Storylines for the Loyola Series
1) Missouri State (11-2, 7-1 Missouri Valley Conference) sits atop the Valley standings at the midpoint of its league schedule, and heads to third-place Loyola for matches on March 7 at 1 p.m. and March 8 at 2 p.m.
2) MSU started 9-1 overall to join the 2000 and 1993 clubs as the only three in MSU's Division I era (since 1982) to win nine of their first 10 matches.
3) The Bears average 1.82 aces per set, on pace for the best figure since 1990 and well ahead of the 2003 club's 1.47 average that ranks as the best in the rally scoring era. Missouri State has six matches with 10-plus aces already this year, the most since the 1990 team also did that six times.
4) MSU has served 39 more aces than the opposition with 49 fewer service errors, resulting in an 88-point difference. The Bears have served more aces than the opposition in 10 of 13 matches, and more aces than errors 11 times.
5) Missouri State has won 79 percent of its matches at Hammons Student Center since the year 2000, and at 8-1 this season, have secured a winning home record for the 22nd consecutive season.
6) Underclassmen have accounted for 69 percent of MSU's point total this season, and all but one of the Bears' 886 points this year have been scored by non-seniors.
7) Missouri State head coach
Steven McRoberts enters the weekend with 598 career victories, two away from becoming the 19th active Division I coach in the 600-club.
The Opponent
Loyola is 6-3 overall and 5-3 in MVC play, and picked to finish third in the conference race this season. The Ramblers have four players averaging between 1.97 and 2.81 kills per set in a balanced attack, and boast a solid defense that limits opponents to a .156 hitting percentage, the lowest in the Valley. LUC hits .159 as a team with averages of 12.30 kills, 1.46 aces, 17.43 digs and 2.14 blocks per set.
Series History
Missouri State owns a 12-4 lead in the series with Loyola, but has lost three of the last four meetings. The Bears are 6-2 in Chicago after losing the last two seasons.
