INDIANAPOLIS (March 19, 2021)
 
In Short
Lucas Williamson scored a game-high 21 points to power eighth-seeded Loyola University Chicago (25-4) to a 71-60 victory over ninth-seeded Georgia Tech (17-9) this afternoon at Hinkle Fieldhouse in a NCAA Tournament First Round game. The Ramblers are now 14-5 all-time in NCAA Tournament play and 5-1 under head coach Porter Moser. 
 
Head Coach Porter Moser's Thoughts
"I thought our guys had a tremendous grit to them today. With Moses Wright out we told our guys it wasn't going to be an easier game, it was just going to be a different game."
 
How It Happened
Loyola hit just 1 of its first 6 shots, with a few of those rattling in and out, while Georgia Tech knocked down 6 of its first 7 tries to build an early 13-3 advantage a little over six minutes into the game. Jose Alvarado opened the scoring with a jumper and Lucas Williamson followed with a three-pointer that gave the Ramblers a 3-2 lead, but the Yellow Jackets then ran off 11 unanswered points.
 
After that, the Ramblers started to get into a flow offensively, and threes by Braden Norris and another from Williamson were sandwiched around a basket by Cameron Krutwig in an 8-2 spurt that whittled the deficit to 15-11.
 
The Ramblers got within two (19-17) on a Marquise Kennedy dunk, but Tech scored the next four points to expand its advantage to 23-17. Norris' second triple of the day sparked a string of 11 straight points, capped by a layup from Krutwig, that gave Loyola a 28-23 edge, its largest of the half. 
 
After that hot start, Georgia Tech connected on only 6 of its final 16 attempts from the field in the opening 20 minutes and Loyola finished out the period on a 13-2 run to take a 30-25 lead into the locker room.
 
Three straight points to open the second half allowed Georgia Tech to cut Loyola's lead to 30-28, but a three from Williamson keyed a 7-2 spurt that pushed the advantage to 37-30, the Ramblers' largest of the game to that point.
 
The Yellow Jackets got rolling and rattled off nine consecutive points to reclaim the lead, 39-37, on a three from Alvarado and moved that advantage to 43-40 before Loyola punched back and strung together 10 straight tallies, five of which came courtesy of Williamson, to put the Maroon and Gold back on top, 50-43.
 
Georgia Tech cut Loyola's lead to 59-54 with 4:06 left to play, but following a missed free throw, Williamson came down with a huge offensive rebound and found Keith Clemons, who knocked down a clutch three to stretch the lead to 62-54 to salt away the victory.
 
 
A Look At The Numbers

• Williamson finished with a season-high 21 points and added six rebounds and four assists.
• Norris was sensational, totaling 16 points and eight assists, while Keith Clemons pitched in 12 points and Krutwig added 10 points and five boards.
• Loyola wound up shooting 46.7 percent (11-for-27) from three-point range and had 18 assists on 25 field goals. The Ramblers have buried 10 or more triples in three of their last four outings.
• Jordan Usher led Georgia Tech with 15 points and five caroms.
• Loyola has won 18 of its last 19 games overall.

 
Up Next
Loyola will face top-seeded Illinois in the second round on Sunday, March 21. Time and location are still to be determined.