Dec. 13, 2013
Postgame Comments | Box Score | Highlights
CHICAGO - Freshman Milton Doyle scored 21 of his career-high 32 points in the second half to lead Loyola to an 80-68 win over Campbell tonight at Gentile Arena. The Ramblers (5-5) stay perfect in four home games this season while Campbell slumps to 4-6 overall with the loss.
Four different Ramblers scored in an early 8-0 spurt that gave the home team an early 13-5 lead in their first-ever meeting against Campbell. However, the Camels got hot from the arc, drilling three triples in succession to cap an 11-0 spurt, and the visitors took a 21-18 lead later in the period on another trey from Leek Leek. While Campbell was scoring from the outside, Loyola was scoring inside as the Ramblers' first 27 points were either in the paint or from the free throw line. Doyle ended that run with a three-pointer to put Loyola ahead but a three-point play from CU's Quinton Ray in the final seconds sent the Camels to the locker room at halftime with a 31-30 lead. Loyola shot 52% from the floor in the period but that advantage was offset by Campbell's 6-of-12 (50%) accuracy from the three-point line.
Campbell stayed hot in the early minutes of the second half, hitting three more trifectas in the opening 99 seconds of the period, to take a 40-34 lead. Loyola was able to stem the tide but still trailed by five at the first media timeout of the half before cranking up the defense. The Ramblers held Campbell to just two over a 5:19 span and LU used six points apiece from Doyle and Christian Thomas as part of a 14-2 run that gave the Ramblers a 52-45 edge.
The lead swelled to 12 (63-51) on a Doyle drive and dunk with just over seven minutes left and the lead would not dip lower than seven the rest of the way with Loyola hitting all six of its free throws over the final two minutes to seal the win.
Loyola shot 56.5% from the floor for the game and enjoyed a heavy advantage in both points in the paint (46-18) and points off turnovers (24-6).
Doyle's 32 points mark the first time a Loyola freshman has reached the 30-point plateau since David Bailey scored 30 against Wright State in 2000. He was joined in double figures by Thomas (16 points) and Matt O'Leary, who finished with 15 points (5-6 FGs, 4-4 FTs), five rebounds, five assists and two steals in 28 terrific minutes off the bench.
Loyola looks to wrap up a perfect 3-0 homestand on Wednesday night (Dec. 18) when it hosts Northern Illinois at 7 p.m.
