DES MOINES (January 7, 2020)
 
In Short
Liam Robbins scored a game-high 20 points to lead host Drake (12-4, 2-1 MVC) to a 65-62 victory over Loyola University Chicago (10-6, 2-1 MVC) tonight at Knapp Center. The loss is just the Ramblers' second in their last nine contests overall and snapped a five-game win streak against the Bulldogs.
 
Coach Moser's Thoughts
"I thought we played hard enough to win but not well enough to win. There was no quit in us."
 
How It Happened
Drake hit five three-pointers to help it open up a 24-18 lead in the first half and the Bulldogs' advantage would grow to as many as nine points, at 36-27, with 2:26 remaining in the first half. Loyola finally connected on its first three of the night when Lucas Williamson knocked one down on the Ramblers' next possession and another triple, this one from Keith Clemons, was part of a half-closing 7-2 burst that cut the deficit to 38-34 at the break.
 
A 7-2 spurt that featured four points from Tate Hall to open the second half gave Loyola a short-lived 41-40 lead four minutes into the period. However, five straight Bulldogs' tallies moved the hosts back ahead, 45-41. Hall followed with a three to bring the Ramblers back within a point, but a 13-4 Drake run, capped by a Liam Robbins dunk extended the advantage to 58-48, the largest of the game to that point.
 
Back-to-back Clemons buckets, one of which was a three from the right wing, and a Cameron Krutwig layup, sliced the Drake lead to 58-55, however, the Bulldogs countered with five unanswered points to stretch their edge to 63-55 with 3:47 remaining.
 
Loyola clawed back within three points twice, the last on a Krutwig basket that made it 65-62 with 46 seconds left to play. After the Ramblers got a defensive stop, they had an opportunity to tie the game and force overtime, but misfired on a pair of three-point attempts in the closing seconds as their five-game win streak versus Drake came to a halt.
 
A Look At The Numbers

• Hall scored a team-high 15 points to lead the Ramblers, who also got 14 points, seven board, four assists and three steals from Krutwig.
• Clemons equaled a season high with 13 points and also pitched in four assists and five steals.
• For the second straight outing, the Ramblers committed only six turnovers.

 
Up Next
The Ramblers return home to open up a brief two-game set at Gentile Arena beginning January 11 with a matchup versus Evansville.