In their first-ever conference game in the Atlantic 10, the Loyola Ramblers dropped their contest to the George Washington Colonials by a score of 97-87. While the Ramblers made charges at points, the Colonials were always able to find an answer for them. Loyola now falls to 6-7 (0-1 A10) on the year. Here are three observations from the loss:
Ramblers had no answer for GW defensively
It seemed that every time the Ramblers looked to gain momentum and go on a run, George Washington would respond right away. Loyola struggled throughout the game to put a stop to the Colonials, as they shot a staggering 64 percent from the field. The Colonials struck from all angles, hurting the Ramblers with a 10-17 effort from beyond the arc and making 23 out of their 25 free throws.
James Bishop could not be contained
The Ramblers faced a challenge going into the game, being tasked with defending one of the nation’s leading scorers in James Bishop. Bishop went off tonight, dropping 40 points to lead all scorers in the game. Bishop was a force all game, going 12-18 from the field and feasting from beyond the arc, where he knocked down 5 of his 8 attempts. Bishop also contributed to his team by leading all players with 7 assists.
No shortage of offense from the Ramblers either
While the Ramblers struggled in their defensive efforts, George Washington wasn’t exactly that much better, allowing Loyola to post a 51.5 percent clip from the field. The Ramblers’ 87 points is the most they have scored in regulation this season, with five scorers in double-digits and two players eclipsing 20 points. Marquise Kennedy led the way with 23 points, with Philip Alston coming in right behind him with 21.
Also reaching double-digits were Ben Schwieger (14), Braden Norris (11), and Bryce Golden, putting up 13 for his most points in a Rambler uniform. Also not going unnoticed was their turnover total, with their 10 turnovers being their fewest allowed all season.
The Ramblers now go on the road to open 2023 against Davidson on Wednesday at 6 p.m. on CBS Sports Network.