Basketball Game Preview: Springfield Tigers vs. Loyola Crusaders

Springfield has gone 8-2 against Loyola recently and they'll look to pad the win column further on Thursday. The Springfield Tigers will be playing at home against the Loyola Crusaders at 6:00 p.m. Springfield knows how to get points on the board -- the team has finished with 55 points or more in their past 16 contests -- so hopefully Loyola likes a good challenge.

Last Tuesday, Springfield was fully in charge, breezing past Wabasso 92-60. The Tigers have made a habit of sweeping their opponents off the court, having now won ten games by 21 points or more this season.

It was another big night for Brayden Sturm, who dropped a double-double on 28 points and 13 boards. With that strong performance, he is now averaging an impressive 8.3 rebounds per game. The team also got some help courtesy of Bryan Buerkle, who went 5 of 11 en route to 15 points and six boards.

Springfield smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with 17 offensive rebounds. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now pulled down at least eight offensive boards in four consecutive matchups.

Meanwhile, Loyola waltzed into their contest on Tuesday with three straight wins... but they left with four. They walked away with a 74-64 win over the Clippers. That looming 74-64 mark stands out as the most commanding margin for the Crusaders yet this season.

Springfield's victory was their ninth straight on the road, which pushed their record up to 15-1. As for Loyola, their win ended a seven-game drought on the road dating back to last season and puts them at 6-9.

Springfield was able to grind out a solid victory over Loyola in their previous matchup back in February of 2024, winning 74-66. Does Springfield have another victory up their sleeve, or will Loyola turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.