Last Year: 10-21; Fifteenth (4-14) in the Atlantic 10 Conference, No Postseason
Head Coach: Drew Valentine (Third Year; 35-29 in two seasons at Loyola Chicago with one NCAA Tournament appearance)
Projected Starting Lineup
| PG Braden Norris – 6’0″, 180 – Senior (5th) |
| SG Greg Dolan – 6’4″, 190 – Senior |
| SF Ben Schwieger – 6’7″, 205 – Sophomore |
| PF Philip Alston – 6’6″, 235 – Senior (5th) |
| F/C Dame Adelekun – 6’8″, 230 – Senior |
Projected Starters’ 2022-23 Stats
Braden Norris: 10.9 ppg, 2.6 rpg, 4.0 apg, 1.1 apg – 35.8% 3FG
Greg Dolan: 13.3 ppg, 3.6 rpg, 3.5 apg, 1.6 spg, 42.5% 3FG
Ben Schwieger: 9.2 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 2.1 apg, 0.6 spg – 34.9% 3FG
Philip Alston: 14.6 ppg, 5.6 rpg, 1.0 apg, 1.1 bpg – 46.8% FG
Dame Adelekun: 13.8 ppg, 7.2 rpg, 2.5 apg, 2.0 bpg – 56.3% FG
Experienced Reserves
| W Desmond ‘Des’ Watson – 6’5″, 210 – Junior |
| G Sheldon Edwards – 6’4″, 190 – Senior (5th) |
| F Patrick Mwamba – 6’7″, 210 – Senior (5th) |
| G Jalen Quinn – 6’3″, 195 – Sophomore |
| G Jayden Dawson – 6’4″, 195 – Sophomore |
| F Tom Welch – 6’8″, 220 – Senior |
Experienced Reserves’ 2022-23 Stats
Des Watson: 9.4 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 1.1 apg, 0.7 spg – 40.9% FG @ Davidson
Sheldon Edwards: 5.0 ppg, 1.8 rpg, 0.8 apg, 0.7 spg – 37.0% FG
Patrick Mwamba: 7.9 ppg, 5.4 rpg, 0.9 spg, 0.6 bpg – 48.6% @ Oral Roberts
Jalen Quinn: 3.5 ppg, 1.3 rpg, 1.3 apg, 0.6 spg – 36.4% 3FG
Jayden Dawson: 3.6 ppg, 1.2 rpg, 0.4 apg, 0.3 spg – 40.9% 3FG
Tom Welch: 7.0 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 1.5 apg, 0.5 spg – 65.9% FG
Freshmen
| F/C Miles Rubin – 6’10”, 205 – Freshman – Consensus Top 150 recruit |
| W Trey Lewis – 6’6″, 200 – Redshirt Freshman |
From 2014 until 2022, the Loyola Ramblers were undeniably one of the most outstanding mid-major programs in America. Porter Moser’s teams racked up accolades and honors, averaging better than 23 wins per season over that eight-year run of excellence. They won titles, advanced to multiple NCAA Tournaments, even went to a Final Four fuelled by Sister Jean magic. Moser moved on up to the Big 12, leaving an excellent structure in place for excellent young coach Drew Valentine.
And Valentine hit the ground running, leading Loyola Chicago to 25 wins and the NCAA Tournament in his first season. And then, last year happened. It happened so hard that the Ramblers limped across the season with just 10 total victories, their worst season since Loyola had just seven in Moser’s first – rebuilding – year.
There was always going to be a tough season when the excellent, veteran teams that won so often in March moved on, but Rambler fans never thought it would be like that. Thankfully, Valentine and his staff took the failure personally, and hit the Transfer Portal hard in an attempt to upgrade the roster around a few key veterans. On paper, this is a vastly improved group of Ramblers which should swing the pendulum well back above .500.
The most important holdovers are the team’s top three scorers from a year ago: veteran point guard Braden Norris, young swingman Ben Schweiger and forward Philip Alston, the team’s leading scorer in his first year as a Rambler. Alston spent his first three college seasons starring at Division II California University of Pennsylvania, before transferring and proving that the step up in competition was hardly a barrier. Not only did he lead Loyola in scoring, he also grabbed the most rebounds and blocked the most shots despite often being matched against rather larger players – oh, and managed to hit 28 treys at a 40% clip. And he shot 105 more free throws than anyone else on the team. That is both a commentary on the other Ramblers’ inability to drive to ball towards the rim and also on Alston’s penchant for being disruptive to opponents. Given the jump in divisions and the amount of attention he received from opposing defenses as the Ramblers struggled and the season wore on, it was a fantastic debut in every way.
