Jan. 11, 2014

Box Score

Normal, Ill. - Host Illinois State opened the second half on a 19-5 run to break a halftime deadlock and never looked back in a 59-50 win over Loyola tonight at Redbird Arena. The Ramblers slip to 6-10 (1-3 MVC) while the Redbirds improve to 9-7 (2-2).

Both teams found it difficult to find the basket from the opening tip but Loyola managed to score the first six points of the game courtesy of baskets from Christian Thomas and Milton Doyle and a pair of Jeff White free throws. The home team finally got on the board 4:29 into the game and the basket coincided with a Loyola dry spell, as ISU took a 7-6 lead on a Nick Zeisloft three-pointer at the 11:10 mark. A Devon Turk three-ball ended a 6:37 drought for the Ramblers and the visitors led by five (16-11) after another Thomas hoop at the 4:51 mark but Zeisloft put Illinois State on his back the rest of the half, canning three more from downtown to give Illinois State a two-point lead, before Doyle buried a tough jumper in the final seconds to send the teams to the locker room tied at 27.

Neither team scored in the opening 2:39 of the second half, as defense continued to be the story, but the Redbirds eventually edged out to a 33-27 lead just under five minutes into the period. White scored in transition to get the Ramblers on the board but it would be their only field goal over the first 10:43 of the period as Illinois State opened up a double-digit lead. The lead swelled to as many as 14 (46-32) before Doyle scored five straight points to try and bring Loyola back. However, ISU scored the next four points to push the lead back to double figures and the Ramblers would get no closer than nine the rest of the way.

After entering the game 10th in the country in field goal percentage, Loyola struggled to find the range tonight, shooting 34% from the floor and 17% (4 for 23) from three-point range. For the second consecutive game, turnovers hurt the Ramblers as LU turned the ball over 19 times leading to 22 Illinois State points.

Doyle led Loyola with 15 points and added eight rebounds and was joined in double figures by White, who added 12 points. Thomas contributed eight points and nine rebounds, snapping his streak of 31 straight games with 10 or more points. Zeisloft led Illinois State with 12 points, all in the opening 20 minutes.

Loyola returns home for a Wednesday night battle with Drake. Tip from Gentile Arena is scheduled for 7 p.m.