It had been 33 years since Loyola-Chicago last made the NCAA Tournament and the Ramblers have made the wait worthwhile, pulling off back-to-back upset wins against No. 5 Miami and now No. 3 Tennessee to earn a trip to the Sweet 16.
Loyola’s savvy ball movement gave them a four-point lead at halftime and a second half lead as high as nine, but a 14-3 Tennessee run late in the second half put the Volunteers up one before Clayton Custer nailed the game-winner with under five seconds to go.
THE DREAM STAYS ALIVE❗️
NO. 11 LOYOLA-CHICAGO DOWNS NO. 3 TENNESSEE RIGHT BEFORE THE BUZZER. THE RAMBLERS ARE STILL DANCING. 💃🏽 (via @CBSSports) pic.twitter.com/6y7JdItKJF
— SLAM (@SLAMonline) March 18, 2018
Aundre Jackson led the Ramblers with 16 points off the bench.
The last time Loyola advanced past the Sweet 16 was in 1963, the same year that the Ramblers won their sole National Championship. With Sister Jean’s blessing, anything is possible:
Sister Jean is a real one 🙏🏽 (via @marchmadness) pic.twitter.com/ABoNIGhuYf
— SLAM (@SLAMonline) March 17, 2018
