CHICAGO (November 9, 2021)
 
In Short
Six players scored in double figures and Loyola University Chicago (1-0) connected on a single-game program record 20 three-point field goals to breeze to a 103-45 victory over Coppin State (0-1) at Gentile Arena in the head coaching debut for Ramblers bench boss Drew Valentine. The win extends Loyola's home-court winning streak to 23 games, which is the fifth-longest active streak in NCAA Division I play.
 
How It Happened
A flurry of threes allowed Loyola to put the game out of reach in the opening minutes. The Ramblers hit four of their first five attempts from long range, with Lucas Williamson, Aher Uguak and Marquise Kennedy finding the bottom of the net during a game-opening, 14-0 run.
 
Nine of the Ramblers' first 13 buckets were threes and Uguak, who connected on 11 triples a year ago, dropped a trio or treys on the Eagles as the Ramblers darted out to a 35-5 advantage and never looked back. Loyola's lead grew to as many as 41 points (52-11) in the first half and after burying 11 threes in the opening 20 minutes, the Ramblers took a 54-19 lead into the locker room at the break.
 
Once Coppin State got within 28 points, at 63-25 midway through the second period, the Ramblers kicked things into another gear, using their defense to help create offense as they assembled a 29-2 run that ballooned the lead to 92-37. Fan favorite Will Alcock, a senior walk-on, elicited a huge roar from the boisterous crowd when he knocked down a three-pointer from the top of the key with 2:25 remaining and Loyola's lead at one point was as large as 60 points (103-43).
 
A Look at the Numbers

• Nine players knocked down a three-pointer for Loyola, with Uguak (four), Braden Norris (three) and Saint Thomas (three) sinking three or more triples.
• Loyola's defense, which allowed only 56.1 points per game in 2020-21, a figure that led the nation, held Coppin State to 45 points and only 22.4 percent (13-for-58) shooting, including a measly 8 percent (2-for-25) from behind the arc.
• Uguak scored a team-high 16 points in only 21 minutes of action to pace the Ramblers, who also received 13 points, nine boards and three assists from Norris and 13 points and six rebounds from Ryan Schwieger.
• Chris Knight pitched in 10 points off the bench and Williamson went for 10 points, seven assists, five caroms and a pair of steals.
• Tate Hall scored eight points and hauled in a career-high 10 rebounds off the bench and Kennedy tallied eight points, nine boards, six assists and three steals.
• Loyola finished the night 20-for-46 (.435) from three-point range, easily shattering the previous single-game school record of 15 threes set versus Saint Louis on Jan. 24, 1991.
• The 103 points are also the most scored by a Loyola team since erupting for 104 points in a 104-96 double-overtime victory over Indiana State on January 30, 2016.

 
Up Next
The Ramblers continue their four-game, season-opening homestand Saturday afternoon (Nov. 13) when they take on Florida Gulf Coast at 1 p.m. The game will be televised live on NBC Sports Chicago.