CHICAGO – Loyola used the momentum of a six-point possession with four minutes left in the game to take their first lead of the half and never trailed again in a 77-71 win over visiting Missouri State here Sunday.
The Ramblers (13-6, 3-3 MVC) got 22 points from Aundre Jackson and 18 points from Milton Doyle who scored all six points on the pivotal possession late in the game.
With the Bears leading 60-57 after an up-and-under shot by Chris Kendrix, Doyle got the ball deep in the low post for Loyola on the ensuing possession. He drove past Kendrix, who reached out to slow Doyle, and scored off the glass. Kendrix was called for a flagrant foul, which gave the Ramblers the bucket, two free throws and the ball. Doyle made both foul shots and finished the six-point play on a drive to the bucket on the ensuing possession to give LUC a 63-60 lead.
That stretch would eventually extend to a 10-0 run by the home side with Loyola leading by as many as seven from there. The Bears were able to stay within striking distance thanks to Alize Johnson who scored a team-high 20 points and snagged 10 rebounds for his 10th double-double of the season. He scored nine points in the last minute-and-a-half, but the Bears could not get a defensive stop, and Loyola kept making its free throws when they counted.
For the game, the Ramblers dropped in 20-of-23 (.870) from the foul line, including 10-for-12 in the clutch. They came into the day making just 67 percent as a team.
The Bears (12-7, 3-3 MVC) also got 16 points and 3 assists from Dequon Miller, while Kendrix poured in 15 points and snagged 6 rebounds in reserve, while converting 5-of-7 shots from the field.
After trailing by 11 at the midway point, Loyola shot 60 percent from the field in the second half and capitalized on 13 Missouri State turnovers with 17 points off them. The Ramblers also outscored the Bears from the bench, becoming the first team this season to do so, with 33 points from the pine.
In the first half, the Bears shot 56 percent from the field and doubled up the Ramblers on the glass to lead 39-28 at the intermission. A 14-4 run by Missouri State over a four-and-a-half minute stretch in the first half opened up a 10-point advantage for the visitors with three different Bears knocking down 3-pointers during the stretch.
Loyola responded with a 7-0 outburst of their own to get back within three points of the lead, but Jarrid Rhodes answered the bell with a clutch triple from the right wing and a 16-footer on MSU’s next possession to push the lead to 27-21 and end the threat.
In the final two minutes of the half, Ryan Kreklow drained a long three from the left wing before Kendrix responded with a fade-away jumper on the left baseline. On the final possession of the half, Kreklow corralled on an offensive rebound and stuck in back in before the final horn to give coach Paul Lusk’s troops a 39-28 lead at the midway point.
For the game, MSU shot an even 50 percent, making 27-of-54, and went 8-of-20 (.400) from bonus distance, but just 2-of-8 in the second. Half. MSU was also 9-of-12 (.750) at the line with a 31-25 rebounding advantage.
Loyola finished 26-for-51 (.510) overall from the field, 5-of-13 (.385) from long range and had seven turnovers.
The Bears continue their MVC road swing on Wednesday with a 6 p.m. (Central) game at Indiana State (7-11, 1-5 MVC). MSU then returns to JQH Arena on Saturday, Jan. 21 to battle Bradley at 2 p.m. on Hall of Fame weekend.
