After guiding Loyola to its second consecutive regular-season conference title, redshirt senior Marques Townes was named Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Year on Tuesday.
The news came three days after “MVP” chants for Townes filled Gentile Arena when he scored a game-high 26 points and led the Ramblers to a win over Bradley in their regular-season finale.
Townes, who was left off the all-conference teams last season, averaged a league-best 18.1 points, 4.7 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game in Valley play. He beat out Drake forward Nick McGlynn and Loyola center Cameron Krutwig, who finished second and third in the voting.
It’s hard to believe but four years ago, Townes didn’t know who Loyola was. In fact, when he first heard from coach Porter Moser, the 6-foot-4 guard had to search “Loyola-Chicago” in the Safari app on his iPhone.
Once Townes saw the campus and met the team on his official visit, he knew he was destined to play at Loyola.
“[The program] was really family oriented,” said Townes, who transferred from Fairleigh Dickinson University in 2016. “Whenever I won at places, the team … had a really good bond off the court and that bond off the court really translates to on the court results.”
That bond was evident during March Madness last season when Loyola pulled off four consecutive upsets and paved its way to the Ramblers’ first Final Four appearance since 1963.
When things get shaky, it’s in Townes’ instinct to take control. He came in clutch last season when he netted a last-second three-point shot that advanced Loyola to the Elite 8. This season, he’s scored 20 or more points in seven games, including a career-high 32 points against Drake on Feb. 5.
“I know what it takes to win, what needs to happen to win those games,” he said. “All my life, I’ve been winning, so I know what it takes to lead any team.”
With this season being his last, Townes has played every game with a chip on his shoulder. He doesn’t want to look back someday pondering “what if” scenarios.
“[I’m] playing every game like it’s my last because I don’t want to regret not not playing hard and falling behind and stuff like that,” he said.
Top-seeded Loyola is scheduled to play the winner of the No. 8 Indiana State-No. 9 Valparaiso game at Arch Madness on Friday in St. Louis.
