What to watch for: USF vs. Loyola-Chicago
USF hits the road for the first time this season when it plays three games in three days at the Cayman Islands Classic. The Bulls will open the tournament against Loyola-Chicago.
USF shot 45 percent beyond the arc and made a season high nine treys in a 69-55 win over Wofford Thursday night.
The Ramblers are on a modest two-game win streak after breezing past IUPUI 85-62 Thursday night. In their last pair of contests, the Ramblers averaged 85-points per game and shot a robust 58.5 percent (62-for-106) from the field.
RunningTheBulls.com has your quick facts and what to watch for against Loyola-Chicago:
Quick Facts
Matchup: Loyola-Chicago (3-2) at USF (2-2)
Date: Monday, Nov. 25
Time: 1:30 p.m. ET
Location: Georgetown, Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands | John Gray Gymnasium
Watch: FLOHOOPS.com
Radio: Bulls Unlimited
History: This will be just the second meeting between the Bulls and the Ramblers. USF won the previous meeting in Nov. 2012.
The Opponent: Loyola-Chicago returns three starters, eight players overall, from a team that won 20 games last season, finished tied for first in the Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) and participated in the N.I.T. Porter Moser is in his ninth season as head coach. The Ramblers are well coached and skilled at both ends of the court.
Unlike IUPUI and Wofford, Loyola-Chicago does not shoot many threes. In fact, in five games they have attempted ten fewer three-pointers than USF has in four games. The Ramblers get 64 percent of their scoring on two-point field goals which ranks No. 8 nationally. They shoot 53 percent as a team, have five guys shooting 60 percent or better inside the arc and have four players averaging double digits.
Loyola sets a lot of screens in the middle of the court, including high ball screens, and rolls a man to the basket. Opponents that typically have a help defender leave early so he can cover a three-point shooter learn quickly that Loyola usually doesn't throw it to the three-point shooter. They throw it to the roll man, and he ends up making the lay-up or passing to a cutter from the corner if more help arrives. They are very disciplined and have good body movement on offense.
The Ramblers like to get the ball in the hands of 6-foot-9, 255-pound center Cameron Krutwig who leads the team in scoring, rebounding and assists. The junior was tabbed Missouri Valley Conference Men's Basketball Preseason Player of the Year. Loyola will feed him in the high post to initiate their offense, pass it to him as a ball screen roll man, or feed him on the low block. The lefty has good hands, feet and is a very good passer. From the high post Krutwig is really good at finding open cutters for baskets. He has a good feel for the game and, with just 10 fouls in five games, plays without fouling.
Tate Hall is arguably the Ramblers best defender. The 6-foot-6 combo forward leads the team in steals (13) and is second in defensive rebounds. He scores mainly within seven feet of the rim, where he is making 62.5 percent of his shots.
Point guard Marquise Kennedy makes Loyola go. He is excellent in transition, in ball screen action and loves to get into the paint. Kennedy has just eight turnovers in five games.
Prediction
USF 67 Loyola-Chicago 63
To win the Bulls must limit Krutwig’s touches because he is a very efficient scorer. USF must also control win the rebound battle, limit turnovers, communicate on screens and not be outscored by more than five points in the paint.