Local college hoops 2016-17 preview: Loyola

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2015-16 results: The Ramblers struggled to a 15-17 finish and 7-11 Missouri Valley Conference mark last season after starting conference play 0-5. Junior guard Milton Doyle had injuries and inconsistent play, and the team never got rolling.

Players to watch: Doyle is back for his senior year, healthy and motivated to produce. The 6-foot-4 wing and former Marshall star had his worst offensive season as a junior, and he's hoping to raise his shooting percentages and be a team leader this season. Junior forward Donte Ingram, a Simeon product, is also back. He put up 7.4 points and 4.1 rebounds per game last season.

Key storylines: One of the nice things about Loyola's offseason was its exhibition trip to Spain. The trip gave the Ramblers some exhibition games against European competition, time to bond overseas and 10 additional summer practices. The team is hoping the trip can help a team full of new players jel quickly and get off to a hot start.

Newcomers to track: The Loyola roster has some intriguing newcomers this season. Iowa State transfer Clayton Custer is eligible and should give the Ramblers another ball handler. Junior college transfer forward Aundre Jackson should earn minutes as well. Freshman Matt Chastain was a hot spring recruit from LeRoy, Ill., who provides additional athleticism.

Season outlook: The Ramblers have an intriguing future. They're built to win right now but only have one senior on the roster. If Doyle can return to form, he should have some new pieces to work with this season. As for the future, Loyola has a great 2017 recruiting class headlined by local stars Cameron Krutwig (Jacobs) and Christian Negron (Larkin), making next year look even better.

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