Box Score | Postgame Comments

Peoria, Ill. - Earl Peterson converted a tough drive with 13 seconds left to break a 53-all tie and send Loyola to a 58-53 win over Bradley this afternoon at Carver Arena in Peoria, Ill. The win gives the Ramblers back-to-back Missouri Valley wins for the first time since they joined the conference last year and improves their record to 16-10 (6-8 Valley) for the season. Bradley slides to 8-19 (3-11) with the loss.

Bradley got off to a hot start, scoring seven of the game's first nine points as Loyola struggled a bit to settle in. A put-back from Joe Crisman started a 12-2 Rambler run in which five different players scored that gave the visitors a 14-9 lead. Montel James hit a pair from the free throw line and threw down a dunk off a terrific setup by Jeff White to stretch the LU lead to eight (21-13) but a three-point play and a three-point field goal from Josh Cunningham had the Braves back within three (23-20) at the 3:31 mark. However, the Ramblers closed the half strong. Christian Thomas scored five points in a 7-0 spurt - the other two coming on a thunderous transition slam from Julius Rajala - as the visitors took a 32-22 lead into the locker room at halftime. After its slow start, the Ramblers finished the half shooting 48% from the floor while their defense limited Bradley to seven field goals and 28% shooting in the period.

The Braves started the second half in the same fashion as the first, scoring seven of the first nine points to make it a five-point game less than four minutes into the half. Rajala split a pair from the line and tipped-in a Thomas miss to give the Ramblers their largest lead of the day (43-32) with 10:18 left. A Devon Turk triple kept the lead at 10 (48-38) at the 6:59 mark before Bradley made a run. Omari Grier answered with a three-pointer to make it a seven-point game and the Braves converted two LU turnovers into layups to make it a 48-45 game. Turk knocked down another triple to give Loyola a six-point lead at the final media timeout but the hosts had one last spurt.

Two Auston Barnes free throws and a Tramique Sutherland basket made it a two-point game and BU caught the Ramblers at 53 on a Nate Wells jumper with 44 seconds left. On the ensuing possession, Peterson found a gap and converted a tough shot around the basket for the Ramblers' first points in 3:10 but it was enough to give them a 55-53 lead with 13 ticks remaining. After a timeout, Loyola forced Sutherland into a tough shot which Thomas rebounded. After two BU fouls to get Loyola into the bonus, Thomas hit the front-end of a one-and-one to make it a three-point game with :01.5 left. Bradley's full-court pass sailed out of bounds without touching anyone and Rajala added a tip-in at the buzzer to account for the final margin.

Thomas led a balanced attack for the Ramblers with 13 points while Ben Richardson added 11, including eight in the first half to get the Ramblers going. Turk scored all eight of his points in the second half, James added eight points and a team-high six rebounds and Rajala posted season-highs of seven points and six boards.

Loyola returns home and will face No. 13 Northern Iowa on Wednesday night. Tip-time from Gentile Arena is set for 7 p.m.