CHICAGO – After going down 14 in the first half, Loyola Chicago opened the second on a 9-0 run and led by as much as five. The final four minutes saw four ties before North Texas hit a buzzer beater to take the win, 64-62.
 
The loss drops Loyola to 1-2 on the year.
 
"Thursday was such a shock to the system that I think to start the game we were nervous to make mistakes," said head coach Drew Valentine. "We came out and were initiators in the second half. Hopefully we continue to do that. We had a lot of spirit, heart, and life in the second half. I'm proud of that fight."
 
How It Happened
Justin Moore gave Loyola their first and only lead of the first half on Loyola's opening possession. North Texas built a 10-point lead on an 8-1 run by the 12:59 mark, but the Ramblers chipped their way back in, cutting the lead to four on a Kayde Dotson three with 11:25 to play.
 
Chuck Love III and Moore kept the Ramblers within three of the Mean Green just after the under-eight media timeout and Love III would hit a three with 5:43 to play to trail, but North Texas quickly pushed the lead back to double-figures on a 10-0 run from the free throw line to close the half. The Mean Green took a 34-20 lead at the break.
 
Despite the deficit, the Ramblers came out with fight to start the second half, going on a 9-0 run. Rubin had the first two buckets and a block, while Moore hit a three. The Ramblers had two steals in that stretch, while Deywilk Tavarez capped the run with a layup. Loyola kept chipping away, getting within one at the foul line with just over 11:30 to play.
 
Love III provided the spark Loyola needed midway through, scoring six straight points that swung the lead in Loyola's favor for the first time since the opening basket. The Ramblers jumped ahead by five, their largest lead yet, at the free throw line with help from Tavarez and Dotson. The final four minutes saw four ties, including a layup from Kymany Houinsou to knot the game 62-62 with three seconds to play. The Mean Green got lucky on the other end with a jumper to beat the buzzer and take the win, 64-62.
 
Inside the Box Score
- Four Ramblers scored double-figures Sunday afternoon. Love III led the team with 12 points. Tavarez and Dotson had 11 each, and Moore added 10.
- Love III also had a team and season-high seven rebounds. Rubin added six, while Houinsou had five.
- Houinsou dished out a team-leading four assists, while Rubin had a team-best two blocks.
- Both teams struggled from the floor, shooting below 40 percent. North Texas shot 35.8 percent, while the Ramblers shot 32.7 percent.
- Loyola converted 16 offensive boards to 13 points.
 
Up Next
The Ramblers take their first road trip of the season. Loyola will play at Wichita State Thursday, Nov. 13 at 6:30 p.m. CT.