In what became a tournament to forget, the Loyola Ramblers dropped the final game of the Myrtle Beach Invitational to no. 24 ranked Texas A&M by a score of 67-51. The team showed signs of potential but ultimately could not keep up with the Aggies, falling to 2-3 on the year. Here are three observations from the loss:
Sloppy play kills momentum
For a team that includes eleven newcomers, there was always going to be growing pains. Now, five games into the season, the growing pains are evident. The Ramblers finished the Myrtle Beach Invitational with 27 turnovers in today’s game, setting a tournament record. The team had their moments where they looked to be in control but the Aggies would force a turnover to disrupt the flow of momentum. It’s still early in the season but head coach Drew Valentine will need to address the team’s offensive struggles sooner rather than later.
Philip Alston’s athleticism is incredible
Leading the charge on offense today was Philip Alston, who is proving to be an amazing pickup from the transfer portal by Valentine. He led the team with 16 points, making his presence felt in the paint all game long. Alston was a force on defense as well, leading the team with 9 rebounds along with a block. He also contributed with a three-pointer despite not being known as a three-point shooter.
Signs of life from beyond the arc
While it may have been hard to see the silver lining for the Ramblers this weekend, there were some positives in the offense in this final game. While the three-pointer has been a severely limiting factor, the Ramblers put together their best showing of the season so far with a 38.1 percent clip, including a hot 54.5 percent mark in the second half.
Freshman Jayden Dawson put together another impressive showing off the bench, going 3-4 from beyond the arc for 9 points total. Also showing some potential was Braden Norris, who, after a tough shooting performance on Friday, went 2-5 from three for 6 points.
The Ramblers will take some time off to regroup before heading to Harvard on Friday for a 1 p.m. tipoff on ESPN+.