UIndy Greyhounds at Loyola Ramblers
Tuesday, Oct. 29, 8 p.m. ET, Gentile Arena, Chicago, IL

UIndy Greyhounds at Xavier Musketeers
Wednesday, Oct. 30, 7 p.m. ET, Cintas Center, Cincinnati, OH

ON TAP
The UIndy men's basketball team returns to the hardwood in 2019-20 with exhibition contests against three strong NCAA Division I program this week. 

The Greyhounds have three games in four days, starting in Chicago against 2018 Final Four squad Loyola, before heading down to Cincinnati to battle Xavier. After an off day on Thursday, UIndy travels to the north side of Indianapolis to take on Butler from historic Hinkle Fieldhouse. 

Tuesday will mark UIndy and Loyola's first-ever matchup.

ABOUT LOYOLA
The Ramblers have put themselves on the national map after two terrific seasons under head coach Porter Moser, who led Loyola to a 32-win campaign which resulted in a Final Four spot in 2017-18. A season ago, the Ramblers won 20 games and advanced to the National Invitation Tournament (NIT). 

Cameron Krutwig returns for his junior campaign after recording two of the most impressive seasons in program history. The Algonquinn, Ill., native earned Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) Freshman of the Year honors in 2017-18, before following up with all-league first-team accolades with 14.8 points and 7.2 rebounds as a sophomore. Krutwig was dubbed the MVC preseason Player of the Year on October 17. 

Other key returns for the Ramblers are Lucas Williamson (MVC preseason Third Team) and Aher Uguak, who combined to average 14.6 points and 8.4 rebounds per game last season. The Ramblers were selected fourth in the preseason MVC poll.

ABOUT XAVIER
After a 29-win season in 2017-18 with a trip to the second round of the NCAA tournament, the Musketeers took a bit of a hit a year ago winning just 19 contests. However, Xavier did earn a postseason berth, falling in the NIT second round to Texas. 

Returning their top four scorers from last season, the Musketeers earned a preseason No. 19 by the Associated Press (AP). Led by 2020 Julius Erving Watch Listee, Naji Marshall, and 2020 Karl Malone Watch List member, Tyrique Jones, the Musketeers will remain to have a strong presence on the glass as the duo combined for 14.9 boards in 2018-19. Marshall was also the team's leading scorer with 14.7 tallies per game, with returners Paul Scruggs (12.3 ppg) and Quentin Goodin (11.0 ppg) also back for the Musketeers. 

Travis Steele is back for his second season on the Xavier bench. The Big East coaches picked the Musketeers to finish third in the league in 2018-19, with Seton Hall and Villanova chosen atop the conference.

The Greyhounds and Musketeers have squared off in one regular-season contest, with Xavier earning the 36-27 win back on February 6, 1937.

HOME OF THE HELPER
Redshirt-senior Jimmy King enters his final season as a Greyhound tied ninth all-time in program history with 342 assists. In 2018-19, the Roncalli product handed out 182 helpers, which ranks fourth in program history for a single season. The school's all-time leader in assists, Ron Rutland, recorded 547 during his time as a Greyhound from 1987-91.

NEWCOMER LANE
UIndy boasts a high number of newcomers in 2019-20, with eight of the team's 16 players tabbed as newcomers this season. Of the eight, five are freshmen and three are transfers, with Dee Montgomery (Purdue Fort Wayne) and Trevor Banks (Arkansas Pine Bluff) coming in from NCAA DI programs. Cory Miller Jr. was named an All-America First-Team selection his final season at John Wood CC. 

Jesse Bingham was named an Indiana All-Star after his senior season at Warren Central, the lone NCAA DII commit to earn the distinction. Joining Bingham as rookies for UIndy are fellow all-state players Josh Bryan, Frankie Davidson and Kendrick Tchoua, along with Ben Nicoson. 

SPLASH BROTHERS
Already one of the best 3-point shooters in recent memory, UIndy junior Trevor Lakes returns in 2019-20 with a new number (14) and loftier goals. After earning All-GLVC Second-Team honors as a sophomore, Lakes looks to add to his numbers as the Lebanon, Ind., native is 13th in program history with 134 made 3's in 52 games. Senior Miles Wayer looks to join Lakes on the outside attack, as freshman Josh Bryan enters college as one of the most prolific high-school 3-point shooters in Indiana history.

HALL PASS
Loyola transfer Tate Hall spent his first two collegiate campaigns in the Circle City at UIndy, where he was named the 2016-17 GLVC Freshman of the Year and 2017-18 All-GLVC First-Team honoree. Hall redshirted his first year in Chicago, but is expected to start and contribute to the Ramblers this season. 

LAST TIME OUT
The UIndy men's basketball team held a 10-point advantage at halftime in the first round of the GLVC Championship Tournament last March, but the fifth-seeded Drury Panthers stormed back in the second half to down the Greyhounds, 71-65. The Hounds and Panthers kicked off the GLVC Championship Tournament on the campus of Southern Illinois University Edwardsville.
 
Marcus Latham and Trevor Lakes each scored 17 points to lead UIndy in scoring, while Jimmy King and Jesse Kempson tallied 12 apiece.

The Greyhounds locked down on defense in the first 20 minutes, limiting the Panthers to just 33.3 percent from the floor, while shooting 13-23 to build the double-figure lead.
 
Drury quickly erased the Hounds' 37-27 halftime advantage with a 14-4 run to open the second half. Overall, the Panthers drilled eight-of-11 from 3-point range in the final 20 minutes. UIndy went scoreless for nearly six minutes late in the second half before King scored six straight points to keep the Greyhounds alive.
 
Lakes found an open look with five seconds remaining to put the Hounds down one, but the shot rimmed out as the Panthers hit free throws thereafter to seal the win.

With the loss, UIndy remained just on the outside looking in when the NCAA DII Midwest Regional field was announced later that weekend. The Greyhounds have post back-to-back 19-win seasons.

HOMEGROWN HOUNDS
UIndy has five players from the Indianapolis area, including Jesse Bingham (Warren Central) and Jimmy King (Roncalli). Overall, head coach Stan Gouard has 10 players from the state of Indiana.