Loyola – Prepping for the Dance

One-on-One With Porter Moser

(St. Louis, MO) – This isn’t Porter Moser’s first NCAA Tournament, but it might be the most important. The Loyola Chicago coach led his team to Cinderella status during their run to the 2018 Final Four. Now as Moser’s team is prepping for the dance, they are attempting to cement a national reputation as a team to be reckoned with.

Loyola (24-4) won both the Missouri Valley Conference’s regular season and post season tournament and is the league’s automatic qualifier for the second time in four years. The regular season title is their third in the last four years. LUC has topped the 20-win plateau four straight seasons.

While the victories are important Moser believes more in the Rambler journey than in some of the destinations.

Prepping for the Dance

While numerous precautions are being taken by the NCAA Moser is happy to follow every guide-line, as long as there is a tournament. Testing, quarantining, on-line classes and basketball is what lies ahead for Tournament teams.

 

 

Since the Tournament teams arrive prior to knowing the identity of their opponents, the Ramblers have begun to guess at who they may face. LUC’s coaching staff is prepping by stockpiling game tape of numerous most likely opponents. During the first 12 hours after testing they will be quarantined apart from one another, so they have to be as prepared as possible before leaving Rogers Park.

 

 

Building and Sustaining the Program

In some ways Moser’s team has been prepping for the dance for four years. When Cameron Krutwig and Lucas Williamson arrived as freshmen the roommates seemed to take a rising program to an elite place. In his book ‘All In’, Moser says ‘Why not Loyola?’

The 52-year-old Moser says sustaining success without being satisfied is one of the keys to keeping the program moving forward. His players want to improve, succeed and build together. LUC has produced three of the last four MVC ‘Player of the Year’ award winners. AND it’s been three different players! Krutwig followed Clayton Custer and Marques Townes in claiming the Larry Bird Trophy.

 

 

Williamson and Krutwig have been four-year roommates and staples in the Rambler locker room. Both hail from the greater Chicago area and played important roles as freshmen in the 2018 team’s vast success. They are now the senior leaders of this year’s NCAA Tournament team.

Moser says their shared journey is equally as important as large winning totals and guarantees they will both have success in impacting others in the future.

 

 

The State of College Basketball

While prepping for the dance, you can’t help but notice the changing basketball landscape. Long time Indiana State coach Greg Lansing was fired after two-straight winning seasons. As of this morning a shocking number of players have registered for the transfer portal.

Lansing is one of Moser’s close friends. He was disappointed at Lansing’s release but has noticed the huge outpouring of support, appreciation and gratitude toward ISU’s second leading all-time winner of games.

 

 

With 377 (and counting) college players in the portal, Moser simply says, ‘that’s the way it is now.’ His concerns are more about the players than the programs. He believes his team can navigate the waters of rampant transfers and still succeed. But he is concerned about the effect it has on players and their futures. While acknowledging not all transfer situations are the same, he can see negative ramifications.

 

 

Moser and his team are prepping for the dance and have their bags packed for a long stay in Indianapolis. Our complete interview can be heard here. We discuss LUC’s preparations for the Tournament, the team’s sustained success and their passion for competition.

Missouri Valley Conference teams have won 17 of their last 27 March Madness games. Loyola’s 2018 Final Four was the Valley’s second visit there over the last seven seasons. LUC is prepping for the dance and hoping to continue that MVC successful legacy.

Do Good

 

Editor: The feature photo courtesy of Doug DeVoe and the Missouri Valley Conference.