CHICAGO (December 9, 2020)
 
In Short
Cameron Krutwig scored a team-high 22 points and grabbed nine rebounds to power host Loyola University Chicago (2-0) to an 88-51 victory over Chicago State (0-6) this afternoon at Gentile Arena. The Ramblers, who have now won 11 straight home games dating back to last season, used a 17-3 run at the start of the second half to put the game out of reach. Loyola is 2-0 for the first time since the magical season of 2017-18, when it went on a run to the NCAA Final Four and finished with a school-record 32 wins.
 
Coach Moser's Thoughts
"I was pleased with our second-half effort, especially defensively. You can't be upset with a win."
 
How It Happened
Loyola got off to a hot start, hitting 6 of its first 8 field goal attempts in building a 12-7 lead before the first media timeout. Chicago State stayed within striking distance and was within a basket when the Ramblers put together a 9-2 spurt, capped by a Marquise Kennedy dunk, to extend their lead to 29-20, their largest of the game to that point.
 
A Lavelle Zeigler layup with 2:25 remaining in the period cut the Loyola advantage to 33-29, but another Kennedy dunk was sandwiched around a pair of Krutwig scores that extended the hosts lead to 39-29 and the Ramblers would take a 39-31 lead into the locker room at halftime.
 
Krutwig dominated the first half, scoring 18 points and adding seven rebounds in the opening stanza alone. After shooting well from the perimeter in the season opener versus Lewis on Saturday, the Ramblers failed to match that marksmanship from long range in the first half, hitting just 2 of 11 tries from long range, but finished the period shooting 54.88 percent (17-for-31) from the field.
 
Loyola hit Chicago State with a quick burst to start the second half, using a layup from Tate Hall and a three from Lucas Williamson to run the lead to 44-31, prompting a Cougars timeout to stop the momentum. Those tallies were part of a 13-0 run, that also included a pair of threes from Hall, to open the half that put the Cougars in an insurmountable 52-31 hole. 
 
A Look At The Numbers

• Krutwig knocked down 10 of 13 shots from the field en route to his 22-point afternoon. This is his first 20-point effort since totaling 21 points versus Northern Iowa on February 15 last season.
• Hall added 15 points, four rebounds, three assists and a pair of steals for a Loyola squad that shot 59 percent (36-for-61) from the field for the game, including 63.3 percent (19-for-30) in the second half.
• Loyola has now won 10 of the 11 meetings with Chicago State in the all-time series between the teams. 
• Marquise Kennedy finished an efficient day with eight points, five rebounds and six assists.
• Twelve of the 13 Ramblers to see action today scored at least one point, including redshirt senior walk-on Jake Baughman, who drained a three-pointer in the closing minutes. 

 
Up Next
Loyola makes the short trip to UIC Sunday (Dec. 13) for a 1 p.m. tip.