CHICAGO – Loyola Chicago dropped Sunday's game to Chicago State, 84-75. Xavier Amos scored a team-leading 18 points in his debut with the Ramblers. Three more finished in double-figures.
 
Loyola falls to 3-8 overall.
 
"Chicago State definitely wanted it more than us," said head coach Drew Valentine. "There was a team that was extremely hungry and there was a team that wasn't connected or hungry. Credit to Chicago State for coming in here and playing their hearts out. They deserved to win."
 
How It Happened
It was a slow start for both teams Sunday with neither scoring in the first four minutes. Chicago State got on the board with a three-point play at the 15:40 mark, while Miles Rubin scored for Loyola 30 seconds later. He battled on the next possession for two offensive boards that led to Amos' first points as a Rambler and Loyola's first lead of the game.
 
It was tied up 7-7 at the 11:06 media timeout, and Deywilk Tavarez hit a three out of the break to put Loyola up. The Cougars used a 5-0 run to regain control, but Alexander Richardson and Amos kept the Ramblers in the mix to take the lead back by the 7:32 mark. There were three more lead changes before Chicago State took control for the remainder of the half. Amos had back-to-back threes to keep Loyola within one, but Chicago State scored six unanswered to close the half and lead, 35-28.
 
The Cougars pushed their lead to double digits in the first two minutes of the second and extended it to 17 points on a 9-0 run into the 15:30 timeout, 52-35. Tavarez and Chuck Love III had back-to-back threes, while Richardson puts a fourth chance away to get back within nine and attempt to spark the Rambler offense with 10:36 to play.
 
Chicago State's lead grew back to 15 over the next three minute before Rubin and Amos had six straight points to cut the lead down to eight. Kayde Dotson's three with 3:36 to play got the Ramblers within seven. He'd keep it there a minute later at the free throw line, but the Cougars came in clutch at the line in the final minutes, winning 84-79.
 
Inside the Box Score
- Amos finished 5-8 from the field with four threes and went 4-6 at the line. He added three rebounds, one assist, and two blocks in his debut.
- Tavarez scored 17 on 6-15 from the field, including five threes. He added four rebounds and three assists.
- Dotson recorded 12 points, while Rubin had his third double-double of the year with 10 points and 11 rebounds.
- Seven of Rubin's boards were on the offensive glass, while Richardson and Kymany Houinsou had five offensive rebounds each. Both finished with eight total.
- Loyola won the rebounding battle, 45-36, with 23 on the offensive end.
- The Ramblers scored 26 second-chance points.
 
Up Next
Loyola heads back to California for a pair of games. The Ramblers open the trip vs. San Francisco on Dec. 17 for a 9 p.m. CT tipoff.