Box Score | Postgame Comments | Highlights

CHICAGO - Loyola opened the game on a 12-2 run and and scored the last eight points of the half to take a commanding, 18-point lead at halftime and cruised to a 73-57 win over Southern Utah tonight at Gentile Arena. The win is the fourth in succession for the Ramblers, who improve to 8-2 on the season. Southern Utah drops to 2-6 with the loss.

The interior duo of Montel James and Christian Thomas scored the first five points of the game and a Thomas three-pointer later gave Loyola a 12-2 lead less than five minutes into the game. Consecutive three-pointers from Jeff White and Devon Turk later made it a 13-point game and it was a 26-11 lead after a James put-back at the 6:07 mark. Southern Utah battled back within 10 (30-20) with 3:22 to play but that would be their last score of the half as the Ramblers scored the last eight and enjoyed a 38-20 lead at intermission. Loyola shot 54% in the period, including 5-of-8 from three-point range, and forced SUU into nine first-half turnovers.

Loyola kept pushing, scoring seven of the first nine points of the second half to open its largest lead of the game (45-22) after a Turk triple at the 18:23 mark. The Thunderbirds managed to trim 10 points off the deficit with a 15-5 run but a driving basket from Turk helped stem the tide. A three-pointer from Donte Ingram bumped the lead back to 20 (61-41) with 5:31 left and Loyola would cruise from there.

The Ramblers offense stagnated a bit in the second half, shooting 33% to finish at 43% for the game, but LU turned it over just two times in the second half and nine times for the game in the victory.

Thomas led all scorers with 18 points and tied James and Joe Crisman for game-high honors with eight rebounds. James and Turk added 13 points apiece while White, making his first start of the season, finished with 10 points, six assists and three steals.

Loyola heads west for the championship round of the Continental Tires Las Vegas Classic early next week. The Ramblers open play on Monday night (Dec. 22) against Texas Tech and will face either Boise State or Houston the following night at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas, Nev.