Loyola Chicago Basketball: A Final Four Cinderella Story

In 1963, a tiny Catholic college in Chicago made history by winning the NCAA Basketball Championship Loyola University Chicago wasn’t even supposed to be in the tournament that year, but they managed to pull off one of the biggest upsets in sports history.

Now, 55 years later, the Loyola Ramblers are back in the Final Four. This is their first appearance since that legendary championship run, and they’re once again being called a Cinderella story

This Loyola team is different from the one that won it all in 1963. They’re more diverse, with players from all over the country. And they’re coached by a woman, Porter Moser. But they share one important trait with those Ramblers of yore: they’re a tight-knit group that believes in each other and their ability to achieve the impossible.

The Ramblers will take on Michigan State in the semifinals on Saturday. It’s sure to be a tough game, but if there’s one thing we know about this Loyola team, it’s that they never give up and they always find a way to win.

The Loyola Chicago basketball team A Cinderella story

The Loyola Chicago Basketball team has been on a Cinderella run in the 2018 NCAA tournament becoming the first team from the state of Illinois to make it to the Final Four in 55 years. The Ramblers are led by Sister Jean, the 99-year-old nun who has become the team’s unofficial mascot.

Loyola Chicago is a private Jesuit university located on the city’s North Side. The Ramblers have a long history of success in basketball, winning the 1962 NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Tournament Despite their rich history, the team had not made it to the Final Four since 1963 until this year.

The Ramblers’ Cinderella story has captivated the nation and brought attention to the small Catholic school. The team has won five consecutive games by double digits, including upsets over third-seeded Tennessee and seventh-seeded Nevada.

In the Midwest Regional final, Loyola Chicago defeated Kansas State 78-62 to punch their ticket to San Antonio The Ramblers will face off against Michigan in the national semifinals on Saturday, April 7.

How the Loyola Chicago basketball team made it to the Final Four

On March 15, 2018, the Loyola Chicago Ramblers men’s Basketball team made history by defeating the Miami Hurricanes in the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Tournament This victory made them the first men’s basketball team from the Missouri Valley Conference to make it to the Final Four since Bradley in 1950.

This victory was even more impressive given that Loyola Chicago is a small private school with an undergraduate enrollment of just over 5,000 students. They are also considered a “Cinderella story” because they were not expected to make it this far in the tournament. In fact, they were given very little chance of even making it out of the first round, let alone the Final Four.

So, how did they do it? A big part of their success is due to their Head Coach Porter Moser. He has been with the Ramblers since 2011 and has slowly but surely turned them into a competitive basketball team He also has a very close relationship with his players and is known for being a great motivator.

Another big reason for their success is that they have been underestimated throughout the tournament. Their opponents have all been better-seeded teams, but Loyola Chicago has proved again and again that they are not to be taken lightly. They have beaten some very good teams en route to the Final Four and will no doubt be looking to add another upset when they take on Michigan in the semifinals on Saturday.

Whatever happens from here on out, this has already been an incredible season for Loyola Chicago and their fans will never forget it.

The Loyola Chicago Cinderella story: From the first four to the Final Four

It wasn’t supposed to happen. Loyola Chicago, a 11 seed in the NCAA Tournament wasn’t supposed to make a run to the Final Four. But that’s exactly what they did, and in the process, they captured the hearts of basketball fans across the country.

Loyola’s story began long before the tournament. They were one of the last four teams to make the field of 68, and even then, they had to play their way in via a First Four game. But once they were in, they proved that they belonged, knocking off 6th seed Miami and 3rd seed Tennessee en route to the Sweet Sixteen

And then came what will go down as one of the most iconic moments in NCAA tournament history. With Loyola trailing by one point late in their Elite Eight matchup with 1st seed Kansas State freshman guard Clayton Custer hit a jumper with under 10 seconds left to give the Ramblers a lead they would not relinquish. The shot sent Loyola to the Final Four for the first time since 1963, and it made Custer an instant folk hero in Chicago.

In the national semifinals, Loyola faced off against Michigan, another underdog story. But this time, there would be no miracle comeback; Michigan handily dispatched Loyola 69-57 to end their Cinderella run.

Despite coming up short of their ultimate goal, Loyola’s tournament run was an unforgettable one. They captivated fans with their story and their game, and they proved that anything is possible in March Madness

The Loyola Chicago basketball team A true Cinderella story

Loyola Chicago’s Cinderella story started long before the 2018 NCAA tournament The team underwent a rebuilding process after finishing the 2014-2015 season with a 21-13 record and missing the NCAA tournament But through strong recruiting and development, the Ramblers put together a special run to the Final Four in 2018.

The Loyola Chicago basketball team is led by head coach Porter Moser, who has instilled a culture of hard work and togetherness. The team has bought into his vision and it has showed on the court. They are a close-knit group that plays with passion and heart.

The Ramblers showed they were for real in the 2018 NCAA Tournament upsetting higher seeds like Florida State Tennessee, and Nevada on their way to the Final Four. Loyola Chicago was finally defeated by Michigan in the national semifinals, but they had already captured the nation’s attention with their amazing run.

