Nov. 22, 2008
Box Score
KALAMAZOO, Mich. - Loyola University Chicago (2-2) turned in a sparkling defensive effort and made clutch plays down the stretch to earn a hard-fought 54-51 victory over Western Michigan (1-4) this afternoon at University Arena. The Ramblers, who received 17 points, six rebounds and five assists from senior guard J.R. Blount, limited the host Broncos to 29 percent (15 for 51) shooting from the field.
"This is a huge win for us," Loyola head coach Jim Whitesell said. "The game was a lot like last year but with the tables reversed. It was a close basketball game that went back-and-forth, possession-by-possession. Our guys fought hard and played well and our team defense was much better than it has been."
Loyola led the entire first half, and midway through, went on an 11-4 run to open up a 24-15 lead, its largest of the afternoon. Blount tallied four points in that run, which was punctuated with a Marcus Thomas three-pointer.
In a second half marred with 26 fouls and 29 combined free throw attempts, Western Michigan, which refused to go quietly, erased a 34-27 deficit and took its first lead of the game (40-39) on a basket by Shawntes Gary with 7:14 remaining. A jumper by Justin Cerasoli with 2:21 left put Loyola on top, 50-47, but Western Michigan scored the next four points, all from the foul line, to take a 51-50 advantage with 41 seconds left to play.
Blount took over from there, scoring on a driving lay-up with 32 ticks left on the clock to give the Ramblers the lead for good and Andy Polka and Blount each added a free throw down the stretch to add to the lead.
Loyola committed only nine turnovers in the winning effort and Blount received backing from Cerasoli (8 points) and Polka (7 points and 10 rebounds). Ross Forman held Western Michigan's leading scorer, David Kool, to 16 points on 5 of 19 shooting.
The Ramblers are back on the hardwood on Nov. 24 when they face Cornell in the consolation round of the Dick's Sporting Goods NIT Season Tip-Off in at St. John's University in Queens, N.Y.
