Ramblers defeat SLU in Jesuit Jam: 3 Observations

The Loyola Ramblers hosted their annual “Jesuit Jam” game at Gentile Arena, where they faced off against fellow Jesuit school, Saint Louis. The Ramblers beat the Billikens 77-62, handing them another conference play loss.

The win now promotes Loyola to 14-7 (6-2 A10) as they continue to climb the standings of the Atlantic 10 conference. Here are three observations from the win:

No JD? No problem!

The Ramblers were without one of their most dynamic weapons today, as Jayden Dawson did not dress due to a rolled ankle. As a result, Sheldon Edwards slotted in for a surprise start.

Loyola’s depth was on full display tonight, as many players stepped up off the bench to play a key role. Greg Dolan was a prime example, as the graduate student tied his season-high with 12 points, along with three rebounds and two assists. 

Des continues to dominate

Fun fact: Des Watson has two conference games under his belt, 20+ points. Here’s another one: both of them have come against Saint Louis.

Watson has been a dominant force against the Billikens, leading all scorers with a 20-point effort. The guard was truly everywhere at once, also collecting three rebounds, four assists, two blocks, and two steals.

Technical foul rallies Ramblers

The Ramblers opened the game in dream fashion, scoring three consecutive buckets on three consecutive dunks. The Ramblers seemed poised to run away early but promptly stalled, with the Billikens pulling out to a nine-point lead early in the first half.

A multitude of fouls called hurt the Ramblers’ chances of momentum, drawing the ire of head coach Drew Valentine, who picked up a technical foul as a result. Yet it was the foul that seemed to be a turning point, as the Ramblers would go on to finish the half shooting 48.3 percent from the field, finishing the game at a 47.3 percent clip.

The Ramblers now look ahead to Sunday, where they host Davidson in a matinee noon tipoff on CBS Sports Network.