Box Score | Postgame Comments

CHICAGO - Visiting Indiana State shot 68% from the floor in the second half and 58% for the game to knock off Loyola, 79-65, this afternoon at Gentile Arena. Earl Peterson scored 17 of his 21 points after halftime to lead the Ramblers (14-10, 4-8 Valley). Indiana State moves to 12-12 (8-4) with the win.

The teams went back and forth in the early going and Loyola trimmed a five-point deficit to one after baskets from Montel James and Peterson. However, the Sycamores caught fire from the arc, knocking down five three-pointers in an 18-2 run that turned an 11-10 lead into a 29-12 bulge. It was 31-14 at the 6:42 mark when the Ramblers finally found their rhythm. A Devon Turk triple got them started and Turk tipped in a Crisman miss to make it a 10-point game and Ben Richardson capped a 14-3 LU spurt with a trey of his own to make it a 34-28 game at halftime. Turk and Richardson each had seven points in the half while Justin Gant came off the ISU bench to score 10 points in the period.

A Peterson lay-up and a Christian Thomas free throw to open the second half trimmed the Loyola deficit to three (34-31) but the Trees quickly built the lead back to double figures with a 10-2 spurt. Peterson was the Ramblers' offense over the next four minutes, scoring seven of LU's 10 points, but Indiana State's Devonte Brown kept matching him basket for basket and the Trees lead grew to 15 (58-43) on a three-point play from Brenton Scott at the 10:31 mark. Loyola kept pushing but ISU had an answer for each spurt and the Ramblers got no closer than 10 points the rest of the way.

Loyola shot an even 50% in the second half and finished at a solid 47% clip for the game but Indiana State hit 13-of-19 field goals in the half, including five threes, and knocked down 14-of-16 from the free throw line.

Peterson scored 17 of his 21 points in the second half and was the only Loyola player in double figures. Donte Ingram finished with eight points off the bench while Richardson and Turk finished with seven points apiece. Brown scored all of his game-high 22 points in the second period with Scott pitching in with 21 points.

Loyola returns to action on Wednesday night when it takes on Southern Illinois. Tip time from Gentile Arena is set for 7 p.m.