Sports

A Cinderella Story: Ramblers, Wildcats prove their worth, compete for spot in Final Four

 Marques Townes #5 of the Loyola Ramblers reacts after making a late three point basket in the second half against the Nevada Wolf Pack during the 2018 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament South Regional at Philips Arena. 

ATLANTA — After every second was done and the scoreboard read 0:00 for both Sweet 16 games inside Philips Arena Thursday night, two programs continued their inspiring Cinderella stories, with hopes that their time will never run out.

Well, not until they reach their goal of winning a national championship, which only several weeks ago seemed as if it was a mere dream than a reality.

For Loyola Chicago – a team in the Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) that has now knocked off No. 6 Miami, No. 3 Tennessee and No. 7 Nevada – the prayers of 98-year-old team chaplain Sister Jean Dolores Schmidt just might be orchestrating the Ramblers’ tournament dreams into a reality.

Schmidt, who watched the Ramblers (31-5) squeeze out the 69-68 win, was real nervous at some points during the game.

“It was getting pretty bad,” Schmidt said after the game.

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Before Thursday night, Loyola Chicago had not played in a Sweet 16 matchup in 33 years. After the Ramblers’ victory, they will now be a part of the first 9-vs-11 seed Elite Eight matchup in tournament history when they face the Kansas State Wildcats Saturday evening at Philips Arena.

Most fans did not give the “Wildcats from Manhattan, Kansas” a chance against the superior athleticism and future NBA skillsets of Calipari’s Kentucky Wildcats.

But, as march madness continues to show each year, anything can happen given the right players, the right coach and a lot of grit and confidence.

“We just kept grinding,” said K-State coach Bruce Weber. “We said, ‘keep grinding, keep fighting.’”

In a game where the Wildcats (25-11) got their leading scorer back in Dean Wade, it wasn’t Wade who made the difference as he finished the night with only four points in eight minutes, coming back from a foot injury.

It was Xavier Sneed, Barry Brown Jr and a lot of determination by K-State to not give up in a game where no one thought the Wildcats could win.

When Sneed – who led the team in scoring with 22 -- fouled out, Brown stepped up, finishing with 13 points and essentially the game-winning score before a final free throw to lift the Wildcats to victory.

Kansas State will look to continue its own streak of Cinderella magic against a Ramblers’ team that is battled tested and has shown that faith and prayers work in a mysterious way.

The Wildcats’ defense, which helped them tremendously in their victory against Kentucky, could serve as a difference maker again, especially when it comes to slowing down MVC Player of the Year Cameron Krutwig, Donte Ingram, Marques Townes and Aundre Jackson.

Against Kentucky, Townes – who scored only a combined 15 points through the first and second-round games – led the Ramblers with 18 points, which includes him hitting the biggest 3-pointer in his career to put the Loyola-Chicago in the Elite 8.

Kansas State will bring its “gritty” defense, which means the Ramblers will need to see collective efforts from Krutwig and Ingram in Saturday’s game. Ingram, who averages 11 points per game, finished with two points and two rebounds against Kentucky.

Jackson stepped up big for Loyola Chicago against Kentucky and will need to have another solid performance for the Ramblers to win on Saturday.

As for Kansas State, the Wildcats will look to Brown and Sneed to help them earn a trip to the Final Four for the first time since 1964.

Key players to watch – Loyola Chicago

Cameron Krutwig – averages 10 points and six rebounds per game
Donte Ingram -- averages 11 points per game
Marques Townes – averages 11 points per game

Key players to watch – Kansas State

Dean Wade – averages 16.5 points per game and six rebounds
Barry Brown – averages 16 points per game
Xavier Sneed – averages 10 points and nearly five rebounds per game

The stage is set with a trip to the Final Four on the line. One team’s Cinderella magic will run out at midnight, and the other will live to fight another day, with a chance to one day tell one of the greatest stories in college basketball history.

Tipoff is set for 6:09 p.m.