Dec. 17, 2005
Box Score
CHICAGO - Junior Blake Schilb drilled five three-pointers and scored a game-high 23 points to lead five Ramblers in double figures as Loyola posted an 87-72 win over Lake Forest this afternoon at the Gentile Center. The Ramblers (7-1) are off to their best start since the 1964-65 season while the Foresters drop to 3-5 with the loss. The win is the eighth straight for the Ramblers at home and the team has now won 13 of its last 15 games overall dating to last season.
Despite a week off for final exams, Loyola's offense seemed to pick up where it left off, however, the Ramblers had some problems on the defensive end of the floor as Lake Forest opened the game hot, especially from the three-point line. A triple from Greg Klos gave the visitors a 9-7 lead and a Brad Rathe three-ball minutes later put Lake Forest ahead by seven (23-16) at the midway point of the first half. Traditional three-point plays from J.R. Blount and Leon Young pulled the Ramblers within one and a tip-in from Young on the next possession gave LU the lead with just under eight minutes to play in the half. After a Dodd Browning triple gave the Foresters a 33-31 lead, the Ramblers reeled off nine of the next 10 points to regain the lead before settling on a 42-38 lead at halftime. Loyola shot .516 from the floor in the half but Lake Forest was even better, shooting at a .625 (15-of-24) clip overall, including a 7-of-11 showing from downtown.
Consecutive hoops from Young and Blount early in the second half bumped the Ramblers' lead to seven (54-47) and they seemed poised to finally break loose. The Foresters answered with back-to-back hoops to get the deficit back down to three before Loyola went on a 13-4 run, highlighted by three Majak Kou three-pointers, to open a 67-55 lead with 9:33 to play. Kou's shooting seemed contagious, as a three-ball from Schilb and two from Blount helped keep the lead in double figures and the Ramblers cruised from there. Three-point shooting and ball-handling were the keys in the second half. Loyola knocked down 9-of-15 (.600) from the arc in the period and a season-best 13 for the game while turning the ball over just four times for the game, including a turnover-free second half.
Schilb's 23 points marked his 32nd straight game in double figures and the Ramblers have now won their last nine contests in which he has hit for 20 or more points. Blount added 20 points (8-11 FGs, 3-4 3FGs) while Young notched his fourth double-double of the season with 19 points (6-7 FGs, 7-7 FTs) and 11 rebounds off the bench. Kou and Chris Logan rounded out the quintet with 11 points each.
Loyola takes its show to the west coast for a pair of games next week. The Ramblers open the trip with a Tuesday night (Dec. 20) game at San Diego. Tip-off is scheduled for 9 p.m. CT.
