Loyola Continues Remarkable Run with 69-68 Win Over Nevada in Improbable South Region

Eleventh seeded Loyola of Chicago eked out a 69-68 win over # 7 Nevada on March 23rd in a Sweet Sixteen matchup in the NCAA South Region. Perhaps it was the influence of 98-year-old Sister Jean, the team’s chaplain, in the Ramblers’ third win in the tournament, by a total of four points. Loyola moves on to face #9 Kansas State in the Elite Eight. It’s the first time Loyola has advanced this far since winning it all in 1963. And of course Sister Jean remembers that championship season; she was 43 years old then.

That whole South Region is wacky this year. Kansas State knocked off # 5 Kentucky 61-58 in another nail biter, and we’ll have a #9 vs. a #11 in the championship for the region’s representative in the Final Four. It was the first time in history (10 games) that Kansas State has beaten Kentucky, and perhaps partially avenges their loss to Kentucky in the 1951 NCAA Championship game. Neither Loyola not Kansas State has been to the Final Four in a long time; the Wildcats last trip was in 1964. Kansas State lost to eventual champion UCLA in the semi finals that year.