CHICAGO (January 11, 2022)
 
In Short
Braden Norris scored a game-high 23 points, with 14 of those coming in the extra sessions, to lead Loyola University Chicago (12-2, 3-0 MVC) to a stirring, 81-74, victory over Valparaiso (8-9, 1-4 MVC) in double overtime Tuesday night at Gentile Arena. The victory extends the Ramblers' win streak to eight games overall, while also pushing their home-court win streak to 30 games. At 12-2, Loyola is off to its best start through 14 games since 1965-66 when it won 13 of its first 14 contests.
 
Coach Valentine's Thoughts
"This is a resilient group, but we have got to get better. Valpo played us really tough tonight.  It's really hard to play three games in six days, but you have to give our guys credit. They're winners and they're champions."
 
How It Happened
Loyola never held the lead in regulation and Valparaiso used an 18-7 run in the first half turn a one-point advantage into a 25-13 lead, its largest of the game. Back-to-back threes from Norris and Lucas Williamson and a free throw from Ryan Schwieger sliced the deficit to 25-20 late in the opening stanza, but the Beacons were able to extend their lead back to double figures before a Tate Hall basket with 90 seconds remaining in the period cut the Valpo lead to 30-22.
 
Loyola connected on only 37.5 percent (9-fr-24) of its field goal attempts in the first half, while the Beacons sank shots at a dizzying 57.1 percent (12-for-21) clip.
 
Valpo built its advantage back to 12 points on two occasions in the second half, the last coming with 13:02 showing on the clock, on a Kevion Taylor three-pointer, and the Ramblers trailed by double digits (49-39) as late as the 7:46 mark before they began to steadily chip away at the Beacons' lead.
 
A Marquise Kennedy layup with 2:47 remaining in regulation brought Loyola within four, at 53-49, but Taylor answered with a hoop to bump the Valpo edge back to six. Chris Knight, who provided some big minutes off the bench for the second straight outing, converted a layup to get the Maroon and Gold back within four points and Valpo began to wilt under Loyola's pressure in the final 72 seconds, turning the ball over on three occasions in crunch time to allow Loyola to complete the rally.
 
Williamson's jumper with 42 ticks left on the clock trimmed the Beacons's advantage to 55-53, and following Valpo's third turnover down the stretch, Norris calmly sank a pair of free throws with 17 seconds remaining to even the score and send the contest into overtime.
 
Aher Uguak's free throw opened the scoring in overtime and gave the Ramblers their first lead of the night, at 56-55. A bucket from Norris with 2:37 remaining on the clock in the first overtime moved the Ramblers on top, 63-61, but a Preston Ruedinger three-pointer was followed by a pair of Taylor free throws that placed the Ramblers in a 66-63 hole with 37 seconds left to go. That's when Norris stepped up again with a clutch basket, burying a triple with 23 seconds remaining to even the score (66-66) yet again and force another extra session.
 
Norris dominated the second overtime period, hitting a trio of treys to carry his team to its second straight come-from-behind victory after being down by double digits. After the teams exchanged three balls to start the second overtime, Kennedy's layup put the Ramblers ahead to stay and Norris extended the lead to 74-69 with his fourth trey of the evening.
 
A Sheldon Edwards triple chopped the Ramblers' advantage to 74-72 in the final two minutes, but of course, it was Norris again with a huge basket, finding nothing but net from behind the arc for the fifth time in the game with 45 seconds left, to seal the win.
 
A Look at the Numbers

• Norris' 23 points are his most scored in a Loyola uniform and also equaled his career high set as a member of the team at Oakland University, in a game against Detroit Mercy, on February 23, 2019. The redshirt junior point guard finished the night 5-for-9 from three-point distance and also was a perfect 6-for-6 from the foul line, while also picking up four assists and a pair of steals.
• Norris has converted 14 of his last 24 (.583) attempts from three-point range over the last four games.
• Kennedy had his best showing in a month, going for 14 points, five caroms and a pair of thefts, while Tate Hall came off the bench and was a key contributor at both ends of the floor, totaling 13 points and five boards.
• Williamson chipped in 11 points and Knight collected nine points and four rebounds in his most extended action (30 minutes) of the season.
• Edwards paced the Beacons with a team-high 20 points off the bench, while Taylor contributed 17 points.
• Loyola has now won 23 consecutive Missouri Valley Conference home games.
• After going just 3-for-20 (.150) from three-point territory in regulation, the Ramblers drained 5 of 6 tries (.833) from trey town in the overtime periods.
• This was Loyola's first double overtime game since a 72-69 loss at Northern Iowa on January 18, 2017.

 
Up Next
Loyola opens a two-game road swing Saturday (Jan. 15) when it travels to Indiana State. That contest will be broadcast live on CBS Sports Network at 6 p.m. CT.