CHICAGO – Dame Adelekun and Miles Rubin combined for 18 second-half points helping the Ramblers surge past Charleston Southern, 72-59. Adelekun and Philip Alston finished with a team-high 12 points each, while Rubin recorded a new career-high 10 points.
 
The Ramblers improve to 7-5 overall.
 
"Today was awesome for our team to show some growth," said head coach Drew Valentine. "I think our guys have shown that they really care about this place. Today was a day where we hit some adversity, and we found a way to win."
 
How It Happened
For the third straight game, Alston put the first points on the board with an easy bucket inside. The Buccaneers didn't shy away from the Ramblers and helped force three lead changes by the first media time out. Midway through the half, CSU used a 6-0 run to swing momentum in their favor for an 15-11 advantage.
 
With under 10 to play, Braden Norris knotted the game at 17-17, but Loyola couldn't regain a lead for the remainder of the half. The Bucs took their largest lead yet at five with 5:54 on the clock. Jalen Quinn fed Alston for an allyoop dunk in the final 10 seconds tying the game at 36 all. Amarion Savage pulled up for a buzzer beater, and CSU took a 38-36 lead into the break.
 
The Ramblers opened the second half on an 11-2 run forcing a 30-second timeout by the Bucs at the 15:40 mark. Rubin and Alston combined for six points out of the gate for a 42-40 lead, while Adelekun capped the stretch with four straight points for a seven-point lead.
 
CSU broke a near five-minute scoreless streak with a Taje' Kelly drive, but Loyola kept the edge and extended it to double-figures by the 8:40 mark on a three-pointer from Adelekun. Loyola then led by 16 on another three from Jayden Dawson under the five-minute mark. The Bucs put away late free throws, but the Ramblers held on to win, 72-59.
 
Inside the Box Score
- Alston extended his double-figure scoring streak to five straight games.
- Rubin notched a new career-high and put up his first double-figure scoring effort, while Adelekun tallied his third of the year.
- Rubin added a team-best seven rebounds and blocked one shot.
- Every Rambler who played tallied at least one assist, including a team-high three from Rubin and Norris.
- Loyola dominated the paint, 50-18, while the bench outscored CSU's, 28-3.
- The Ramblers shot over 57 percent from the field in the first half and finished the game shooting 53.4 percent.
 
Up Next
The non-conference action concludes at home on Dec. 30. Loyola will play Central Michigan at 1 p.m. in Gentile Arena.