Loyola took care of Illinois rather easily as expected. Hopefully pressure continues on lawmakers to change the law so we can bet on in-state college teams.
I am pleasantly shocked how well LUC did against U of I. Don’t get me wrong, the Illini have amazing players but something really clicked with LUC players. We were always ahead by 7-14 points and our defense was on point.
I’m honestly worried some big school is going to try and poach Moser because of the results he’s been getting.
- Osborne Smith III - Monday, Mar 22, 21 @ 9:17 am:
(Not even going to give Rich’s filters a chance to act on it) tournament committee. All of the metrics suggested that Loyola was not a #8 seed, but instead perhaps as high as a #3. That should have been a Sweet Sixteen game, not a Round of 32. The Illini still needed to play better, and the Ramblers did a heck of a job, but that game should have been later this week, not yesterday.
Dosunmu getting his pocket picked twice late in the game, once by a 6′9″, 255 pounder, pretty much summed up the day. Dosunmu had a great career though and is most likely headed to the draft. Good luck to him.
I hope Loyola goes on another long run. Their defense is stifling and they are for real.
Just wanted to get a word in for the 1909 National Champion University of Chicago Maroons. The team featured two basketball hall of famers, John Schommer and Pat Page. And another guy, Edwin Hubble, who became famous for other reasons (Nobel Prize, telescope - things like that). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1908%E2%80%9309_Chicago_Maroons_men%27s_basketball_team
This has been my NCAA Tournament Experience so far:
“Finally after years of gray area office pools, I can finally participate in an NCAA Tournament Office pool without opting out due to professional ethics.”
…
What? Our law really makes it illegal to bet on Illinois based college teams?
Congratulations to Loyola. They were ranked #17 by the AP, unreal and criminal to seed them at #8. No way 28 teams should have been seeded higher. This matchup should have happened later in the tournament.
=== I’m honestly worried some big school is going to try and poach Moser because of the results he’s been getting.=== - TheRambler - Monday, Mar 22, 21 @ 9:08 am:
I’ve read speculation that Moser has the credentials that Marquette University should be looking for now that it has fired its coach, Steve Wojciechowski. Moser has proven ability, experience, and is local, being from Naperville. Local means that he has contacts with area high school coaches and knows the area talent pool. Marquette plays in the Big East conference, somewhat more competitive than Loyola’s Missouri Valley conference.
I think this proves that you should never under estimate the power of prayer.
- Joe Bidenopolous - Monday, Mar 22, 21 @ 10:14 am:
Loyola D is some serious stuff, and they deserved that win. At the same time, the Illini got hosed as well. In the final AP poll, Loyola was #17, they were #10 in NET rankings, and IIRC about #15 in KenPom’s rankings (7 now). At worst, they should’ve been a 5 seed, and probably more like a 4, maybe a 3.
But honestly, I thought Ok St. should’ve been a 2 or 3 instead of a 4, and they lost as well, so there you go. That Midwest bracket is all kinds of busted. Go Loyola (from an Illini fan)
Several commenters here already have stated how Loyola out-executed Illini. What I really liked was Ayo’s postgame comments. Very mature, giving credit to the Ramblers. All parents should take notice - be humble in victory & gracious in defeat. Well done Ayo & Illini for a fun season & now rooting for the Ramblers.
As downstate mourns and realizes they snatched defeat from the jaws of victory. we should be heppy that the Ramblers exposed some Illini weaknesses before we got too far invested and folks starting driving out of state to buy burner phones to make Draft King bets.
And while giving “The Church” credit for anything is very difficult we must parrot one of Sam’s expert panel who said “they put the nun’s whole pre-game prayer on the television screen”
2021 will be remembered as the year of the busted bracket.
- 32nd Ward Roscoe Village - Monday, Mar 22, 21 @ 11:26 am:
I was raised a WSU Shocker–my mother was a huge Shocker BB fan and a devout Catholic; I enjoyed the few years after Loyola joined the Missouri Valley (and before WSU left for greener pastures, and the chance to lose to Drake in the play-in game), taking my young sons each year to the Loyola-WSU game at Loyola, which is a great small arena to watch a basketball game in. The first time, when my kids were listening to Sister Jean pray for the Ramblers to defeat the Shockers, I expressed dismay that the prayer was so one-sided. My older boy said “Nana is taking care of the prayers for WSU”.
