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Loyola advances to Elite 8 and America wins because we get more Sister Jean

By Patrick Schmidt

DALLAS, TX - MARCH 17: Sister Jean Dolores-Schmidt celebrates after the Loyola Ramblers beat the Tennessee Volunteers 63-62 in the second round of the 2018 NCAA Tournament at the American Airlines Center on March 17, 2018 in Dallas, Texas. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images)
DALLAS, TX - MARCH 17: Sister Jean Dolores-Schmidt celebrates after the Loyola Ramblers beat the Tennessee Volunteers 63-62 in the second round of the 2018 NCAA Tournament at the American Airlines Center on March 17, 2018 in Dallas, Texas. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images) /
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March Madness returned tonight with the Sweet 16 and Loyola and Nevada delivered a great game that showed the underdog spirit doesn’t die easily.

Loyola trailed by 12 in the first half before rallying to take a four-point lead at the break. The Ramblers continued to stay hot despite the halftime break and jumped out to an 8-0 run to start the second half and looked like they’d run away with a win to advance to the Elite 8. But of course, it’s still March and we all know what happens this time of year when anything can happen.

Sure enough, Nevada rallied and made it a close game and tied things up with less than four games remaining as both underdogs wanted to keep their Cinderella story alive for another chapter.

In the end, it was the Ramblers who survived and advance to the Elite 8, 69-68, who have won three games in the NCAA Tournament by a total of four points. Cumulative scores don’t matter much, but what matters is this spirit from Loyola and our favorite story from the Big Dance, Sister Jean.

I have to believe Sister Jean said a quick prayer when Marques Towns heaved this 3-pointer with the game in the balance to give the Ramblers a four-point lead they wouldn’t relinquish.

There’s no quit in this team as Loyola makes their first Elite 8 appearance since 1963. For reference, Sister Jean was 43 years young then.

The No. 11 seed has been the talk of the tourney with their buzzer-beater finishes to beat Miami and Tennessee in the first two rounds and their No. 1 fan, team chaplain, Sister Jean who has not just been a national sensation, but an international sensation.

And funny enough Sister Jean, had Nevada winning today, but it’s okay that her bracket is busted, the excitement over the win is simply divine.

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And as Loyola rambles on for the Elite 8 on Saturday, this means we get at least two more days to enjoy this trip as we live vicariously through Sister Jean. She is the biggest fan of Loyola and we are her biggest fan.

Maybe Loyola can just win this whole dang thing and Sister Jean will get one of the pieces of the nets when they cut the nets down.

Wouldn’t that just be the greatest story ever told, since, well, you know that one about 2018 years ago?

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