CHICAGO (February 19, 2022)
 
In Short
Lucas Williamson equaled a career high with 27 points, but Loyola University Chicago (20-6, 11-4 MVC) was unable to slow down Drake (19-9, 10-5 MVC) in an 83-76 setback at Gentile Arena tonight. The loss is just the Ramblers' second on their home floor in the last 39 contests.
 
How It Happened
Drake, which scored the first seven points of the game, hit 6 of its first 7 shots from the field to break open a 16-5 lead and force a Loyola timeout. That break seemed to slow the Bulldogs' momentum and Loyola cut into the deficit with a three-pointer from Ryan Schwieger and an Aher Uguak dunk slicing the Bulldogs' advantage to 18-12.
 
But, every time the Ramblers made a run and appeared poised to take the lead, Drake responded and extended its advantage. Faced with a 12-point disadvantage (29-17), Loyola got a bucket from Braden Norris and then five straight points from Williamson to knock the Bulldogs' lead down to 29-24, but a 12-2 Drake spurt bumped the lead to 41-26, matching its largest of the game.
 
Trailing 47-32 early in the second period, Williamson and Ryan Schwieger connected on three-pointers in a 10-1 Loyola run that cut into the deficit and got the hosts within 48-42. Minutes later Drake's lead stood at 56-50 when the Bulldogs used an 8-2 burst to push their lead back to double figures (64-52).
 
Loyola made one last ditch effort in the closing minutes, slicing a 73-63 deficit down to 75-71on Williamson's fourth trey of the night, but Tucker DeVries' triple on Drake's next possession sealed the outcome.
 
A Look at the Numbers

• Drake shot 56.3 percent (27-for-48) from the field for the night and received a team-high 24 points from DeVries, while Garrett Sturtz added 15 points, seven rebounds four assists and five steals.
• Despite getting knocked around all game long, Williamson was still able to match his career high with 27 points, hitting 8 of 15 shots from the field, including four treys, adding six boards, three assists and a pair of steals for good measure.
• Uguak contributed 11 points and a half-dozen caroms and Norris provided 10 points and six assists for the Ramblers, who were just 23-for-53 (.434) from the field.
• The loss is Drake's first against the Ramblers in Gentile Arena. Loyola had won the previous nine matchups in Gentile Arena and was a perfect 7-0 against the Bulldogs in Rogers Park since joining the Missouri Valley Conference in 2013-14.

 
Up Next
Loyola continues a busy final week of the season Monday night (Feb. 21) when it visits Illinois State in a make -up of a game that was originally scheduled for January 5 but was postponed due to COVID-19 concerns within the Redbirds' program.