Boxscore (PDF)

ST. LOUIS (March 9, 2019)
 
In Short…
Cooper Kaifes scored a team-high 14 points and Loyola University Chicago (20-13) held Bradley (19-14) to 33.3 percent shooting, including 29.4 percent in the second half, but ultimately fell short in a heartbreaking 53-51 loss this afternoon in the semifinal round of the Missouri Valley Conference Championship. With the loss, the Ramblers fall short in their quest for a second straight NCAA tournament bid, but have secured a berth in the National Invitation Tournament (NIT), giving them their first back-to-back postseason appearances since 1963-64.
 
Coach Moser's Thoughts
"Hats off to Bradley. They won a man's game. I'm disappointed for our guys because I know how hard they've worked, and how much they've wanted it and knowing the pressure they have been under this year. I'm really proud of our guys."
 
How It Happened
Both teams struggled through sluggish starts on the offensive end. A mid-range bucket from Clayton Custer put Loyola on the board just over three minutes in, knotting up the score at 2-2. Cooper Kaifes connected on a second-chance three at the 12:09 mark to push Loyola in front, 11-8.  
 
Following a finish inside by Cameron Krutwig that tied the score at 13 apiece, Loyola would go scoreless for over five minutes, as Bradley built a 21-13 advantage with seven minutes to play in the opening stanza. Loyola answered back with a 9-2 spurt that was capped off by a Custer triple that sliced the Braves' lead to one, 23-22, with 2:14 remaining.  Offense would again prove tough to come by down the stretch in the first half, with an Elijah Childs layup providing the only scoring as Bradley took a 25-22 edge into the locker room.
 
Loyola came out of the intermission firing, with another Custer triple pulling Loyola level before Aher Uguak converted in the paint to give the Maroon & Gold a 27-25 lead with less than 90 seconds gone.  A driving score from Lucas Williamson stretched the margin to four, 32-28, with 15:27 to play.  Bradley came up with a response of its own, surging back on top, 37-36, on a Darrell Brown floater just before the midway point of the half.
 
Brown stayed hot as time ticked away, draining two threes over a 1:16 span to extend the Bradley lead to 49-43 at the 5:45 mark.  Kaifes answered Brown's second trey with a triple of his own, trimming the gap back down to three, 49-46, seconds later.  The freshman connected from distance again with 1:47 remaining, pulling Loyola within one, 50-49.  With the Bradley lead sitting at 53-51 and time winding down, a last gasp prayer by Marques Townes went awry, as Bradley held on to advance to Sunday's championship game.
 
 
Inside The Box Score
- Kaifes provided a spark of the bench, chipping in 14 points on 5-of-6 shooting, connecting of four of his five attempts from beyond the three-point arc.
- Custer added 10 points, while Townes handed out a team-best five assists. 
- Kennell paced Bradley with a game-high 19 points.
 
Up Next
Loyola will learn its NIT first-round opponent when that bracket is announced March 17 at 7:30 p.m. CT on ESPNU.