Mizzou hoops gets set to host third Rally For Rhyan game

The Mizzou basketball team will hold its third Rally For Rhyan game on Saturday at 1 p.m. against Mississippi State.

The game is played in honor of 7-year-old Rhyan Loos, who was diagnosed with Stage 4 neuroblastoma in the Fall of 2015. Rhyan is the daughter of former Mizzou basketball assistant coach Brad Loos. Loos now works as a major gifts officer for the Tiger Scholarship Fund.

On Friday, Brad Loos met with a group or reporters. He said Rhyan is doing well.

“She’s currently no evidence of disease, and she’s been that way for almost a year now,” Loos said.

MU will once again be raising money for pediatric cancer research. Mizzou raised more than $104,000 during the first two games combined.

Despite Loos no longer being on staff, head coach Cuonzo Martin said he wanted to continue the Rally For Rhyan game tradition. Coach Martin is also a cancer survivor. He was diagnosed with advanced Non-Hodgkin’s lympoma when he was 26-years-old. Martin has been cancer-free for nearly 20 years.

“I just think it’s the right thing to do cause it’s important for everybody whether I was a coach here or not, I think it’s great for the community to rally around it – the state for that matter – everybody in attendance and it’s very important that you stay involved with that,” Martin said.

Mizzou has won the previous two Rally For Rhyan games against Tennessee and Arkansas, respectively.

“Rhyan’s undefeated right now – knock on wood – you know, she’s 2-0.” Loos said.