Box Score

CARBONDALE, Ill. (February 21, 2018)
 
In Short
A balanced scoring attack led by Clayton Custer's 16 points propelled visiting Loyola University Chicago (24-5, 14-3 MVC) to a 75-56 victory over Southern Illinois (19-11, 11-6 MVC) tonight at SIU Arena. The win gives the Ramblers the outright regular season championship in the Missouri Valley Conference.
 
Porter Moser's Thoughts
"I'm just really proud of our guys. These kids are winners and are a special group. They were so focused. I think a key was how we started the second half because SIU finished with a nice run at the end of the first half."
 
How It Happened
Loyola got off to a blazing start from the field, hitting 8 of its first 10 shots from the field, including 5 of 6 from 3-point range, in building a 21-8 lead in the first six minutes of the game. After Southern Illinois rallied to close within 11 points at 25-14, Loyola strung together an 11-3 run that was capped by a layup from Custer, that gave the Ramblers their largest lead of the half, at 36-19.
 
The Salukis answered back and trimmed the Loyola lead down to eight, at 36-28, but back-to-back baskets from Cameron Krutwig pushed the Ramblers' advantage to 40-28. SIU cut the gap with an 8-4 half-closing spurt as Loyola took a 44-36 lead into the break.
 
Loyola, the No. 2 team in the nation in field goal percentage, was red hot in the opening 20 minutes, hitting 60 percent (18-for-30) from the field and 53.8 percent (7-for-13) from three-point range.
 
The Ramblers opened the second period by out-scoring SIU 12-3 in the first four and a half minutes to build their lead back up to 56-39, with Custer's jumper from the elbow closing out that half-opening run. That spurt to open the period put the game out of reach as the Ramblers never let the Salukis get closer than 13 the remainder of the way, while holding them to 30 percent shooting in the half.
 
A Look At The Numbers

• Custer finished with a team-high 16 points and added five assists and five steals for Loyola, which also got 15 points and seven boards from Aundre Jackson.
• Krutwig pitched in 14 points and six boards, and Ingram, Marques Townes and Ben Richardson added nine points apiece.
• Richardson added eight assists, with no turnovers, and four points.
• Loyola shot 57.4 percent from the field for the game.
• Kavion Pippen scored 16 points to pace SIU.

 
Up Next
The Ramblers close out the 2017-18 regular season on Saturday (Feb. 24) when they host Illinois State at 1 p.m. Prior to the game, seniors Donte Ingram, Ben Richardson, Aundre Jackson, Carson Shanks and Nick DiNardi, along with student assistant Tyson Smith and manager Evan Funk, will be recognized for their contributions to the program.