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Ranking The 10 Greatest Chicago Sports Teams In History

By Erik Lambert

26 Jan 1986: Quarterback Tony Eason #11 of the New England Patriots is brought down by linebacker Wilber Marshall #58 of the Chicago Bears during Super Bowl XX game at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana. The Bears won the game 46-10.
26 Jan 1986: Quarterback Tony Eason #11 of the New England Patriots is brought down by linebacker Wilber Marshall #58 of the Chicago Bears during Super Bowl XX game at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana. The Bears won the game 46-10. /
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SAN ANTONIO, TX – MARCH 31: Loyola Ramblers team chaplain Sister Jean Dolores-Schmidt looks on before the 2018 NCAA Men’s Final Four Semifinal against the Michigan Wolverines at the Alamodome on March 31, 2018 in San Antonio, Texas. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
SAN ANTONIO, TX – MARCH 31: Loyola Ramblers team chaplain Sister Jean Dolores-Schmidt looks on before the 2018 NCAA Men’s Final Four Semifinal against the Michigan Wolverines at the Alamodome on March 31, 2018 in San Antonio, Texas. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images) /

The 2017-2018 Loyola Ramblers were one of the best sports stories in recent memory. Nobody saw them coming and this group of unheralded youths made it all the way to the Final Four. It gave older fans a brief memory of the best college basketball team in Loyola history and perhaps the best in the entire state of Illinois. That being the 1962-1963 team.

Not only was it a great team, but it was one most people didn’t’ coming. They went 24-2 during their season, earning the #3 ranking in the country. From there they stampeded through the tournament. In their first four games, the Ramblers won by an average of 28.25 points per game. This was against teams like in-state rival Illinois as well as Duke.

It was in the national championship game where they finally earned respect. They were taking on #1 ranked Cincinnati, the two-time defending champions at that point. It was a thrilling game that went back and forth with the two teams battling into overtime. There it was forward Vic Rouse, a future teacher and education consultant, put home an offensive rebound for a 60-58 win.

People don’t understand how unique a cast that team was. Point guard Jerry Harkness played in the NBA and still holds the record for the longest buzzer beat in basketball history at 92 feet. Center Les Hunter was a two-time ABA All-Star. Pablo Robertson, who was actually dropped midway through the season due to academic issues, joined the Harlem Globetrotters.

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