Jan. 15, 2014
Postgame Comments | Box Score
CHICAGO - Milton Doyle scored 19 of his game-high 28 points in the second half and Loyola closed the game on a 25-5 run to grab a 70-60 win over Drake tonight at Gentile Arena. Loyola improves to 7-10 (2-3 MVC) while the Bulldogs slide to 10-7 (1-4) with the loss.
Drake opened the game with a pair of three-pointers and it was a sign of things to come in the opening half. After a Doyle basket, Richard Carter converted a traditional three-point play as Drake opened up an early 9-2 lead. A three-pointer from Devon Turk helped settle the Ramblers but DU stayed hot from outside and opened a 22-14 lead on a Blake Danielak triple at the 7:50 mark. Jeff White answered with a three-point play and Turk followed with another trey to make it a two-point game and the teams headed to the locker room tied at 32 after a Doyle basket in the waning seconds. Loyola shot 43% in the half while Drake buried six from downtown, however, the Ramblers turned five DU turnovers into 10 points to head into halftime tied up.
Two three-pointers from Chris Caird helped Drake move out to a six-point lead early in the second half but Loyola managed to hang in again behind Doyle. An Aaron Hawley trifecta gave the Bulldogs a 51-45 lead before the Ramblers ramped up the defense. A driving lay-up from Turk, two Christian Thomas free throws and a three-point play in transition from White gave LU its first lead of the game, 52-51, at the 8:44 mark and kickstarted the run. After a Daddy Ugbede free throw tied it, Loyola ripped off 10 unanswered points, the last two on a Doyle jumper, to open up a double-digit lead and they were never threatened, outscoring Drake 25-5 over the last 12:37 to earn the victory.
Doyle was terrific, drilling 10-of-17 from the floor (4-6 3FGs) en route to his 28 points. He was joined in double figures by Turk (14 points), Thomas (10) and White (10) while Nick Osborne gave the Ramblers a big lift off the bench, finishing with six points and six rebounds in 18 minutes.
Loyola returns to action on Saturday, searching for its first-ever Valley winning streak when it travels to Evansville for a 1 p.m. game.
