'Wired to win': Krutwig, Loyola looking for another postseason run
After putting his name in the same company as Larry Bird and Oscar Robertson while becoming the winningest player in school history, all that's left for senior Cameron Krutwig to cap a storybook four years at Loyola is a magical postseason run.
Except that Krutwig did things in reverse with the Ramblers. He's already been in the middle - literally - of that special postseason, starting as a freshman center on Loyola's 2018 Cinderella Final Four team.
So why not one more?
Krutwig and his teammates take the court Friday in St. Louis as the No. 1 seed in the 45th Missouri Valley Conference Tournament, fresh off their third MVC regular-season title in four years. The Ramblers bring a 21-4 record behind the 6-foot-9 Krutwig, who is averaging 15 points, 6.6 rebounds and 3 assists and is proud he's part of a program that proved to be much more than a one-hit wonder.
"One of the biggest things we've been able to do is sustain it," Krutwig said. "You hear a lot about what teams did my freshman year and they fade off. Loyola is becoming a household name here in the Midwest and is one of the top mid-majors every year. (Coach Porter Moser) has been trying to build it up, and I'm happy to come and help him out."
Jacobs grad Krutwig leads the way, named Monday as the MVC Player of the Year after finishing in the top three of that voting the last two years. He became just the fourth player in MVC history to total 1,500 points, 800 rebounds and 300 assists, joining Robertson (Cincinnati), Bird (Indiana State) and Hersey Hawkins (Bradley).
There are both similarities and differences between this year's Ramblers and 2018. Krutwig is one of the main similarities along with his roommate Lucas Williamson, also a freshman on the Final Four team recently named MVC Defensive Player of the Year.
Williamson shares the distinction with Krutwig for most wins by a Loyola player.
"I'm just happy for everything we accomplished," Krutwig said. "Going to go down as most winningest player in school history, that's something I'm super proud of, and I know he is, too. You always want to come in and leave the program better than we found it."
One difference from 2018 comes with Loyola's No. 21 ranking in the AP Top 25, and, more important, No. 18 in the NET rankings. That would seem to leave the Ramblers safely in the NCAA Tournament as an at-large even if they don't win the Valley tourney and the automatic bid.
Moser remembered the pressure of winning the 2018 MVC tourney just to get their shot in the NCAAs.
"I feel like we're in a good position," said Moser, who knows Krutwig and Williamson will be keys to whatever success the Ramblers have in the postseason.
"They are wired to win. Their focus is on winning first. Lucas won two state championships (at Whitney Young). Krut is the same way. He doesn't pass the eye test, but he's a winner. Look at what he did at Jacobs. Most wins in school history like three years in a row.
"Those two are focused on the right things every single day."
Loyola begins play at 11 a.m. Friday against No. 9 seed Southern Illinois, a 73-63 winner over No. 8 Bradley on Thursday. The Ramblers beat the Salukis in overtime last Saturday to clinch a regular-season title, which became an outright championship that same day when Bradley upset Drake.
Krutwig and Williamson exchanged jerseys after Saturday's win, a move well received on social media.
They only wish fans were there in person to see it. There will be a small crowd, roughly 1,500, in attendance this weekend at Arch Madness.
"Definitely not a normal college experience," Krutwig said. "We're No. 20 ranked in the country, I'm sure the campus would have been buzzing and the games would have been crazy. You kind of think about that stuff and, dang, you wish it wasn't like that. This year has been all about adapting."
Because of the pandemic, the NCAA is giving every senior a chance to return next year, or transfer and play immediately. Krutwig hasn't announced his plans. He said he's had opportunities to leave for a bigger program but is glad he stayed at Loyola.
"I never looked into it," Krutwig said of transferring. "I'm sure I could have. Not to sound like this, but I could have gone anywhere I wanted, really, after that freshman year on the national stage. It never crossed my mind, honestly. I made a four-year commitment to coach and the staff here. I wanted to play for Loyola my whole career, close to home, local guy. I just wanted to see what I could do here and it's been a pretty good career."