West Georgia visits Loyola Chicago on Thursday looking to rebound from a season-opening 75-58 loss to DePaul, where the Wolves led at halftime before a second-half surge decided the game. Loyola opened its season with a 77-52 win over The Citadel, powered by pressure defense and control of the boards. The matchup is the first between the programs.

By the Numbers
  • West Georgia: 0-1; Loyola Chicago: 1-0.
  • West Georgia lost to DePaul, 75-58; Loyola beat The Citadel, 77-52.
  • Loyola forced 19 turnovers and outrebounded The Citadel 43-26.
Yes, But

West Georgia showed promise in the first half against DePaul, including holding the Blue Demons to 29.6% shooting, but couldn’t sustain that defense after the break. Loyola’s opening win was convincing, though its roster has been heavily remade, with only two players returning and 14 newcomers joining.

What's Next

The teams meet Thursday at 8 p.m. ET at Gentile Arena in Chicago. West Georgia will try to turn its strong stretches against DePaul into a complete performance against a Loyola team coming off a dominant opener.

Bottom Line

Loyola enters with the better opening result and a clear edge in rebounding and defensive pressure; West Georgia’s path to an upset starts with limiting turnovers and maintaining its first-half intensity.