Dec. 16, 2006
Box Score | Quotes
CHICAGO - Blake Schilb scored 15 of his game-high 22 points in the first half and J.R. Blount and Majak Kou combined for 23 second-half points as Loyola (8-3) opened up and early lead and were never headed in a 76-67 win over Northern Iowa (8-2) tonight at the Gentile Center.
Loyola took control of the game early, using a 12-0 run to turn a 5-3 deficit into a 15-5 lead after six minutes. Schilb was the catalyst of the spurt, scoring the last seven points of the run with a three-pointer, two free throws and a short jumper in the paint. Northern Iowa answered back by scoring the next six points to close within four but the Panthers would get no closer than three points the remainder of the half, as Schilb and Andy Polka were able to answer each run and a Polka free throw in the final minute sent the Ramblers to the locker room with a 34-27 lead. Schilb finished with 15 points and five rebounds in the period while Polka was a force inside, adding nine points while getting to the free throw line seven times.
The second half followed a similar pattern, as the visitors pulled back within four on two occasions in the opening minutes, only to see Loyola respond with a Polka dunk and a Kou three-pointer each time. A 9-2 Rambler run, capped by a Tracy Robinson floater, gave LU its largest lead of the game at 49-38 with 12:56 to play but the Panthers again mounted a charge, closing to within five (51-46) on a Grant Stout bucket at the 8:08 mark. Blount answered with a big three-pointer out of a timeout to push the lead back to eight and he drilled another one minutes later to push the lead to 12 with 3:25 showing and the Ramblers cruised from there, knocking down 11 of 14 from the line over the last 1:56 to ice the game.
Schilb finished with 22 points, six rebounds and four assists to lead the Ramblers. Blount finished with 17 points while Polka (15 points, seven rebounds) and Kou (14 points, six boards) also reached double figures.
Loyola returns to the floor on Tuesday night (Dec. 19) against another Missouri Valley foe as they travel to Peoria for a 7 p.m. game at Bradley.
