Nov. 28, 2007

Box Score

CHICAGO - Visiting Bradley (5-2) closed out the game with a 31-9 run to erase a five-point deficit and earn a 64-47 victory over Loyola University Chicago (2-3) tonight at the Gentile Center. The loss is the Ramblers' third straight, their longest skid since dropping four consecutive contests in January 2006.

Loyola started out the game by scoring the first nine points of the contest, holding Bradley scoreless for nearly the first five minutes. The Ramblers built that lead to as many as 11 points (20-9) before the Braves chipped away at the deficit. Bradley used a 5-1 run to close the Ramblers' lead to 29-24 at the half. Despite turning the ball over 11 times in the opening period, Loyola built the lead, thanks in large part to 52 percent (12 for 23) shooting from the field and a stingy defense that forced 10 turnovers and limited Bradley to 33 percent (9 for 27) shooting.

A Theron Wilson dunk to open the second stanza closed Loyola's lead to three points (29-26), but a bucket by Andy Polka ignited a 7-0 Rambler run that pushed their advantage back up to double digits at 36-26. After the Braves sliced their deficit to five points (38-33), they scored seven straight points, as part of a game-ending 31-9 run, to claim a 40-38 lead they never relinquished.

J.R. Blount scored a team-high 18 points and added five rebounds and two assists for the Ramblers, who also got 10 points and eight boards from Leon Young.

Jeremy Crouch scored a game-high 21 points to lead Bradley.

Loyola looks to get back on the winning track when it travels to Northern Iowa December 1.