Now, with the expectation of significantly more help from his teammates, what can Alston do for an encore? For starters, he should be able to exploit better matchups with the addition of Dartmouth transfer Dame Adelekun up front. Alston was surprisingly effective against many larger players, as his quickness and shooting range made him dangerous from all three levels. With more help and better depth, Alston should be more effective defensively, as well. Alston had to deal with all of the attention from opponents as well as trying to focus on keeping out of foul trouble defensively, as the Rambler offense largely ground to halt when he wasn’t on the floor. With more freedom to play his game, Valentine is going to expect even bigger things from Alston in his final season of eligibility.
Norris enters his sixth year in college having started 124 games and handed out 521 assists already in his career. Valentine so trusts Norris to run the show that he played the 9th-most minutes in the nation per game last year, and unfortunately all of the minutes took a bit of a toll. A career 44% shooter from three, Norris fell to a still very respectful but career-worst 36% last season, while also committing a career-high number of turnovers. It wasn’t that Norris was ineffective by any means; it’s just that cracks began to show after so much usage. This year he, like Alston is expecting more help – and Valentine is hoping for a return to maximum effectiveness from his floor general. While Norris could really stand to become more aggressive attacking his defender off the bounce, it’s just never really been his game and he drives more to create for others than to score points himself. Normally an excellent defender, Norris wore down on that end too, and a return to form would be huge for a Loyola team that struggled to find a comfortable pace at which to play last year. And, perhaps more galling to everyone involved, to stop opponents from scoring like no Ramblers team had struggled in years.
Schweiger enters his second season having shown a good many examples of his potential despite being tasked as a main scoring option right out of the gates. Schweiger can score from all over the court, and has great length and a good outside shot which will both serve him well going forward. Mostly he relied on that jumper last year, as he’s not yet always confident taking his man off of the bounce. With added strength and an improved handle, Schweiger should make a better effort at using his dribble to get open looks this season. Defensively, he has a ways to go yet. While not unathletic, Schweiger is not particularly quick or springy compared to many of the wing players he guards. And just as he was asked to do some heavy lifting offensively a year ago, he was on the floor for too many difficult defensive minutes so soon in his career. This season should see him in a more comfortable role, and Schweiger more confident in that role.
While Loyola added four transfers that they are hoping will make a significant impact, the two Ivy League veterans are being counted on the most. That’s because Dame Adelekun and Greg Dolan, formerly of Dartmouth and Cornell, respectively, are All-Ivy league performers and established offensive players. Each led their previous team in both scoring and assists a year ago, and each has started more than 40 collegiate games.
Adelekun also led the Big Green in rebounds, blocks, FT attempts and finished second in steals: and he did it all in less than 24 minutes per game. It wasn’t that Adelekun was constantly in foul trouble – though he was with some regularity. It was more a combination of Dartmouth coach playing lots of guys (nobody averaged more than 28 minutes per game) and also that, when Adelekun did find himself in foul trouble, the Big Green had very little other offensive punch, so he was used judiciously. Valentine is not going to expect 30+ minutes all of a sudden, but 25 minutes of the player Adelekun was last season would be a huge boost to the Ramblers. “He has a variety of moves on the block that allowed him to be one of the best post players in the Ivy League, including a 40-point game this season,” Valentine said when the Ramblers announced his signing. “Dame is a high character and high IQ guy that is passionate about his craft and I cannot wait to get to work with him.”
Having another player who can attack opposing defenders up front – and one who is a strong passer, as well – should transform the Loyola offense
A good scorer around the rim and operating in the paint with his dribble or footwork, Adelekun further showed off range out to the three point line last year. Additionally, Adelekun gets to the foul stripe almost as often as Alston did a year ago. Having another player who can attack opposing defenders up front – and one who is a strong passer, as well – should transform the Loyola offense. Defensively, Adelekun is tough, mobile and, though undersized as a 5 man, an effective shot-blocker. Just as he’s expected to vastly improve the Rambler offense, Adelekun should be a noticeable factor in the middle of Valentine’s defense.
