Opening Tip
Loyola will play its lone exhibition game of 2017-18 on Saturday night when it hosts NCAA Division II rival Lewis. The Ramblers, who posted 18 wins in 2016-17, return three starters from last year's team in addition to the Missouri Valley Conference Sixth Man of the Year. Earlier this week, Loyola was picked to finish third in the 2017-18 MVC Preseason Poll of the league's coaches, media and sports information directors, while seniors Donte Ingram and Aundre Jackson were recognized as Preseason All-MVC First Team selections, making Loyola the only Valley school with multiple players on the first team.
 
Loyola – Lewis The Series
Loyola and Lewis have met eight times previously in regular-season competition, with the Ramblers prevailing in six of those contests. However, the teams have not met in regular-season play since December 2, 1975, when Loyola earned a 98-67 victory.
 
This is the first preseason meeting between the Ramblers and Flyers since November 6, 2015, when Loyola picked up a 75-65 decision at Gentile Arena behind 21 points from Milton Doyle and 17 from Devon Turk.
 
Scouting Lewis
Lewis is coming off of a 19-13 season in 2016-17 and returns six of its top seven scorers from a year ago. Leading the charge for head coach Scott Trost's squad is junior guard/forward Delaney Blaylock, who averaged 14.6 points and 5.9 rebounds per game last year, while senior forward Cristen Wilson chipped in 11.4 ppg and 7.8 rpg, while connecting on 56.2 percent of his field goal tries. The Flyers struggled down the stretch last season, going 3-5 in their final eight games. Lewis has had 11 straight winning seasons under Trost, four times capturing 20 or more wins.
 
Up Next
Loyola officially opens the 2017-18 campaign November 10 when it hosts former conference mate Wright State at 7 p.m.