Ramblers Bested by Boise State: 3 Observations originally appeared on NBC Sports Chicago
After falling to Tulsa in the opening round of the Myrtle Beach Invitational last night, the Loyola Ramblers were handed their second straight loss of the season by the Boise State Broncos. The match started off close but a strong second half was all the Broncos needed to storm to victory. The Ramblers now fall to 2-2 on the season as they drop tonight’s contest by a score of 70-48. Here are three observations from the loss:
A slow start to the season for Braden Norris
After being tabbed to the Atlantic 10’s preseason third team, redshirt-senior Braden Norris has gotten off to a cold start over his first couple of games. The guard only contributed 2 points in 29 minutes of action in tonight’s contest, including an 0-5 clip from beyond the arc. With a small sample size, he is averaging just 6.5 ppg after finishing second on the team in scoring average last year. Norris is one of the country’s best career three-point shooters so when he eventually gets going, it will be the spark the Rambler offense needs.
Second half woes plague Ramblers once again
Once again, the Ramblers seemed to run out of steam as the game progressed. The two teams were relatively close at the half, with Boise State leading by a score of 31-26. The intermission was all the Broncos needed as they stormed to take a sizable lead to the end. The Ramblers shot the ball well in the first half, but could not keep the momentum alive, going from a 38.5 percent clip in the first half to 25.9 percent from the field in the latter stage.
No answer for Chibuzo Agbo
The Broncos were led by an astonishing effort from Chibuzo Agbo, who put together a career night with 17 points in the second half. His 24 points were the most by any player on the court and it seemed that the Ramblers couldn’t find a solution for him on offense. Agbo was a presence in the paint but made his mark on the game with his five three-pointers.
The Ramblers now move on to the final game of the tournament, where they face #24 Texas A&M on Sunday at 3:30 p.m. on ESPN+.
