Loyola Chicago will travel to Princeton for a must-watch showdown at 7 p.m. ET Friday at Jadwin Gymnasium in Princeton, New Jersey, in this week’s Mid-Major Basketball Game of the Week. The game pits two top-13 teams from this week’s Mid-Major Basketball Top 25 Poll against each other. You can watch the game on ESPN+.
Loyola Chicago
The Ramblers, ranked 10th in our Top 25 Poll, won their first three games of the season, defeating Chicago State, Detroit Mercy and Division III Eureka College (Ill.) at home. Friday’s contest against Princeton will mark the Ramblers’ first road contest of the season.
Jayden Dawson has led Loyola’s offense so far this season. The 6-foot-4 junior guard has taken a noticeable step forward and is averaging a team-high 16.3 points per game. He also is the team’s go-to perimeter shooter, making 9 of 23 attempts for 39.1% from beyond the arc.
Fifth-year guard Sheldon Edwards Jr. ranks second on the team, averaging 11 points per game while shooting 38.9% from beyond the arc off the bench. Justin Moore is the only other player for Loyola averaging double figures, with 10.3 points per game.
This season, Loyola averages 90.3 points per game while holding opponents to 63.3 points. Defensively, they are forcing 18 turnovers per game.
Princeton
Princeton has started the season with three victories, defeating Iona, Duquesne and Northeastern in close contests. The Tigers, ranked No. 13 in the latest Top 25 Poll, posted a 24-5 record last year and return a ton of talent this season.
Princeton’s offense has been explosive to start the season, with four players averaging double figures.
Sophomore guard Dalen Davis has made a significant leap in his second year. Through three games, he is averaging a team-high 17.3 points in 32.7 minutes per game, including a 45% (9 of 20) shooting mark from beyond the arc. Junior guard Xaivian Lee is also contributing 17.3 points per game, playing 36 minutes per contest. Junior forward Caden Pierce, the reigning Ivy League Player of the Year, is adding 15 points per game, while senior guard Blake Peters is chipping in 12.7 points per game on 47.4% shooting (9 of 19) from 3.
Princeton averages 78.3 points per game while allowing 74.7 points per contest. On the defensive end, they are forcing 14 turnovers per game.
[…] The second week of the college basketball season featured plenty of action among top mid-major basketball teams, with most avoiding upsets. Highlights included Loyola’s impressive win over Princeton in our Game of the Week. […]