Preview: Loyola Cubs vs. Chaminade Eagles
Loyola is 8-2 against Chaminade since February of 2017, and they'll have a chance to extend that success on Friday. The Loyola Cubs will look to defend their home court against the Chaminade Eagles at 7:00 p.m. Both teams took a loss in their last game, so they'll have plenty of motivation to get the 'W'.
Last Wednesday, Loyola came up short against St. Francis and fell 54-44. The loss unfortunately continues a disappointing trend for Loyola in their matchups with St. Francis: they've now lost three in a row.
Meanwhile, Chaminade's recent rough patch got a bit rougher on Wednesday after their sixth straight loss. They were dealt a 78-46 loss at the hands of Harvard-Westlake. The result shouldn't come as a shock considering that's the fewest points Chaminade has scored all season.
Despite their defeat, Chaminade saw several players rise to the challenge and make noteworthy plays. Jonas Thurman, who scored 13 points along with eight rebounds and six blocks, was perhaps the best of all. Koby Nichols was another key contributor, scoring nine points.
Loyola has traveled a rocky road recently, as they've lost six of their last eight matchups, which put a noticeable dent in their 14-12 record this season. As for Chaminade, they dropped their record down to 16-10 with that loss, which was their fourth straight at home.
Loyola didn't have too much breathing room in their matchup against Chaminade when the teams last played back in January of 2023, but they still walked away with a 63-59 victory. Will Loyola repeat their success, or does Chaminade have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
