Jan. 16, 2013
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CHICAGO - Gary Talton's layup with two seconds remaining capped UIC's comeback from a five-point, second-half deficit in UIC's (11-7, 2-3 Horizon) 61-59 victory over Loyola University Chicago (10-7, 1-4 Horizon) tonight at the UIC Pavilion. Three of the Ramblers' last four losses have come by a combined five points.
"We have had three heartbreaking losses in the last week and need to find a way to win games," Loyola head coach Porter Moser said. "I am so proud of how hard our guys competed and the composure they showed in a great atmosphere down 14 points in the first half."
UIC started the game on fire, hitting a trio of three-pointers in the opening six minutes, including a pair from Anthony Kelley, who was making his first start of the season. After UIC had built a 30-16 lead with 6:55 left in the half, Christian Thomas converted a three-point play to jump-start a half-closing 14-5 run that drew the Ramblers within 35-30 at the intermission.
Ben Averkamp (10) and Joe Crisman (8) accounted for over half of the Ramblers' first-half scoring.
Thomas scored 13 of Loyola's first 15 points in the second period and his layup at the 16:56 mark gave the Ramblers a 36-35 lead, their first since Crisman hit a three-pointer to open the game's scoring. A pair of Thomas free throws with just under 15 minutes to go put Loyola on top by five (42-37), for its largest lead of the night.
A three-pointer by Devon Turk, his only points of the evening, pushed the Ramblers ahead, 54-52, with 4:46 remaining and the teams would alternate baskets, with UIC drawing even one last time on Josh Crittle's layup.
Loyola had a chance to take the lead in the closing seconds, but Turk's three-pointer bounced off the rim and Talton grabbed the rebound and ran down the clock before driving the lane for the game-winning layup.
However, the Ramblers had one final crack at a win or tie. Crisman fired a perfect pass to Averkamp, whose three-pointer at the buzzer looked good when he released it, but hit rim and came up short as Loyola suffered its fourth straight loss.
Loyola committed only nine turnovers on the night and hit 14 of 15 shots from the foul line. Thomas matched a career high with 16 points and added six rebounds in only 19 minutes of action, while Averkamp finished with 14 points. Crisman contributed eight points, five boards, two assists, and a pair of rebounds, and Jordan Hicks pitched in five points, seven boards and two assists.
Loyola is back in action Sunday (Jan. 20) when it steps out of Horizon League action to travel to local rival Chicago State for a 7 p.m. contest.
