Loyola of Chicago reached the “Sweet 16” of the NCAA Tournament and defending champion North Carolina did not.
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And she’ll enjoy the Ramblers’ ride.
As upstart 11-seed Loyola Chicago has willed its way to the Sweet 16, its team chaplain and all-around good luck charm Sistern Jean Dolores Schmidt has taken the college basketball world by storm. “They have great team work and they’re really good guys”. “I think they were happy for us”.
Loyola-Chicago’s -and 98-year-old Sister Jean Dolores Schmidt’s – tournament run continues as they await the victor from Sunday’s game between No. 2 Cincinnati and No. 7 Nevada. “But we also know this is the NCAA Tournament and we can easily go out there on Sunday and lose to the 9 seed, which people have probably picked us to do anyway”.
Donte Ingram buried a go-ahead 3-pointer from the top of the key with 0.4 seconds remaining to upset Miami and send the No. 11-seed Ramblers into the second round.
Not only has Loyola won two games in the tournament as a No. 11 seed, which were their first “Big Dance” victory in 33 years, but they’ve done it in heart-stopping fashion. It’s fun to watch how a team that prays together stays together when games get tight, but be careful not to overlook Loyola evolving into more than just a divinely blessed bunch of Ramblers.
In the pregame prayer, “we asked God to help us and I told God that we would do our part if he would do his part”, she said. It takes a special person to claim she’s an worldwide star without rubbing people the wrong way. “I have to do my thing, and he has to do his thing”.
Tennessee was without center Kyle Alexander, who didn’t play because of a hip injury suffered in the previous game against Wright State.
Svi Mykhailiuk added 16 points and Lagerald Vick had 13 for the Jayhawks (29-7), who converted on every crucial play down the stretch to advance to the semifinals of the Midwest Region. “They use their height, they use their bodies”.
The Vols (26-9) didn’t have a single player rated as a top-125 prospect according to composite rankings of recruiting services compiled by 247Sports, yet they matched the third-highest win total in program history and earned a No. 3 seed in the NCAA Tournament. We’ve got high-character kids, and it was a credit to them. “I feel like she’s aggressive”.
ESPN’s Basketball Power Index predicts a close one in this match-up, giving Nevada just a 55.9% edge. Then, the unthinkable game-winning shot happened for Loyola.
“The Ramblers’ run makes a strong statement that our league is resilient after transition of our membership.as it has been over time”, Elgin said. “I have so much faith in that shot just because I’ve seen him make it”.
“And I say, “Oh yes”. “We got here. We got a little bit of taste of what it’s like to be here”. Like Loyola will have on Thursday, the Patriots faced a seventh-seed in the Sweet 16 in Wichita State and beat them by eight points.
On Thursday, after Loyola-Chicago defeated Miami, former President Barack Obama tweeted, “Congrats to @LoyolaChicago and Sister Jean for a last-second upset – I had faith in my pick!” Under Huggins, the Mountaineers have become a force in the Big 12 and no longer think scheduling the Thundering Herd is worthwhile despite pleas from fans and even the brief discussion of state legislative action to force the series to resume.
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Sr. Jean has been the team’s chaplain since 1994.
