GAME INFORMATION
Final Score: Missouri State 56, Loyola 54
Records: Missouri State (6-10, 2-2 MVC); Loyola (7-9, 0-4)
Location: Gentile Arena -- Chicago, Ill.
Attendance: 1,128
Stats: Box Score | Season Stats
Watch: Postgame Press Conference | Highlights

In Short...
Dequon Miller's running jumper with :03.4 seconds left gave visiting Missouri State a 56-54 win over Loyola this afternoon at Gentile Arena. Loyola drops to 7-9, 0-4 MVC with the loss.

After a cold-shooting night at Illinois State earlier in the week, Loyola shot 56.5% in the opening half to take a six-point lead (29-23) into the locker room at halftime. Earl Peterson scored the final four points in a 10-0 run that turned a three-point deficit into a seven-point lead midway through the period.

The lead grew to as many as 10 before Missouri State started to chip away and the Bears went on a 15-5 run to build a seven-point lead of their own with just under four minutes to play. Loyola came all the way back to tie at 54-54 after Milton Doyle stole and inbounds pass and scored with nine seconds left but Miller answered at the other end to give Missouri State the win.

Peterson led the Ramblers with 18 points and added six rebounds. Doyle also finished in double figures, posting 13 points.

How It Happened
+ After shooting just 3-of-21 from downtown on Wednesday, Loyola opened the game by knocking down a pair from beyond the arc
+ Missouri State led 18-15 before Loyola's 10-0 run, which included baskets from four different players
+ Milton Doyle extended Loyola's lead to eight, 29-21, before Miller hit two free throws to account for the 29-23 halftime score
+ Doyle and Montel James scored the first four points of the second half to give the Ramblers their largest lead of the game (33-23)
+ Missouri State scored 14 of the next 18 points to draw even at 37 and, eventually, took its largest lead (52-45) on a Camryn Boone free throw with 3:50 to play
+ Two Doyle free throws and four points from Peterson quickly cut the deficit to one (52-51) with under two minutes to play

Inside The Numbers
+ After opening the game with two three-pointers, 22 of Loyola's final 23 first-half points were scored in the paint
+ Loyola finished the game shooting just under 46% from the floor (45.8), shooting 57% in the first half but only 36% in the final 20 minutes
+ After knocking down its first two tries from downtown, the Ramblers went 1-of-11 the rest of the way
+ Peterson's 18 points tied his season-high while Donte Ingram equaled his season-high with a team-best eight rebounds

Next Up
Loyola hosts Bradley on Wednesday night (Jan. 13) at Gentile Arena. Tip-time is set for 6 p.m. and the game will be televised on CSN Chicago.