Box Score

Anchorage, Alaska - Toledo shot 56% in the second half and used a key 8-0 late in the second half to gain some breathing room in an 82-74 win over Loyola tonight in the semifinals of the GCI Great Alaska Shootout in Anchorage, Alaska. The Ramblers will face the loser of Middle Tennessee State and UNC Asheville in tomorrow's third-place game.

Much like in the first meeting between these teams six days ago, Toledo started off hot, with Nathan Boothe scoring or assisting on their first 13 points. The Rockets scored the first seven points of the game before Loyola was able to find its feet. Ben Richardson knocked down a pair of three-pointers to help the Ramblers get into the game and a Milton Doyle bucket drew LU within three, 13-10, at the midway point of the half. A Jonathan Williams basket gave Toledo an eight-point advantage (23-15) before Loyola dug in defensively. A steal and dunk from Earl Peterson got the Ramblers going and jumpstarted an 8-0 run, capped by a Montel James basket, that gave LU its first lead (25-23). Stuckey Mosley scored for Toledo to stop the run and the teams went into the locker room all even at 25-25. Loyola shot just 33% in the half but turned nine UT turnovers into 11 points and rode the hot hand of Richardson, who knocked down three treys off the bench.

Doyle answered a Williams basket with a triple to give Loyola the lead back in the early stages of the second half but Toledo answered with a 13-4 run to open a 40-32 lead with just over 14 minutes to go. Tyson Smith hit a pair from the line and Richardson followed with another three-pointer to cut the deficit to three and the lead see-sawed through the middle stages of the period.

Loyola was still down just six with just over six minutes to go before Toledo put together the decisive run. Williams converted in transition and Jordan Lauf buried a long three-pointer to beat the shot clock to bump the lead to double figures for the first time (59-48). Two Williams free throws capped the spurt and left LU facing a 62-48 deficit with 4:08 on the clock.

A three-pointer from Peterson and a three-point play from Richardson quickly shaved six points off the deficit and it was back to a six-point game (64-58) after Doyle split a pair from the line. However, Toledo's offense was able to produce a couple of key baskets and the Rockets went 13-for-13 from the line over the last 1:16 to seal the victory.

Richardson was outstanding, finishing 7-of-8 from the floor (6-of-7 from the arc) en route to his career-high 21 points. Devon Turk added 15 points and five rebounds while Peterson (11 points, four assists) and Doyle (11 points, four rebounds) also reached double digits. Williams scored 18 of his 20 points in the second half to lead Toledo.

Loyola wraps up tournament play tomorrow with the third-place game against either Middle Tennessee State or UNC Asheville at 8:30 p.m. CT.