4 keys to how Loyola can beat Nevada in Sweet 16

Loyola (30-5) has now reached chapter three of its Cinderella story. The 11th-seeded Ramblers will take on seventh-seeded Nevada (29-7) in an unlikely Sweet 16 matchup in Atlanta at 6:07 p.m. Thursday.

With the four top seeds out, the South Region is wide open for anyone’s taken, and the Ramblers have continued to ask: “Why not us?”

Of the four remaining teams in Loyola’s region, only Nevada was ranked in the last Associated Press poll (No. 22), though Kentucky was just 20 points short of the No. 25 spot.

But as fate might have it, Loyola’s two tournament victories have come against ranked teams.

Loyola will look to advance to its first Elite 8 since 1963, but first, the Ramblers need to devour the Wolf Pack — easier said than done.

1. Get the lead, hold the lead

As cliche as it may be, basketball is simply a game of runs. That was proven in Loyola’s upset win against third-seeded Tennessee last Saturday.

The Volunteers controlled only the first and final four minutes of that entire game against the Ramblers.

Tennessee overcame a nine-point deficit in the last four minutes and led by one point with less than 30 seconds remaining. Clayton Custer hit a jumper that only went in thanks to a lucky bounce off the rim to hand Loyola a win.

Nevada has proven itself in this tournament as a second-half team.

The Wolf Pack erased a 14-point deficit in the first round to beat Texas, 87-83, then the team did it again in the second round by coming back from a 22-point deficit in the final 10 minutes to upset second-seeded Cincinnati, 75-73.

Loyola can’t let a comfortable lead slip away against a team like Nevada. The Ramblers need to dictate the pace, which will be easier said then done.

2. Disciplined defense

Nevada’s defense has been inconsistent all season, while coach Porter Moser has always put an emphasis on being extremely disciplined.

The Wolf Pack rank 16th in the nation in scoring offense, averaging 83 points per game, but the Ramblers have allowed an average of 62 points per game, fifth in the nation.

Nevada and Loyola are similar in the sense that on any given night a player can step up and have a big game. The Ramblers have five players who have averaged double digits in scoring this season, while the Wolf Pack only have four.

Loyola needs to key in on Caleb Martin and Jordan Caroline, the Wolf Pack’s leading scorers. Martin has averaged 18.8 points and 5.4 rebounds per game and Caroline, who just so happens to be boyhood friends with Loyola’s Donte Ingram, is averaging 17.7 points and 8.7 rebounds per game.

The Ramblers will look at Ingram, Cam Krutwig and Aundre Jackson to help them in the paint and grab rebounds.

3. Win 3-point battle

Loyola has shown size isn’t an issue for the Ramblers when they spread their offense and hit their threes.

Thursday’s matchup will be no different then Loyola’s two previous tournament games. The Ramblers are heavily undersized. The Wolf Pack have seven players standing 6-7 or taller.

Realizing that winning paint battles may decide this game, Loyola will need to do what it’s done well all season: own the perimeter.

The Ramblers have hit 39.8 percent of their three-point shots, which is good for 19th in the nation. But the Wolf Pack are just as accurate. Nevada makes 39.6 percent of its shots from beyond the arc, which puts it at 21st in the nation.

Loyola has held its opponents to making only 33.2 percent of their threes this season, but the Wolf Pack are better. Nevada’s opponents have only made 31.6 percent of their shots from three-point range.

4. Do you believe in momentum and miracles?

Loyola, which has won 12 consecutive games and 19 of its last 20, is the hottest team still alive in the NCAA Tournament. And with the help of their 98-year-old basketball-loving chaplain, the Ramblers have captivated the country with their Cinderella story.

Loyola’s men’s basketball chaplain Sister Jean Dolores-Schmidt is proving she’s ready for canonization after the Ramblers made back-to-back last-second shots to send themselves Sweet 16 bound.

The team jokes that Sister Jean had her hand in those thrilling wins.

“Sister Jean has that special connection up there for us,” Krutwig said after Custer hit a Hail Mary jumper for the win against Tennessee Saturday.

If you believe in miracles, Sister Jean might have another one up her sleeve.

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