PEORIA, Ill – The Ramblers went down 20 to the Braves in the first half of Wednesday's first-round NIT match-up before Braden Norris put Loyola on his back and scored 17 points in the second. Norris helped Loyola Chicago battle back and make it a two-point game with 6:30 to go in the second before the Braves pulled away and won, 74-62.
 
With the loss, Loyola concludes its season at 23-10.
 
"Tough to go out with my guys like that," said head coach Drew Valentine. "I thought we really battled in the second half. Bradley did an incredible job of making us play the way we did tonight so give them credit. I am proud of my group. I appreciate them making this year extremely fun and having an incredible amount of belief. They all believed and that's why we were able to accomplish what we did this year."
 
How It Happened
The Braves controlled the first half out of the jump ball with a 10-0 run into the first media timeout. Dame Adelekun put the Ramblers on the board four minutes into the action, but Bradley went up 20-5 midway through.
 
Bradley led by as much as 20 with two minutes left in the first half. Jalen Quinn hit Loyola's first three at the 1:02 mark, and the Ramblers trailed 36-19 at the break.
 
Norris put the team on his back in the second helping Loyola chip away. He opened the half with a three that was followed up with a Philip Alston dunk. Norris hit another from deep at the 17:34 mark, sparking nine unanswered Loyola points.
 
Miles Rubin and Patrick Mwamba were able to cut the Bradley lead to 10 twice in one minute before Adelekun got them into single digits with 9:57 on the clock. Quinn hit a big three at the 8:44 mark, igniting an 8-0 run. Des Watson drove in on the fast break with 6:30 on the clock to get the Ramblers within two, 54-52.
 
Bradley halted the momentum with a three and grew its lead back to seven over the next two minutes. Norris scored on two straight possessions getting within five of the Braves by the three-minute mark. Bradley didn't falter down the stretch expanding its lead back to double-digits, and the Braves won, 74-62.
 
Inside the Box Score
- Norris finished with 17 points on 6-of-11 from the field, including four threes. He led the Rambler scoring efforts. Norris also added four rebounds and two steals.
- Adelekun added 10 points and seven boards.
- Off the bench, Quinn recorded seven points and three steals. Alston and Rubin each had seven points.
- Rubin matched Adelekun's team-high seven rebounds.
- Loyola led in rebounding, 38-33.
- The Ramblers had 16 offensive boards that led to 19 points.