Loyola New Orleans vs New Orleans prediction: Stacy Hollowell's old program visits LSU New Orleans for a homecoming
Loyola New Orleans crosses town to face the coach who won it an NAIA title, and the Privateers' habit of living at the free-throw line is the clearest guide to what they bring.
- Expect LSU New Orleans to attack the rim and draw fouls, the identity that carried its offense last season, against an NAIA crosstown neighbor.
- Watch the Privateers' ball security: last season's 20.6% turnover rate ranked 355th and is the flaw a pressing Loyola team would target.
- No spread or total is posted. The number that matters most is last season's 46.4% free-throw rate, first in Division I.
A coach facing his past
The storyline writes itself. Stacy Hollowell coached Loyola New Orleans to an NAIA championship before the University of New Orleans hired him away from a Texas Southern assistant job in April 2024. Now his old program comes to Lakefront Arena on Saturday, Nov. 7.
The home side carries a new name into it. The university rejoined the LSU System in July 2026 and now plays as LSU New Orleans. Loyola is in transition too: it has been accepted into the Gulf South Conference, a Division II league, starting in fall 2027.
The game's status is not fully settled. Loyola's schedule lists it as an exhibition at 1:00 PM, while other listings show the time as TBA. Check with both schools before tip.
Living at the line
Last season's Privateers went 15-18, and one trait stood out above everything else. Their free-throw rate (free-throw attempts per field-goal attempt) was 46.4%, the highest in Division I. They also crashed the glass, grabbing 35.6% of their own misses, 42nd nationally.
That style should travel against any opponent: keep attacking, keep the officials busy, and turn misses into second chances. Since this season's roster turnover isn't known, treat last season's profile as a lean, not a certainty.
Where it could get messy
The same team gave possessions away. LSU New Orleans turned it over on 20.6% of possessions last season, 355th of 365, and its defensive rebounding rate of 65.5% ranked 340th. Those are the openings Loyola would need to keep this close.
The visitors add transfers Curtis Blair III from Cedarville and O'Neill Connolly from Montevallo, plus Latvian freshman Markuss Sipko. Nothing is known about Loyola beyond its name, so the only yardstick is the home team's 208th-place finish in adjusted net efficiency (points per 100 possessions, adjusted for opponents) last season. LSU New Orleans was picked sixth in the Southland preseason poll.
Numbers that matter
| Free-throw rate (last season) | 46.4% | First in Division I, the core of LSU New Orleans' offensive identity. |
|---|---|---|
| Turnover rate (last season) | 20.6% | Ranked 355th of 365, the Privateers' biggest weakness. |
| Offensive rebound rate (last season) | 35.6% | Ranked 42nd, a steady source of second chances. |
| Southland preseason pick | 6 | Where the Southland preseason poll slotted LSU New Orleans for 2026-27. |
Loyola New Orleans vs New Orleans: quick answers
When is Loyola New Orleans vs New Orleans?
Saturday, November 7, 2026 at 12:00 AM ET.