This year’s women’s basketball tournament saw one of the biggest upsets in NCAA history. Loyola-Chicago, a top-seeded team, was defeated by Marissa Jordan and #15 Maryland in a shocking upset.
However, that was not the only shocker of the tournament. #7 seed Loyola-Chicago defeated #2 seed Tennessee to advance to the Elite Eight for the first time since 2012. This was also their first win in the Elite Eight since then as well!
Later on in the tournament, Loyola-Chicago would defeat Stanford to advance to the Final Four for the first time since 1985. They would face Kansas State and win 72-64 to make it to their third championship game!
They would end up losing to Notre Dame but made it a great run for their school and city.
A historic upset
Loyola-Chicago’s victory over top-seeded Illinois was the biggest surprise of the tournament so far. The No. 11 seed beat the No. 6 seed by 13 points, 71-58.
Loyola is one of the few teams in this tournament that has been to this stage before, winning back-to-back national championships in 2006 and 2007.
This win sets up a showdown with top-seeded Virginia on Friday at 9:40 p.m. Eastern Time on TNT. The winner will face the winner of Texas A&M and North Carolina in the women’s championship game on Sunday at 8 p.o.m.. CBS.
Loyola-Chicago dominate in the paint
Though it was not the biggest factor in the game, Loyola-Chicago dominated the paint against Illinois. The Ramblers had more rebounds and scored more points in the paint due to their solid defense.
They had six players record at least one defensive rebound and four score at least one paint point. This was a team effort that contributed to the victory.
Loyola-Chicago had three players with at least five rebounds and none of them were guards! This shows how much they controlled the inside of the court.
The Ramblers also forced nine turnovers which lead to 10 points which helped them win the game. They were very solid defensively as a team which put them one step ahead of their opponent.
Niagara Falls
As an American landmark, Niagara Falls has a special place in the hearts of many. It is a destination for people from all over the world, and for good reason!
Tourists can visit the observation deck above the falls, walk along the top of the gorge right below the falls, or go into one of the attractions that take you right into the falls themselves.
There are several accommodations nearby, including casinos if you want to stay close to more attractions. There are also many restaurants in close proximity if you are hungry after a day at Niagara Falls.
If you are planning a trip to see Niagara Falls, be aware of the weather. It can rain and/or snow in winter months, and it can be very hot and humid in summer months.
Sister Jean inspires fans
A big part of Loyola’s run to the Final Four has been the fan support, specifically thanks to Sister Jean.
Fans have gathered outside the arena before games to see her and take photos. During the games, fans have cheered louder for Loyola when Sister Jean is introduced as a special guest.
Sister Jean has also received countless tweets about how much she is loved and appreciated. Many fans have said that she brings them back to a time when things were simpler and you didn’t need celebrities or money to be happy.
She has even gained some new Twitter followers since the tournament started due to the amount of new fans that find her and want to learn more about her. Overall, Sister Jean has had a huge impact on not only the basketball team but also on fans across the world.
Team leadership
Team leadership is another key component of team cohesion. Team leaders provide moral and emotional support for the team as a whole, and for individual teammates.
They can do this by being an example on the court or field with their playing style, by being vocal and taking a role in communicating strategies, or by being a supportive friend to other players.
Team leaders can be very influential in player morale. If they are a top player on the team, they can lead by example with their talent. If they are not, they can inspire other players to be better through their own confidence and support.
When teams have weak leadership or lack diversity in leadership, that can cause problems within the team. There is not enough support or communication, which results in poor team cohesion.
Loyola-Chicago’s defense is stifling
The biggest reason why no one was picking Loyola-Chicago to go very far in this tournament was their average defense. They gave up 71 points in their first game of the MVC Tournament and almost 80 points in their second game.
They have been working hard on that, though, and it showed against Nevada. The Wolf Pack only scored 53 points, and a lot of that was due to Loyola’s pressure.
They got a lot of steals and ran down the ball on defense, which led to easy opportunities on the other end. This team is very athletic, which helps with their defensive pressure.
Illinois is not a bad shooting team, but they struggled mightily in this one. A big reason for that is how many shots were contested. Loyola-Chicago did not let up and kept fighting until the end.
The team had limited success earlier this season
Loyola-Chicago’s run to the Final Four began with a win over Illinois State, then a close loss to Northern Iowa. The team rebounded with a victory over Bradley, and then swept through the MVC Tournament.
However, their performance in the MVC Tournament was not as strong as their prior games. They lost a close game to Missouri State and had to battle back from a large deficit against Tennessee Tech.
Even though they were able to capture the conference title, it is clear that this team did not have their “A game” at this point in time. It is remarkable that they were able to turn it on when it counted most, which is what made this run so special.
The team had faith in each other and believed in their ability to play at the top of their game. This belief was what helped them succeed in the end.
The team has a talented senior leader
Jamara Smith is the name to know on this team. The 5’8” guard averages 19.3 points per game and leads the Ramblers in assists and steals, as well as being third in rebounds per game.
Jamara also has a great assist-to-turnover ratio, averaging 2 assists per turnover. This shows his strong ball handling skills, which is a key part of being a point guard.
Prior to Loyola Chicago, Jamara played at Kansas State where he led the team in scoring two out of his three years there. His senior year he averaged 18 points per game and helped the team get to the NCAA tournament for the first time in five years.
His talent clearly showed then and now it is doing so again for Loyola Chicago.