While Dolan doesn’t offer the defensive presence Adelekun brings, he was terrific on offense last year in a major breakout campaign. Dolan had averaged 18 minutes per game with 13 starts through his first two seasons, but was really more of a support player. Last year, he nailed 43% of his triples and scored career-highs across the board as the Big Red’s elder statesman and top scoring threat. A terrific passer who can run the point and should help ease the strain on Norris, Dolan knows how to keep the ball moving and rarely makes a mistake or puts his teammates in a bad spot. He doesn’t just have a great (2.4:1) career assist to turnover ratio; Dolan also has more career steals than either turnovers or fouls committed. That’s clean living which should make life better for all of the Ramblers. “Greg is a seasoned vet. He’s physically and mentally ready to compete for championships. He’s a versatile guard that has a high level of skill with his shooting and IQ.” Norris still figures to have the bulk of the ballhandling duties, the better to allow Dolan’s scoring ability to shine. Even so, that Valentine will be able to give Norris a breather or two in each half and also keep the offense flowing through both Dolan and Adelekun should allow the coach to experiment with pace and lineups for fun and effectiveness rather than necessity.
| Five Stats Which Tell The Tale (with national ranks) |
| 52.9% – Team Effective FG Percentage (56th) |
| 51.6% – Opponent Effective FG Percentage (245th) |
| -5.1 – Average Score Margin (288th) |
| .565 – Assists Per Field Goal Made (44th) |
| 54.8% – Team 2FG Percentage (24th) |
Loyola’s bench is deeper, more varied, and frankly more talented than a year ago as well. The other two transfers Valentine added aren’t big names yet, but they each add needed skills to this new Rambler team. Patrick Mwamba is a versatile forward who can hit threes, finish at the rim, and clean up all sorts of rebounds. “Watching his film, his style of play reminded us so much of Aher Uguak, and we love his versatility and athleticism on both sides of the ball. He brings us another veteran presence that brings a championship pedigree and NCAA Tournament experience.” Mwamba can guard bigger guys and wings, and provides nice flexibility for a team without true bigs of its own. Sometimes he can get too enamored with his own jump shot, but really Mwamba is not an offense-first player. He does everything else, though, and generally does it all well.
Desmond Watson is the fourth transfer, a bigger guard who can get buckets and, Valentine hopes, will provide scoring punch to lead the reserve unit – unless he grabs a starting spot. Watson scored in double figures 17 times last year for Davidson, and while not the most efficient player ever, he shouldn’t be asked to do too much for this Loyola team. “Des is the ultimate competitor. We had the chance to prepare and play against him this season and his speed and toughness popped through the screen on tape. He’s got great size for a guard and just has a knack to score baskets both on and off the ball.” Watson isn’t a great outside shooter yet, but he can put it on the floor and drive for baskets or fouls. He is yet another newcomer who would have been second on the team in foul shot attempts a year ago, and with better spacing around him, Watson should have ample opportunities to get creative on his way to the basket. Given that coach Valentine is likely to play around with his lineups early in the season to find out who fits best where, there is every possibility that Watson will force his way into the starting lineup.
| Five Out-of-Conference Games to Keep an Eye on |
| N – Creighton – November 22 |
| vs Florida Atlantic – November 8 |
| N – Colorado State / Boston College – November 23 |
| @ South Florida – December 16 |
| @ Tulsa – December 5 |
The only brand new freshman is a good one. Big man Miles Rubin, a product of Chicago prep powerhouse Simeon, has been rated a Top 150 recruit by some services. His twin brother, Wesley, had been committed to the Ramblers at one point also, but will instead take the floor for Northern Iowa this year. Miles Rubin grew a couple of inches in his final year-plus of high school and now stands 6’10, making him instantly the tallest player on this Rambler team. He isn’t a back-to-the-basket pivot, though, and will operate as more of 4 player – which does present some interesting mismatch potential down the road. Rubin can shoot the ball, and he should pile up plenty of blocked shots, too. “Miles is exactly what is coveted in basketball at the highest levels right now,” Valentine said upon Rubin signing with Loyola. “He is a long and fluid athlete that has the ability to impact winning on both sides of the ball. Miles is an elite rim protector that can block shots on and off the ball.”