Now that Nana, my mother has gone to her eternal reward, I bet she is cheering and praying for that all-Jesuit final (only now that WSU is out of it)!
Agree with other commenters that Loyola should have been seeded higher, but the Illini should have known that as well and prepared accordingly. They didn’t have a plan for how to handle the Ramblers and it showed.
Illini got mopped up. This wasn’t just an upset this was a beat down wire to wire. Illinois read its press clippings and listened to Charles Barkley and Kenny Smith the night before telling them that their real challenge starts in the Sweet 16. Moser’s game plan was incredibly effective and Underwood had no answers, they didn’t even adjust after halftime.
- Original Rambler - Monday, Mar 22, 21 @ 11:49 am:
Screen name. Just sayin’
Go Ramblers.
- Boone's is Back - Monday, Mar 22, 21 @ 12:17 pm:
Days like yesterday are why I stopped following Illinois sports. They’re almost as disappointing as the Bears.
No matter what seed they were, Illinois was going to have to play Loyola eventually, and judging by the way they played Loyola was going to go far. Illinois was never in that game.
Illinois Head Coach Brad Underwood will be getting a new 5 year contract extension for about $25 million. Faculty will again get no raises due to the financial impact of Covid.
In other words, business as usual.
(Cue the person who is going to tell me about how much money the basketball program brings into the “university.” So, I’ll get a jump on you: the U of I Athletic Department costs the institution over $8 million a year, based on NCAA financial reports. Repeat: the Athletic Department costs the institution $8 million a year. Not adds, subtracts. thank you for coming to my Ted Talk)
- very old soil - Monday, Mar 22, 21 @ 9:03 am:
Go Ramblers
- Siriusly - Monday, Mar 22, 21 @ 9:05 am:
congrats to Loyola, but really wished they had been seeded higher. They proved how good they are and they merited a higher seed.
IL deserved their number one seed and they should not have had to play that team in round two
- Hot Taeks - Monday, Mar 22, 21 @ 9:07 am:
Loyola took care of Illinois rather easily as expected. Hopefully pressure continues on lawmakers to change the law so we can bet on in-state college teams.
- TheRambler - Monday, Mar 22, 21 @ 9:08 am:
I am pleasantly shocked how well LUC did against U of I. Don’t get me wrong, the Illini have amazing players but something really clicked with LUC players. We were always ahead by 7-14 points and our defense was on point.
I’m honestly worried some big school is going to try and poach Moser because of the results he’s been getting.
- Flyin' Elvis'-Utah Chapter - Monday, Mar 22, 21 @ 9:11 am:
Perfect example of why people who do not follow sports usually win the office bracket pool.
- reddevil1 - Monday, Mar 22, 21 @ 9:11 am:
Illinois got out coached …kudos to Loyola for being able to execute a game plan and making adjustments.
- McGuppin - Monday, Mar 22, 21 @ 9:15 am:
Too soon…..
- Responsa - Monday, Mar 22, 21 @ 9:15 am:
The best team on the floor yesterday won. That is all. Illini were my team but now I am all in on the Ramblers.
- North Park - Monday, Mar 22, 21 @ 9:15 am:
Here stands a broken man. I was at the ‘05 Illinois/Arizona game and knew in my heart they were going to come back again.
Stupid heart.
- blue line - Monday, Mar 22, 21 @ 9:16 am:
Ramblers!
- Osborne Smith III - Monday, Mar 22, 21 @ 9:17 am:
(Not even going to give Rich’s filters a chance to act on it) tournament committee. All of the metrics suggested that Loyola was not a #8 seed, but instead perhaps as high as a #3. That should have been a Sweet Sixteen game, not a Round of 32. The Illini still needed to play better, and the Ramblers did a heck of a job, but that game should have been later this week, not yesterday.
- Independent - Monday, Mar 22, 21 @ 9:18 am:
Dosunmu getting his pocket picked twice late in the game, once by a 6′9″, 255 pounder, pretty much summed up the day. Dosunmu had a great career though and is most likely headed to the draft. Good luck to him.
