Nov. 12, 2010

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CHICAGO - Four players scored in double digits to lead Loyola University Chicago (1-0), which shot 50 percent (9-for-18) from three-point range, to a 73-57 season-opening victory over Eastern Kentucky (0-1) tonight in the second game of the Nick Kladis Classic at the Gentile Center. Loyola has now prevailed in five of its seven season openers under head coach Jim Whitesell.

A pair of three-pointers by Terrance Hill, and one by Ben Averkamp, were part of an 11-4 Loyola run that stretched a one-point advantage to 28-20 with 5:51 left in the first half. The Ramblers received a huge lift from Hill, who came off the bench for just the second time in his career and tossed in 11 first-half points, as Loyola drained 5-of-10 shots from long distance.

Loyola opened the second period on a 9-4 run in the first two minutes to extend a 30-24 halftime lead to 39-28. Averkamp and Walt Gibler combined for seven points in that stretch as the Ramblers used their size advantage to push the lead back to double digits.

After Eastern Kentucky sliced Loyola's edge down to 47-41, Averkamp hit consecutive baskets, one a three-pointer and another of the two-point variety, to ignite a 14-5 surge that gave the hosts a 61-46 lead with 5:55 left to play. From there, the Colonels were unable to get closer than 10 points.

Hill came off the bench to pour in a game-high 21 points, two shy of his career high, while hitting a personal-best 5-of-6 shots from beyond the arc, in 27 minutes of action. Gibler, the 2010 Horizon League Sixth Man of the Year, earned a starting nod and chipped in 17 points and nine rebounds, while Averkamp added 15 points, his most since Dec. 22, 2009, five boards, three assists and three blocks. Jordan Hicks, who missed all but 12 games last season due to injury, looked like the 2008-09 player that finished his freshman year with a bang. The 6-foot-6 Hicks contributed 10 points and five boards in 29 minutes this evening.

Eastern Kentucky, which was limited to 34 percent (19-for-56) shooting, received 14 points from both Spencer Perrin and Joshua Jones.

Play at the Nick Kladis Classic continues tomorrow when Eastern Kentucky faces Texas-Pan American at 5 p.m. Host Loyola meets Indiana State, which upended UTPA, 69-46 tonight, at 7:30 p.m.