Loyola’s Krutwig-Williamson Era

Standing Tall in Defeat

(St. Louis, MO) – Loyola Chicago is on the national map. However, their season-ending loss to Oregon State also ends the ‘Krutwig-Williamson Era’, but the Rambler program now has ‘name-brand’ status. During Loyola’s 2018 Final Four, people were surprised by each victory. Now fans and media are suprpised when they lose.

The twin careers of Cameron Krutwig and Lucas Williamson have been linked to one another and to the LUC success story. Now the two seniors could return next season, but it seems that the Krutwig-Williamson era is over and they are standing tall as representatives of the Loyola Chicago culture.

Both are from the Chicago area and played important roles during that historic 2018 season. As seniors, they led the way to another March Madness success story. That story was cut short Saturday by a 65-58 defeat to Oregon State.

Krutwig-Williamson Era

During their four seasons in Rogers Park, the Ramblers won 99 games. Only eleven other teams have won more. They helped LUC to six NCAA Tournament game victories, three Missouri Valley Conference regular season titles and two Arch Madness trophies.

Krutwig bookended his career with a ‘Freshman of the Year’ award in 2018 and a ‘Player of the Year’ trophy his senior season. Williamson was named to that 2018 all-freshman team and finished his career as the Valley’s top defensive player and a second team all-conference performer.

‘King Krut’s numbers are stunning. 1,833 points (fifth in school history), 944 rebounds (7^th), 373 assists (8^th) and 112 steals. Williamson’s are more nuanced. He finished with 891 points, 419 rebounds, 187 assists and 145 steals. His lockdown defense usually eliminated the opposing team’s best player.

Loyola Chicago has become the Missouri Valley Conference standard and the rest of the league has been chasing them all during the Krutwig-Williamson Era. LUC has won 56 of 72 conferenc games and have won seven of nine Arch Madness games.

The Relationships

Krutwig and Williamson have been teammates, roommates, confidantes and role models. When they embraced at the end of Saturday’s loss, Krutwig merely told his friend that he loved him.

Head coach Porter Moser was practically without words trying to describe what his seniors meant to him. Their relationship runs deep.

 

 

LUC had not been to the NCAA Tournament since 1985 before Krutwig and Williamson arrived. They’ve now been twice in four seasons and have helped both Loyola and the Missouri Valley Conference earn national respect. Moser says the LUC brand has been established.

 

 

In November we wrote about the Krutwig-Williamson era along with other significant Missouri Valley seniors. These two outshined them all.

 

The Pain & Finality

While rumors have swirled around Moser’s potential future employment, the energetic and committed coach has not considered other job openings (Mike Woodson was named the new coach at Indiana). Moser has been completely focused on his teams’s post season efforts. Now the 52-year-old head coach is helping his team process the pain of defeat and their collective sense of loss.

 

 

Krutwig was philosophic about the loss and plans on remembering the memories of ‘the whole ride’.

 

 

The Krutwig-Williamson era has been filled with victories, culture change and national notoriety. The roommates and teammates have formed and enhanced the Loyola brotherhood.

Do Good

 

Editor: Feature photo courtesy of 2021 NCAA Photos