I hope Loyola goes on another long run. Their defense is stifling and they are for real.
- Redbird Pundit - Monday, Mar 22, 21 @ 9:18 am:
Words to live by……….”Never bet against a 100 year old nun, your going to lose!”
- Can - Monday, Mar 22, 21 @ 9:19 am:
Loyola 71
Illinois 58
Bwahahahahaha (long series of exclamation points)
- Stu - Monday, Mar 22, 21 @ 9:26 am:
Bracket busted…
- Bruce( no not him) - Monday, Mar 22, 21 @ 9:38 am:
I don’t care who it is, I love me some upsets.
The more the better.
- George - Monday, Mar 22, 21 @ 9:43 am:
Just wanted to get a word in for the 1909 National Champion University of Chicago Maroons. The team featured two basketball hall of famers, John Schommer and Pat Page. And another guy, Edwin Hubble, who became famous for other reasons (Nobel Prize, telescope - things like that).
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1908%E2%80%9309_Chicago_Maroons_men%27s_basketball_team
- Candy Dogood - Monday, Mar 22, 21 @ 9:43 am:
This has been my NCAA Tournament Experience so far:
“Finally after years of gray area office pools, I can finally participate in an NCAA Tournament Office pool without opting out due to professional ethics.”
…
What? Our law really makes it illegal to bet on Illinois based college teams?
…
Guess there’s always next year.
- Redditor - Monday, Mar 22, 21 @ 9:44 am:
Congratulations to Loyola. They were ranked #17 by the AP, unreal and criminal to seed them at #8. No way 28 teams should have been seeded higher. This matchup should have happened later in the tournament.
- Montrose - Monday, Mar 22, 21 @ 9:44 am:
I am now rooting for an all Jesuit final - Gonzaga v. Ramblers.
- SAP - Monday, Mar 22, 21 @ 9:56 am:
C’mon Ramblers, let’s ramble.
- Anon III - Monday, Mar 22, 21 @ 10:01 am:
=== I’m honestly worried some big school is going to try and poach Moser because of the results he’s been getting.=== - TheRambler - Monday, Mar 22, 21 @ 9:08 am:
I’ve read speculation that Moser has the credentials that Marquette University should be looking for now that it has fired its coach, Steve Wojciechowski. Moser has proven ability, experience, and is local, being from Naperville. Local means that he has contacts with area high school coaches and knows the area talent pool. Marquette plays in the Big East conference, somewhat more competitive than Loyola’s Missouri Valley conference.
- Carbondale Chronicle - Monday, Mar 22, 21 @ 10:09 am:
I think this proves that you should never under estimate the power of prayer.
- Joe Bidenopolous - Monday, Mar 22, 21 @ 10:14 am:
Loyola D is some serious stuff, and they deserved that win. At the same time, the Illini got hosed as well. In the final AP poll, Loyola was #17, they were #10 in NET rankings, and IIRC about #15 in KenPom’s rankings (7 now). At worst, they should’ve been a 5 seed, and probably more like a 4, maybe a 3.
But honestly, I thought Ok St. should’ve been a 2 or 3 instead of a 4, and they lost as well, so there you go. That Midwest bracket is all kinds of busted. Go Loyola (from an Illini fan)
- Interim Retiree - Monday, Mar 22, 21 @ 10:15 am:
Several commenters here already have stated how Loyola out-executed Illini. What I really liked was Ayo’s postgame comments. Very mature, giving credit to the Ramblers. All parents should take notice - be humble in victory & gracious in defeat. Well done Ayo & Illini for a fun season & now rooting for the Ramblers.
- Oswego Willy - Monday, Mar 22, 21 @ 10:18 am:
The Loyola Rambler, The better team won.
The rest is talking around that fact.
Heck of a year, Illinois. You *weren’t* the Flying Illini *or* the ‘05 squad, but what teams are?
Loyola will be a tough out going forward.
- Annonin' - Monday, Mar 22, 21 @ 10:27 am:
As downstate mourns and realizes they snatched defeat from the jaws of victory. we should be heppy that the Ramblers exposed some Illini weaknesses before we got too far invested and folks starting driving out of state to buy burner phones to make Draft King bets.
