putting its best foot forward this season.