Back in October, Loyola received a vote for first in the Missouri Valley Conference and was picked fifth in the preseason poll.
The first-place vote, from the student newspaper, was wildly optimistic. The fifth-place ranking represented real progress for the Ramblers in their third season. They earned it by finishing sixth in 2015, winning a game in the MVC Tournament and winning the College Basketball Invitational. Seven of the top eight scorers returned.
Then Loyola lost its first five MVC games, including at home 54-53 to woeful Bradley. The Ramblers also lost by two points at Illinois State and by two against Missouri State.