Back from last year’s team to play support roles are post player Tom Welch and three young guards. Welch was a solid backup his first couple of years, but Valentine found out that Welch was a bit miscast when asked to play 25 or more minutes, as picked up fouls and coughed up turnovers in bunches at times. If he can play a more comfortable 15-17 minutes this year, Welch will be back to maximum effectiveness. And that’s a very good thing, because when he’s at his best, Welch is a wonderfully efficient player. He shot 80% at the rim and 73% on all 2FG’s last year – and with Dolan and Adelekun coming aboard, Welch’s great positioning and ability to sneak into the paint on quick rotations should lead to some easy buckets off of snappy passing from the new stars. Welch is a capable defender who moves his feet and works hard against any opponent. However, he simply wasn’t made to be a go-to defender against the biggest guy on every other team. This season, he shouldn’t have to absorb defensive mismatches as often, but Valentine knows that he’s got a guy in Welch who will take on anything.
Sheldon Edwards made the biggest impact in the fewest minutes of the three reserve guards, and like Watson, will be counted on to get buckets when the starters get a break. He wasn’t very efficient shooting jumpers in his first season as a Rambler, but Edwards held a 10-point scoring average and 34% clip from downtown across 59 games at Valparaiso. Edwards knows how to score – and get to the charity stripe – and though the competition for minutes has increased at each position, Valentine will look to Edwards to keep the ball going through the net at times. Jalen Quinn ended up making 17 starts as a freshman, and though he wasn’t quite ready to star immediately, he returns as the backup point guard having shown some things. Quinn began the year in foul and turnover trouble often, which wasn’t ideal especially as Valentine experimented with lineups and which pace of play best fit his team. Quinn kept working and eventually earned his way back into a starting role down the stretch, but by then the season had gone awry. He’s back to develop in a better situation now, and should get play fewer minutes with everything seemingly on fire around him in his second year.
Jayden Dawson is hoping for a healthier year to show what he can do. He dealt with a hand injury last year, and consequently never really found his shot. With the increased competition, guys will have to play more efficiently to carve out steady roles. Dawson is hoping for better health and a chance to really show what he’s all about. Trey Lewis is new, sort of – he took a developmental redshirt year last winter, but is ready to go now. Lewis turned down an offer from VCU to be a Rambler, and has worked hard on his jumper and handle over the past year. He now joins the competition for minutes on the wing, and if Lewis can bring some contrast to the equation when Schweiger or Watson aren’t in, it will help. He’s a good defender with quick feet and active hands, plus a seven-foot wingspan, so that’s a nice start.
There’s no way to get around the fact that Loyola’s first season in the Atlantic 10 went badly. After showing so much for the past decade, and earning a step up in conferences, Loyola couldn’t have had it all go wrong more visibly upon arrival. It’s just as obvious, though, that Valentine and the program backing him are committed to getting back on track. The people behind the scenes have done what they can, and Valentine and his staff have hit a couple of real home runs in adding the transfers they have. And the more so because the Atlantic 10 schools around them have unfortunately seen a whole lot of roster attrition via graduation and lucrative NIL opportunities through the Transfer Portal. With a shakeup happening among the power schools of the past decade, Loyola is poised for an arrival-in-style…take two.
Coach Valentine as an individual has a lot to prove this season. His rise through the coaching ranks has been swift but it’s clear to see why; he brings great energy, innovates, and relates to the young players he coaches in a way that many coaches fundamentally cannot. Still, no coach wants to hear it said that their greatest success came whilst using “someone else’s” roster. Less so a young coach looking to establish himself.
He’s put in the work to assemble very much his own team now, and Valentine has made quite the impression as a recruiter for securing the commitments he has in the face of bigger contract offers from Power 5 schools. All that remains is to prove it on the court. It will be interesting to see which lineup combinations Valentine goes with when it’s all on the line. There are now a few different players now who have each taken a turn as ‘the guy’ for their teams, and that experience should show. Loyola may have taken a lot of lumps last year, but now they’re experienced, hungry and dangerous. Sister Jean, get your Dancing shoes.
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