Jan. 30, 2010

Box Score |  Highlights

DAYTON, Ohio - Host Wright State (14-8, 7-4 Horizon) scored the final 17 points of the game to earn a 66-48 victory over Loyola University Chicago (12-9, 3-8 Horizon) this afternoon at the Nutter Center. The Ramblers held the Raiders to 27 percent (6-for-22) shooting from three-point range, but lost for the seventh time in their last eight games.

"I thought this game would go down to the wire like the game at our place last month (won by Loyola, 53-52)," Loyola head coach Jim Whitesell said. "Wright State made plays down the stretch and we didn't. They hit some timely threes and broke our back. Give them a lot of credit."

Loyola fell behind by as many as seven points (20-13) in the opening period, but rode some hot long-range shooting from Geoff McCammon, Marcus Thomas and Courtney Stanley, to get within 26-25 with three and a half minutes left. The Raiders closed out the half on a 6-2 run to take a 32-27 lead into intermission.

The first 14 minutes of the second half proved to be a see-saw affair and Loyola opened the stanza with a 9-2 run to stake claim to a 36-34 advantage, its first lead of the game. The teams would exchange leads for the better part of the next eight minutes and following a tip-in by Andy Polka that gave the Ramblers a 45-44 lead, five straight points from Cory Cooperwood put Wright State on top, 49-45.

Thomas' three-pointer from the corner brought Loyola within a point at 49-48, but consecutive threes from Vaughn Duggins, Cooperwood and N'Gai Evans gave the Raiders a 10-point cushion and they would hold the Ramblers scoreless over the final 6:01 of the game.

Thomas was the lone Loyola player to score in double figures as he tossed in 13 points, his most since going for 13 at Green Bay (Dec. 3) earlier this season. McCammon added eight points and the Ramblers, after connecting on 45 percent (9-for-20) of their tries from the field in the first half, hit just 7-of-24 in the closing 20 minutes.

Duggins scored a game-high 21 points to lead Wright State, which also got 19 points and 12 boards from Cooperwood.

Loyola returns home to face Youngstown State on Thursday, Feb. 4.