вЂ¦ WeвЂ™re gonna be playing with a bunch of confidence.вЂќ вЂњThe way we played in вЂArch Madness,вЂ™ weвЂ™re starting to gain momentum. вЂњWeвЂ™re a super confident group,вЂќ he said. Guard Braden Norris, who grew up near Columbus in Hilliard, Ohio, was looking forward to the chance to knock out his hometown team. And the Ramblers are counting on that experience to help propel them this time. But Loyola got a big taste of the tournament a year ago. The only remaining Rambler who played in the Final Four season is Williamson. At the end of the day, he wants whatвЂ™s best for me.вЂќ No matter what he says to me, how he says it, if his emotions might be getting a little high - but I know he loves me. вЂњHe can talk to me and I can talk to him,вЂќ Williamson said. They arrived at Loyola the same year and developed a вЂњbrotherhood.вЂќ Williamson, a Chicago product who opted to return for a fifth season, is tight with his coach. He called the 30-year-old Valentine вЂњone of the best coaches in the countryвЂќ and a вЂњrising star in his profession.вЂќ They stumbled a bit down the regular-season stretch and steadied themselves in the conference tournament, beating Bradley, Northern Iowa and Drake.Д«ut overall, the transition from Moser to Valentine has been a smooth one. The Ramblers made a brief appearance in the AP Top 25 at No.

He also spent time as an assistant under Tom Izzo at Michigan State and at Oakland, where he played. Valentine had a role in LoyolaвЂ™s emergence while working for Moser. It gives validation, like, this program is in good hands.вЂќ вЂњI think those older guys have belief and trust in me and belief and trust in this place, obviously, because they could have left. вЂњOlder guys that have been here, IвЂ™ve worked with them and IвЂ™ve coached them and IвЂ™ve been on them and weвЂ™ve built a great relationship,вЂќ Valentine said. Former coach Porter Moser led them to national prominence before leaving for Oklahoma, and the program continues to roll along under Valentine, in his first head coaching job after four years as an assistant at Loyola. Now, the Ramblers have five straight seasons with 20 wins or more. Loyola also made the tournament in 19 before a long dry spell, with just one appearance in 1985 prior to the Final Four run. The Ramblers kicked down racial doors in their first appearance, with four black starters leading them to the only championship for an Illinois school, and they lost in the regional semifinals the following year.

The only other time Loyola made back-to-back NCAA Tournaments was in 19. Players and coaches jumped out of their seats and cheered when Loyola was called. And she was there Sunday in Gentile Arena, in a wheelchair next to a stage where the team watched the selection show, taking notes as the field was announced. Louis this month when Loyola won the Missouri Valley Tournament for the third and final time before leaving for the Atlantic 10, erasing any questions about an at-large bid to the NCAA. 1 seed from downstate, before losing to Oregon State. Loyola beat Georgia Tech at Hinkle Fieldhouse and knocked out Illinois, dominating the No. The beloved nun was there last year in Indianapolis when her Ramblers made another big run. Sister Jean plans to be there, just as she was for the Final Four march that turned the team chaplain into a celebrity.

вЂњI think that group, they really feel like theyвЂ™re in control of their own destiny.вЂќ вЂњIвЂ™ve talked a lot to our team this year about how weвЂ™re in control of what we can accomplish,вЂќ said coach Drew Valentine, in his first season. The Ramblers are 25-7, seeded 10th in the South region and have a date with seventh-seeded Ohio State in Pittsburgh on Friday. The program that captured the countryвЂ™s imagination with a stunning Final Four run in 2018 and made another big push last year, advancing to the Sweet Sixteen, is back again. Loyola is headed to the tournament for the second year in a row and the third time in five years. вЂњIвЂ™d like to say that weвЂ™re one of the other people that were invited to the dance. вЂњI like to say that weвЂ™re no longer Cinderella,вЂќ star guard Lucas Williamson said. But this time, maybe, the Ramblers can leave the glass slippers at home. Sister Jean Dolores Schmidt plans to be along for the ride, of course.

Business & Finance Click to expand menu.Д¬HICAGO (AP) - The NCAA Tournament begins this week and Loyola Chicago once again has its sights set on a deep run.

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