SANTA CRUZ – Loyola Chicago downed Santa Clara 80-78 Saturday afternoon behind a career-high 26-point performance from Kayde Dotson. He drained five threes and went 7-8 at the line to come up clutch for the Ramblers.
 
Loyola finishes their non-conference season at 4-9.
 
"We had a very simple game plan today, and they executed," said head coach Drew Valentine. "Kayde and Justin used the high-ball screens to see the floor to spray the shooters, touch the paint, and get to the free throw line. We did a good job of staying composed and responding to adversity today."
 
How It Happened
Xavier Amos picked up where he left off the other night with Loyola's first six points of the game to give the Ramblers an early 6-4 edge at the 15:36 media timeout. The Ramblers quickly built that lead to ten with an 8-0 run that saw back-to-back threes from Deywilk Tavarez.
 
The Broncos fought back with their own 8-0 run, but the Ramblers would keep the lead until the 6:34 mark. Santa Clara regained the lead at the line and again with five unanswered points by the 3:57 mark. Dotson scored four straight points for a late Loyola lead change, but the game would stay tied at the break, 40-40.
 
The second half was a back-and-forth battle that saw 14 lead changes before the Ramblers claimed the win. The Broncos opened on a 6-0 run to take their largest lead of the game less than two minutes into the action. Dotson and Tavarez stepped up for Loyola, making two straight threes for the team's first lead of the half, 52-51.
 
Neither team led by more than three until 2:30 left to play. Chuck Love III hit a hook-shot in the paint followed by a pull-up jumper by Moore to put the Ramblers up by five. Santa Clara was fouled on a three with 15 seconds left to play to make it a one-possession game, but the Ramblers held on to win, 80-78.
 
Inside the Box Score
- Dotson scored a career-high 26 points. It marks his first career 20-point game. He went 7-17 from the field with five threes. He finished 7-8 at the line.
- Dotson added four rebounds and one assist.
- Moore scored 15 points on 6-9 from the field. He tallied three boards and two assists.
- Tavarez added 13 points off the bench with three three-pointers and went 4-4 at the line.
- Amos added nine points, six boards, one assist, and a team-leading two blocks.
- Alexander Richardson had a solid game off the bench. He tallied six points, five rebounds, two assists, and one steal.
- Loyola shot 49.1 percent from the field (26-53) and made 10 threes.
- The Ramblers held the Broncos to under 40 percent from the field.
 
Up Next
Loyola opens Atlantic 10 play at Rhode Island on Dec. 31. Tip-off is set for 11 a.m. CT.