The Loyola men’s basketball team (32-5, 15-3) is headed to the Final Four of the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 1963 after defeating No. 9 seed Kansas State University 78-62 Saturday night behind senior guard Ben Richardson’s career-high 23 points.
The Ramblers came out firing on all cylinders, shooting 55.6 percent (15-for-27) in the first half to take a 36-24 lead into the break. Loyola shot 60 percent (12-for-20) in the second half to seal the victory.
In addition to his 23 points, Richardson grabbed six rebounds and dished four assists in the effort. He was averaging 6.