CHICAGO (December 1, 2021)
 
In Short
Host Loyola University Chicago (6-2, 1-0 MVC) shot 68.4 percent (13-for-19) from the field in the second half and used a 12-3 run to take control of the contest on its way to an 88-76 victory over Indiana State (3-5, 0-1 MVC) tonight at Gentile Arena in the Missouri Valley Conference opener for both teams. The Ramblers have now won 27 straight games overall on their home floor, and have captured 21 in a row at home versus Valley foes.
 
How It Happened
Indiana State gave the Ramblers all they could handle in the first half, and used an 8-1 spurt midway through the period to stake claim to a 31-24 lead, its largest of the night. With the margin still at seven points (35-28), Marquise Kennedy scored Loyola's next six tallies to open up a half-closing 11-3 run that was capped by a last-second three from Braden Norris that sent the Ramblers into halftime in possession of a 39-38 advantage.
 
After a Cooper Neese bucket to open the second period gave the Sycamores a brief lead, Loyola spun off eight of the next nine points, six of which came from the foul line, to open up a 47-41 edge. 
 
Indiana State inched its way back and finally tied the game at 54-54 on a pair of free throws from Micah Thomas with 11:07 remaining in the game. However, Loyola countered the Indiana State rally by getting a put-back bucket from Chris Knight to commence a game-changing 12-3 run that included three-pointers from Lucas Williamson and Norris, to move the Ramblers ahead, 66-57, and they would never look back from that point forward.
 
The Sycamores crept within three points on a pair of occasions, the last coming at 68-65, but Williamson drilled another triple and Marquise Kennedy capped a 10-4 spurt by slamming home a dunk and then sank a free throw after being fouled on the play to push the lead back to double digits at 78-67 with 3:56 left to play.
 
A Look at the Numbers

• Williamson dropped in a season-high 20 points and hit 4 of 7 attempts from three-point land, while adding five rebounds, three blocks and a pair of steals, to lead Loyola. The graduate student needs 24 points to reach 1,000 for his career.
• Kennedy had another solid performance, going for a season-best 16 points, and Knight was ultra-productive off the bench, giving coach Drew Valentine 13 points and five boards in 20 minutes of work.
• Aher Uguak, who also finished with three blocks, rounded out the crop of double-digit scorers for Loyola, with 10 points.
• Loyola feasted at the free throw stripe, going 26-for-31 (.839) on the night.
• Xavier Bledson led Indiana State with 16 points off the bench.

 
Up Next
Loyola ventures to Wintrust Arena Saturday (Dec. 4) at 3 p.m. for its first meeting with Red Line rival DePaul since 2012.