Loyola Chicago’s offense exploded to seal a Final Four spot

Loyola Chicago is a Cinderella in stature only. The Ramblers just blazed into the Final Four with a powerful offensive performance that rocked Kansas State in a 78-62 win on Saturday evening.

Loyola built its lead by making nine straight shots early in the first half. The Ramblers stayed hot the whole night. Just look at these shooting percentages:

This was one of the best offensive performances of the entire tournament. It puts Loyola in the Final Four for the first time since 1963, when the won the whole thing.

This type of offensive outburst from Loyola was totally unexpected. Loyola yet to break 70 points in all three of its NCAA tournament wins. Those three games were decided by a total of four points. Each victory came on a late game-winner.

Loyola needed no such heroics in the Elite Eight. This was straight domination.

The Ramblers are typically a defense-first team. They rank No. 24 in defensive efficiency this season but just No. 67 in offensive efficiency. Most of that can be credited to the team’s slow pace. Out of 351 DI teams, Loyola ranked No. 319 in tempo.

The modest offensive efficiency ranking belied the fact that Loyola was always a great shooting team. On the season, Loyola has posted a 57.6 percent effective field goal percentage -- good for No. 6 in the country. It shot 40 percent from three (No. 15 in the country) and 56.6 percent on two-pointers (No. 12 in the country).

It’s been a different star for Loyola every game. In the Elite Eight, it was senior Ben Richardson. Richardson finished with 23 points, six rebounds and four assists by shooting 7-of-10 from the field and 6-of-7 from three-point range.

Loyola played small for most of the night, often putting a 6’6 player in Donte Ingram at center when starting big man Cameron Krutwig was off the floor. It gave Loyola a lineup where everyone can shoot, pass and handle.

That’s the recipe for a great offensive performance. Loyola just proved it in the Elite Eight.