Feb. 1, 2014
Box Score
Carbondale, Ill. - Visiting Loyola erased an eight-point, second-half deficit to take the lead but Southern Illinois' Tyler Smithpeters hit two free throws with :01.0 left in regulation to send the game to overtime where the Salukis escaped with an 81-76 (OT) win today at SIU Arena in Carbondale, Ill. Milton Doyle scored 27 points to lead the Ramblers (8-14, 3-7 Valley). SIU improves to 8-15 (4-6).
Loyola got off to a great start, using seven points from Christian Thomas to take an early 11-4 lead. Southern Illinois scored the next seven to even things up but Devon Turk buried two threes and Thomas scored again to restore an eight-point lead with 12:25 left. Again, SIU had an answer, reeling off the next eight to tie (19-19) and, again, Loyola had an answer for the answer, scoring 12 of the next 15 points to take its largest lead of the period (31-22) with just over five minutes to play and the Ramblers settled for a 35-30 lead at halftime. Loyola was efficient on the offensive end, knocking down 54% (13 of 22) of its shots but hit just 4-of-8 free throws.
The home team stormed out of the gates in the second half, opening the period on a 12-3 run to grab a 42-38 lead. A basket from Jeff White only stemmed the tide momentarily as the Salukis stayed hot and took a 48-40 lead on an Anthony Beane three-pointer at the 11:10 mark. Two Doyle free throws and a White triple helped Loyola get its feet back but LU still trailed by eight (63-55) with 5:37 left before mounting a final charge.
Turk followed a White bucket with a corner-three to make it 63-60 and the Ramblers were within a point (67-66) minutes later after another White hoop at the 2:31 mark. After one free throw from Smithpeters, Doyle answered with a long three-pointer to give Loyola a 69-68 lead with 1:48 left. Southern Illinois split two free throws to even the game at 69 and, on the ensuing possession, Thomas rebounded a miss and scored while being fouled to put Loyola back on top with 16 seconds left. However, Thomas missed the free throw and Smithpeters was fouled with exactly one second left, his two free throws sending the game to overtime.
The teams traded single free throws to open the extra session and a third split from the line gave SIU a 73-72 lead with 3:16 left. Desmar Jackson and Joe Crisman traded baskets but Doyle tied the game again at 76, scoring in the lane after a Jalen Pendleton free throw. Beane answered with a jumper to give SIU the lead back with 23 ticks left and Loyola turned it over on the next possession, with Pendleton, a 54% free throw shooter, calmly knocking down two to ice the game.
Both teams shot the ball well, with Loyola finishing at 53% and SIU at an even 50%. Loyola narrowly lost the turnover battle, 14-13, but SIU turned those 14 turnovers into 30 points.
Doyle led the Ramblers with 27 points and six rebounds and was joined in double figures by White (16 points, five assists), Thomas (15 points) and Turk (12).
The Ramblers return home for a pair of games next week, beginning with a Thursday night clash against Bradley. Tip from Gentile Arena is scheduled for 7 p.m.
