Approximately 42 fun facts about the Loyola Ramblers players

Most March Madness media is laser-focused on a certain nun, so we watched every video on Loyola’s YouTube page to learn about the Ramblers players themselves.

No matter what happens in the Final Four and Championship Game, the Loyola University Chicago Ramblers will be the team everyone remembers from the 2018 NCAA Tournament in five, ten, 55 years. That is because they are a No. 11 seed in the Final Four — a Cinderella who long ago shed the connotations of that label. That is because they won their first three games on last-second game-winners and their fourth in a hell-fire blow-out. That is, it must be said, also because they are repped by the nation’s favorite 98-year-old Catholic nun in Nikes.

This last reason, one could argue, has resulted in not enough attention being paid to the players and their embarrassing and endearing opinions because every college student is a weirdo, athletes are no exception. Luckily there are several fun facts you can learn about these exciting and talented players from watching every single (relevant) video on the Loyola Ramblers YouTube channel, as we have compiled here.

Media members, feel free to use these as jumping off points when interviewing the players.

Sports fans, remember: the more embarrassing, the more endearing. Thems the rules.

We will update this as we learn more.

Donte Ingram

• Hit the game-winner buzzer-beater in Loyola’s tournament opener against Miami, the win that started this whole thing.
• Went to Chicago Public League powerhouse Simeon Career Academy, high school home of Derrick Rose and Jabari Parker — the latter of whom recruited Ingram to transfer to Simeon before Ingram’s junior year. They would win two IHSA state titles together.
• Chose Loyola in part because his older brother attended the school (and played on the team) and also because he saw himself fitting really well into Moser’s system.
• Created a Twitter account when it came to his attention that local hero Chance the Rapper was tweeting about him. (Also because he needed one for a class.)
• Back in the day, his favorite food was steak, his favorite movie was He’s Got Game and his favorite TV show was The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. Strong choices.
• In 2014, he was asked about his favorite NBA team and he said the Cleveland Cavaliers and the interviewer asked him if the Cavs were his favorite team a few months earlier and he immediately copped to the fact he just loves LeBron. (He is also a Patriots fan because of Tom Brady, so, at least he’s consistent.)
• Is the unanimous best dressed on the team.
• Loves Cookies ‘N’ Creme Hershey’s bars

Clayton Custer

https://twitter.com/marchmadness/status/975164151675826178

• Hit the game-winner against Tennessee.
• Has played basketball with his best friend, roommate, and teammate Ben Richardson since the 3rd grade.
• Transferred to Loyola from Iowa State, not necessarily to be with Richardson, but not-not to be with Richardson.
• Constantly tells Richardson to shoot more, which worked out pretty well against Kansas State.
• Was recently exposed by Richardson, who told the world the story of a fan asking Custer to take a photo of the team, not knowing he was on the team.
• Is a finance major.
• His only goal this season was to go to the NCAA tournament, so presumably, he’s living his best life.
• Is really good at Guitar Hero and will “challenge anybody” to a Guitar Hero battle. His favorite Guitar Hero song is “One,” by Metallica.
• Wore No. 3 his entire career until he reached Loyola, where No. 3 is retired for Nick Kladis.
• Everyone, including Custer, thinks Custer has the dirtiest locker.

Marques Townes

• Hit the game-winner against Nevada.
• Went to high school with but is of no relation to Karl-Anthony Towns.
• Is majoring in a classic athlete major: Communications.
• Had very high expectations for the team, so must be pretty pleased.
• Is a huge Chris Brown fan, “his favorite guy,” which is unfortunate, someone talk to him about that.

Ben Richardson

• Was the MVP of the Kansas State blow-out.
• Is really more of a defensive guy, except for when he goes for 23 points with 7 for 10 shooting including 6 for 7 from 3.
• Went to high school with Custer, who is, again, his best friend, roommate and teammate.
• Would break into unlocked school gymnasiums with Custer and take turns pretending to be Mario Chalmers, which is a weird choice until you remember Chalmers hit the game-winning 3-pointer for Kansas in the 2008 championship game and they lived in Kansas.
• Cannot play the guitar.
• Would eat 3-meat (sausage, pepperoni, ham) pizza for the rest of his life.
• Is a Kansas City Royals and Kansas City Chiefs fan. Condolences.
• Asked to list three artists from his iPod in 2014, he listed Dave Matthews, Kenny Chesney and Drake.

Clayton Custer and Ben Richardson

We went DEEP into the archive to find some highlights of Clayton Custer and Ben Richardson from 5th and 6th grade. Pretty funny!Blue Valley Northwest High School Blue Valley School District

Posted by Spectrum Sports Kansas City on Tuesday, March 20, 2018

Lucas Williamson

• Went to Whitney Young, another elite Chicago basketball school, where he won an IHSA Class 4A state championship with Jahil Okafor.
• Is widely considered Exhibit B in the case for Loyola turning the tide of the Chicago basketball talent drain and has credited Ingram (and former CPL and Loyola star Milton Doyle) with recruiting him.
• Quiet, but approachable.
• Loves Nutri-Grain bars.

Aundre Jackson

• Comes off the bench, but is one of the four Loyola players who regularly score double-digits.
• Is the only one of his teammates who dreamed bigger than just making the tournament in his Loyola Ramblers “Meet the Player” video, saying he wanted to go deep in March Madness. So, mission accomplished.
• Is a huge FIFA and Cristiano Ronaldo fan.
• Is a Cowboys fan, but it’s okay because he’s from Texas.

Best of the Rest

• Cameron Krutwig only drank skim milk in the Krutwig household and is also, apparently, not as mean as he looks.
• Cameron Satterwhite had a turtle for about a week and it’s the only pet he’s ever had, and also says he’s the best on the team at 2K.
• Both Camerons are their team’s picks for most likely to be president.
• Bruno Skokna has three friends in the NBA: Dragan Bender, Ivica Zubac and Ante Zizic.

Next: Ranking the remaining Final Four teams

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