Gentile Arena to Sell Out for the 1st Time This Season

Gentile Arena is set to reach its full capacity for two Loyola men’s basketball games in February.

Loyola’s game against Bradley University Feb. 1 is shaping up to be the first sellout of the season, Loyola Athletics announced in a press release Tuesday afternoon. Tickets sold out Jan. 27.

The release also listed the Ramblers’ game against the University of Northern Iowa Feb. 15 as a sellout, meaning a capacity crowd of 4,963 is expected. Loyola’s game against Valparaiso University Feb. 9 has 96 tickets remaining as of Tuesday afternoon, according to the Loyola Athletics website. 

Worth noting: Loyola’s rematch with Northern Iowa Feb. 15 is also listed as a sellout pending the “potential release of group holds.” Looking like two sellouts at Gentile coming up in the next couple weeks.

— Nick Schultz (@NickSchultz_7) January 28, 2020

Last year, Loyola sold out six games in its first season after making a run to the NCAA Tournament Final Four. Part of the increased attention came from the “Flutie Effect,” which occurs when a team ends up on a national stage and interest grows in the school’s athletics programs.

Student interest also skyrocketed last year, which led Loyola Athletics to implement a new ticket policy for men’s basketball that said students could claim any leftover tickets prior to game time. This season, the athletics department again changed the process. Now, if any Loyola student wants to attend a game, they have to claim their ticket through a link in an email from the athletics department. The tickets are claimed on a first-come, first-served basis until 24 hours prior to tip-off.

If students claim their ticket and don’t come to the game, they’d get penalized. Students can still show up and claim a ticket at the box office on game days if they don’t go through the link, but it won’t be guaranteed.

Prior to last season, Gentile had only sold out once since 2003 — and it was the final game of the 2017-18 Final Four season. The largest crowd at Gentile this year came on opening night Nov. 5 with 3,244 fans watching Loyola roll past University of California Davis 82-48.

Loyola, Bradley and Northern Iowa are all in a race for first place in the Missouri Valley Conference (MVC). Bradley sits tied for third while Loyola and Northern Iowa are tied for the top spot.

Updated #MVCHoops standings through 8 games:

1. Loyola 6-2
1. Northern Iowa 6-2
3. Bradley 5-3
3. Southern Illinois 5-3
3. Drake 5-3
7. Missouri State 4-4
7. Indiana State 4-4
7. Valparaiso 4-4
9. Illinois State 1-7
10. Evansville 0-8

— Nick Schultz (@NickSchultz_7) January 27, 2020

The game between Loyola and Bradley is a rematch of last year’s MVC tournament championship in St. Louis. The No. 5-seeded Braves knocked off the No. 1-seeded Ramblers 53-51 in the Arch Madness semifinals. Bradley ended up winning the tournament to advance to the NCAA Tournament while Loyola played in the National Invitation Tournament.

Loyola and Valparaiso opened conference play Dec. 30 at the Athletics-Recreation Center in Valparaiso. The Ramblers squeaked past the Crusaders 66-63 as four players scored in double figures.

Northern Iowa and Loyola faced off for the first time Jan. 25 in Cedar Falls, Iowa. The game went to overtime after Loyola guard Tate Hall drained two free throws in the final seconds. In the five-minute extra period, the Ramblers shot just 2-for-11 as the Panthers held on to win 69-60.

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