CHCIAGO (February 13, 2022)
 
In Short
Loyola University Chicago (19-5, 10-3 MVC) connected for 14 three-point field goals and shot 63.6 percent (35-for-55) from the field to cruise past Northern Iowa (14-10, 10-4 MVC), 85-58, this afternoon and reclaim first place in the Missouri Valley Conference race. The Ramblers have won 37 of their last 38 games at Gentile Arena and are now 14-0 this season when scoring 70 or more points.
 
How It Happened
Loyola, which is a dangerous team when it has its touch from long range, shot 64.3 percent from the field and sank 10 three-pointers in the opening 20 minutes and never trailed after the first four minutes of the game.
 
Back-to-back treys from Aher Uguak snapped a 13-13 stalemate and put the Ramblers ahead for good, at 19-13. Uguak's triples were part 17-2 Loyola run that featured a pair of Ryan Schwieger threes that moved Loyola out front, 30-15.
 
From that point forward, the Panthers never were able to get closer than 10 points the remainder of the contest. UNI was able to be within striking distance at the half (47-35) mostly due to the hot hand of guard AJ Green, who totaled 18 of his team's points in the first period.
 
Two buckets from Chris Knight and a three from Braden Norris were part of a string of 11 unanswered points to open the second-half scoring that allowed Loyola's lead to balloon to 58-35. Northern Iowa countered that blow with 10 straight points of its own to slice the deficit to 58-45, but the Ramblers administered the knockout punch with a 16-2 burst that was capped by back-to-back Uguak layups that extended the lead to 74-47, the largest of the game.
 
A Look at the Numbers

• Loyola's 85 points were its most since tallying 88 versus Roosevelt on December 7.
• Since the start of the 2017-18 campaign, the Ramblers are an impressive 40-3(.930) in Missouri Valley Conference play at Gentile Arena.
• Lucas Williamson led the way for Loyola this afternoon and stated his case for MVC Player of the Year accolades with 18 points, three rebounds, six assists and a pair of steals.
• Uguak had one of his best performances of the season, totaling 17 points, hitting a trio of threes, while adding four boards and finishing 7-for-10 from the field.
• Chris Knight provided 12 points and nine rebounds and the Ramblers also received nine points from Braden Norris and eight from Ryan Schwieger.
• Green led the Panthers with 20 points, but he was bottled up in the second half and was limited to just two points, both from the foul line, in the final 20 minutes of action.
• Loyola also puts the clamps on Noah Carter, who came in averaging 14.3 points per game, holding him to two points on 1-for-6 shooting, with six turnovers.

 
Up Next
Wednesday (Feb. 16) night, the Ramblers make the short jaunt to Valparaiso for a 7 p.m. contest that will be televised on NBC Sports Chicago+.