Loyola Ramblers Basketball seeks to become consistent Top 25 program

The Loyola Ramblers basketball program recently had their head coach locked in for a few more years. Now, the challenge shifts to becoming a bigger program.

No one will ever forget the journey that the Loyola Ramblers men’s basketball team took us on this year. The unlikeliest of tournament heroes stormed toward the Final Four notching upset after upset. Although they didn’t win it all, Porter Moser can rest knowing he did one heck of a job with his squad.

Now, as the hype train, while still running, may have died down just a tad since the season ended, it’s up to Moser to ensure the program continues toward its road to being a top-25 program.

What Wichita State was able to do a few years back was pretty remarkable. In the early 2000s, Mark Turgeon had the Shockers above .500 when he ended his coaching tenure there with a record of 128-90. But, when Gregg Marshall took over, that’s when things really sped up. Marshall is still there — for now — and has amassed a record of 257-89 while with the Shockers.

Moser is out to make the same kind of mark on a smaller program. Like the Shockers have done, now the Ramblers would like to consistently see themselves as a top program in the country.

Via the Chicago Tribune, here’s a small snippet on what Moser’s motivation looks like going forward:

"“We have to capitalize on this with our infrastructure, with our resources, being able to put ourselves in position to be a top-25 program. We had so many alumni across the country come out of the woodwork. Now they have to get behind us. We have to be at the bottom of fundraising going into this season. If we want to sustain this we have to do some things a top-25 program does. That’s the challenge.”"

Moser noted how much Wichita State invested after they saw their breakthrough happened. He’d like to see the facilities taken up a notch. Currently, according to the Tribune, they are building a practice gym.

That’s something most programs have, but again, as a small program this is something the school has had their eye on for quite some time, yet haven’t made happen just yet.

With the run the Ramblers had last season, they’re sure to have college visits lined up as far as the eye can see. What they present to potential recruits is going to need to make a statement.

Next: Bulls land potential superstar in latest mock draft

At the moment, Moser seemed confident Loyola would do so. If the program invests in the facilities, for starters, and continues on in the manner they have started, I don’t see any reason why they cannot accomplish what the Shockers have over the years.

Look out for the Ramblers to become one of those sneaky-good programs on the rise in the near future. It’s coming.