ST. LOUIS (March 5, 2022)
 
In Short
Fourth-seeded Loyola University Chicago (24-7) used a smothering defensive effort that locked up No. 1 seed Northern Iowa (19-11), forcing the Panthers to shoot just 23.1 percent (13-for-56) from the field and 16.7 percent (4-for-24) from three-point range, in a convincing 66-43 victory this afternoon in the semifinals of the Missouri Valley Conference Championship. Loyola never trailed in the contest and held UNI without a field goal for the final 15:12 of the game.
 
How It Happened
Loyola came out firing on all cylinders and jumped out to an 11-2 lead behind five early points from Braden Norris, who wound up with 13 points on 5-for-5 shooting from the field, while hitting all three of his three-point attempts, in the opening period. A suffocating defense forced the Panthers into just 1 of 11 shooting to open the game as the Ramblers built that 11-2 advantage.
 
Several minutes later, Marquise Kennedy's basket pushed the Ramblers' lead to 25-11, its largest of the game to that point. 
 
UNI made a run late, going on a 12-6 spurt that chopped Loyola's advantage to 31-23, but the Ramblers finished the half strong, scoring the final eight points of the period, the last six coming on triples from Lucas Williamson and another from Norris that just beat the first-half horn, to take a 39-23 edge into the half.
 
Loyola limited UNI to 10-for-32 accuracy from the field (.313), including just 2-for-12 from three-point land, while connecting on 51.6 percent (16-for-31) of its own field goal attempts.
 
In the second half, the few times Northern Iowa was able to make a surge, Loyola answered with a critical three-pointer. After the Panthers snuck within 41-33 in the second half, Schwieger buried a three to push the advantage back to double figures. Trae Berhow's three-pointer that cut it to 41-33 with 15:12 left to play proved to be the final basket for UNI on the day as Loyola's defense forced UNI to misfire on its final 16 field goal attempts of the contest.
 
Then, a bit later in the half, after UNI closed within 47-37, Norris drilled a trey with 8:55 remaining that all but ended the Panthers' hopes, sending Loyola to its third Arch Madness championship game appearance in the last five years.
 
A Look at the Numbers

• Norris led the way for Loyola with 19 points, hitting 7 of 10 shots from the field, including four threes.
• Marquise Kennedy was solid all-around yet again, providing 13 points, six boards, two assists and a pair of steals, while Schwieger chipped in 12 points and six rebounds.
• Loyola held MVC Player of the Year AJ Green to 13 points on a paltry 4-for-20 shooting, while Berhow finished just 2-for-10 from the field.

 
Up Next
Loyola advances to tomorrow's MVC Championship title game where it will face either Missouri State or Drake. Tip-off is scheduled for 1 p.m. on CBS.