Loyola Chicago’s story is one of perseverance and success against all odds. The team has overcome adversity to become one of the best stories in college basketball history.

How the Loyola Chicago Ramblers made it to the Final Four

The Loyola Chicago Ramblers are the classic Cinderella story of this year’s NCAA Basketball tournament. The 11th seeded team from the Missouri Valley Conference has upset three higher seeds en route to their first ever Final Four appearance.

The Ramblers’ first victim was sixth seed Miami, which they dispatched 64-62 in the first round. Then, in the second round, they pulled off a 63-60 upset of third seed Tennessee. Finally, in the Sweet Sixteen they knocked off seventh seed Nevada 69-68 in another close game

Now, the Ramblers will take on fellow 11th seed Syracuse in the Final Four. If they win that game, they will face either first seed Kansas or Villanova for the National Championship

It’s been a Cinderella run for the Ramblers, and it promises to be an exciting finish to the tournament.

Loyola Chicago Basketball: A feel-good story for the ages

Loyola Chicago basketball has been one of the feel-good stories of the NCAA Tournament The 11th-seeded Ramblers have won four games in a row to reach the Final Four, becoming the first team from a Midwest city to make it that far since Louisville did it in 1986.

The Ramblers are led by senior guard Clayton Custer, who has been with the team for all four years of its Cinderella run. Custer grew up just an hour away from Chicago in Overland Park, Kansas, and he says he’s always dreamed of playing in the Final Four.

Now that his dream has come true, Custer and his teammates are focused on winning it all. They’ll face third-seeded Michigan on Saturday in the national semifinals.

Loyola Chicago’s improbable run has captivated fans not just in the Windy City, but all over the country. Even President Barack Obama is rooting for the Ramblers, tweeting out congrats after their win over Nevada on Thursday night

The Ramblers are proof that anything is possible in March Madness They’ll be playing for a chance to win it all on Saturday night.

The Loyola Chicago Ramblers: A story of grit and determination

Loyola Chicago’s men’s Basketball team is having a Cinderella season. The Ramblers (30-5) entered the NCAA tournament as an 11th seed and have now made it to the Final Four. It’s been quite a journey for a team that wasn’t even expected to make the tournament.

The Ramblers are led by senior guard Clayton Custer, who has been with the team for four years. Custer is averaging 13.5 points per game and is shooting 46.8 percent from the field. He’s also dishing out 4.2 assists per game

Senior forward Ben Richardson is another key player for Loyola Chicago. Richardson is averaging 12.4 points per game and is shooting 41 percent from three-point range He’s also grabbing 4.4 rebounds per game

The Ramblers have been playing great team basketball all season long and that has been a big reason for their success. They share the ball well on offense and they’re always looking to make the extra pass to find an open teammate. On defense, they communicate well and they’re always helping each other out.

It’s going to be interesting to see how far Loyola Chicago can go in this year’s tournament. But regardless of what happens, this has already been a historic season for the Ramblers.

The Loyola Chicago Cinderella story: An improbable run

The 2018 Loyola Chicago men’s Basketball Team made history as one of the biggest Cinderella stories in NCAA Tournament history. Led by Head Coach Porter Moser, the Ramblers went on an improbable run to the Final Four, becoming the first team from the Missouri Valley Conference to do so since 1949.

Loyola Chicago entered the NCAA Tournament as a No. 11 seed, but they quickly proved they were no fluke with a Big Win over No. 6 Miami in the first round. The Ramblers then upset No. 3 Tennessee in the Round of 32 and No. 7 Nevada in the Sweet 16 to reach the Elite Eight. There, they faced off against another Cinderella story in No. 9 Kansas State The Wildcats had upset No. 4 Kentucky and No. 5 UMBC en route to the Elite Eight, but they could not take down Loyola Chicago, as the Ramblers won 61-58 to reach the Final Four for the first time since 1963.

In the Final Four, Loyola Chicago faced off against another blueblood program in Michigan, who were making their first appearance in the national semifinals since 2013. The Ramblers kept their improbable run going with a 69-57 win over the Wolverines, becoming just the fourth double-digit seed to make it to the final game of the NCAA tournament

Unfortunately for Loyola Chicago, their storybook run came to an end in the National Championship game against fellow Cinderella story Villanova. The Wildcats proved too much for the Ramblers, winning 79-62 to claim their second title in three years.

Despite coming up just short of their ultimate goal, there is no doubt that Loyola Chicago’s 2018 run will go down as one of the most improbable and magical runs in NCAA Tournament history.

Loyola Chicago Basketball: A story of heart and soul

The Loyola Chicago Ramblers are a Cinderella story come true. A team of mostly under-the-radar recruits and transfers, they’ve defied the odds all season long. And now, they’re headed to the Final Four.

This is a story of Heart and Soul A team that plays with passion and determination, Loyola Chicago has won over fans with their tenacious style of play. They’re a team of fighters, never giving up even when the odds are against them.

It’s been an amazing run for the Ramblers, and they’re not done yet. With the whole nation behind them, they’ll be looking to make even more history in the coming weeks.

Loyola Chicago Basketball: A Final Four Cinderella Story