Dec. 20, 2008

Box Score

DeKALB, Ill. - J.R. Blount scored a game-high 25 points to help Loyola University Chicago (6-5) get past host Northern Illinois (4-8) tonight at the Convocation Center. The Ramblers, who won for the fourth time in the last five outings, connected on a season-high seven three-point field goals for the game and held Huskies leading scorer Darion Anderson to seven points.

After getting off to a sluggish start, in which they hit only 1 of their first 10 shots from the field, the Ramblers hung around thanks to a gritty defensive effort that forced 11 NIU turnovers in the first half. Loyola settled down after the slow start and hit seven of its final 12 shots of the period and took a 30-25 lead into the locker room, thanks to a half-closing 10-5 run. Junior guard Marcus Thomas provided a major boost by scoring eight of his season-high 15 points in the final 8:36 of the half.

Loyola blitzed Northern Illinois with a 12-2 run at the outset of the second half to open up a 42-27 lead, its largest of the night, before the hosts began to chip away at the deficit. Blount tallied four points and Justin Cerasoli drained a pair of three-pointers in that critical stretch for the Ramblers.

Northern drew within three points (59-56) when Tyler Storm sank a pair of free throws with 4:11 remaining in regulation, but two foul shots by Blount, a bucket by Cerasoli, and a lay-up by Leon Young gave Loyola breathing room and a 65-57 advantage and the Huskies would get no closer than five points the rest of the way.

With his 25-point effort, Blount moved into 16th place, ahead of Rambler great John Egan on Loyola's career scoring chart with 1,633 points. Blount also added five rebounds, four assists and a pair of steals, while hitting 7 of 11 shots from the field and 10 of 12 from the charity stripe. Thomas came off the bench to contribute a season-best 15 points, while Cerasoli added 12 points and three steals. In only his second game since returning from an injury, Young tallied nine points and a game-high 10 boards off the bench, and freshman Walt Gibler registered nine points and six boards in his first career start.

Loyola held NIU leading scorer Darion Anderson, who came into the game averaging 19.0 points per game, to seven points, as Aric Van Weelden starred on defense. Storm led the Huskies with 13 points.

Loyola opens a four-game homestand on Monday, Dec. 22 when it hosts SIU-Edwardsville at 2 p.m.