And while giving “The Church” credit for anything is very difficult we must parrot one of Sam’s expert panel who said “they put the nun’s whole pre-game prayer on the television screen”
- Oswego Willy - Monday, Mar 22, 21 @ 10:42 am:
Also,
B1G losses for B1G.
They started with 9, how many are going to play next weekend?
This is a wide open tournament, you get hot, you can beat anyone… and the circumstances around names, no one is fully comfortable.
- Michelle Flaherty - Monday, Mar 22, 21 @ 10:47 am:
Has anyone checked on Chapin?
- OneMan - Monday, Mar 22, 21 @ 10:58 am:
On behalf of all the direction schools, thank you Ramblers.
In another 16 years, you will have high hopes again.
- Huh? - Monday, Mar 22, 21 @ 11:13 am:
2021 will be remembered as the year of the busted bracket.
- 32nd Ward Roscoe Village - Monday, Mar 22, 21 @ 11:26 am:
I was raised a WSU Shocker–my mother was a huge Shocker BB fan and a devout Catholic; I enjoyed the few years after Loyola joined the Missouri Valley (and before WSU left for greener pastures, and the chance to lose to Drake in the play-in game), taking my young sons each year to the Loyola-WSU game at Loyola, which is a great small arena to watch a basketball game in. The first time, when my kids were listening to Sister Jean pray for the Ramblers to defeat the Shockers, I expressed dismay that the prayer was so one-sided. My older boy said “Nana is taking care of the prayers for WSU”.
Now that Nana, my mother has gone to her eternal reward, I bet she is cheering and praying for that all-Jesuit final (only now that WSU is out of it)!
- Anon1 - Monday, Mar 22, 21 @ 11:38 am:
Agree with other commenters that Loyola should have been seeded higher, but the Illini should have known that as well and prepared accordingly. They didn’t have a plan for how to handle the Ramblers and it showed.
- Frank talks - Monday, Mar 22, 21 @ 11:39 am:
Illini got mopped up. This wasn’t just an upset this was a beat down wire to wire. Illinois read its press clippings and listened to Charles Barkley and Kenny Smith the night before telling them that their real challenge starts in the Sweet 16. Moser’s game plan was incredibly effective and Underwood had no answers, they didn’t even adjust after halftime.
- Original Rambler - Monday, Mar 22, 21 @ 11:49 am:
Screen name. Just sayin’
Go Ramblers.
- Boone's is Back - Monday, Mar 22, 21 @ 12:17 pm:
Days like yesterday are why I stopped following Illinois sports. They’re almost as disappointing as the Bears.
- Mama - Monday, Mar 22, 21 @ 12:39 pm:
I pray the laws never allow betting on high school or college teams. Let them continue to play for the love of their sport.
- low level - Monday, Mar 22, 21 @ 12:40 pm:
No matter what seed they were, Illinois was going to have to play Loyola eventually, and judging by the way they played Loyola was going to go far. Illinois was never in that game.
- Mama - Monday, Mar 22, 21 @ 12:41 pm:
Illini looked like they went out partying the night before Sunday’s game and were hung-over for the game.
- Old School - Monday, Mar 22, 21 @ 1:20 pm:
The Big 10, pretenders, not contenders.
- Amalia - Monday, Mar 22, 21 @ 1:57 pm:
How does Rugers blow a 12 point lead? and they are done.
- Amalia - Monday, Mar 22, 21 @ 1:58 pm:
Rutgers
- James - Monday, Mar 22, 21 @ 2:00 pm:
Moser sending the center out to double on Dosunmo when he brought the ball down the floor stopped his offense and caused his turnovers.
- filmmaker prof - Monday, Mar 22, 21 @ 4:00 pm:
Illinois Head Coach Brad Underwood will be getting a new 5 year contract extension for about $25 million. Faculty will again get no raises due to the financial impact of Covid.
In other words, business as usual.
(Cue the person who is going to tell me about how much money the basketball program brings into the “university.” So, I’ll get a jump on you: the U of I Athletic Department costs the institution over $8 million a year, based on NCAA financial reports. Repeat: the Athletic Department costs the institution $8 million a year. Not adds, subtracts. thank you for coming to my Ted Talk)