Box Score | Radio Call of Final Basket | Postgame Comments

Milton Doyle fed Christian Thomas for a lay-in with :00.1 left, capping a game-ending, 9-2 run, that gave Loyola a 71-70 win over Evansville tonight at the Ford Center. The Ramblers improve to 12-3 (2-1 Valley) and earn their first-ever, MVC road victory. Evansville slips to 11-4 (1-2) with the loss.

The home team got off to a terrific start, scoring the first six points of the game to prompt an early Loyola timeout. A Thomas jumper got the Ramblers on the scoreboard and they pulled within 8-7 later after an Earl Peterson three-pointer and two free throws from Ingram. Ingram had four more points to help LU take its first lead (15-13) and he converted again from a Doyle assist to make it a 25-22 game with 8:54 left. The teams went back-and-forth the rest of the way, with Loyola taking a 39-36 lead into halftime after Joe Crisman scored on a put-back in the waning seconds. Both teams had it going offensively, with Evansville shooting a sizzling 58% from the floor and Loyola shooting a solid 53%. Ingram was outstanding, coming off the bench to post 13 points in a period that saw six ties and 13 lead changes.

Doyle fed Thomas for an easy basket early in the second half that gave Loyola a five-point lead but Evansville put together six consecutive points later to grab a 49-47 lead at the 12:32 mark. The teams continued to trade hoops but treys from Ben Richardson and Doyle again put the visitors in front by five (58-53) at the midway point of the half. Two conventional three-point plays keyed an 8-0 UE run that put the Aces back in front and Egidijus Mockevicius capped a 13-2 run with a bucket that gave the home team its largest lead of the game, 66-60, at the 3:43 mark.

After a Doyle free throw made it a five-point game, Thomas buried a three-pointer from in front of the Rambler bench to cut the deficit to two (68-66) at the 1:29 mark. The Valley's leading scorer D.J. Balentine hit a tough, step-back jumper to bump the lead back to four but Doyle answered with a triple from the corner to bring Loyola within one (70-69) with 42 seconds left. After Crisman forced Balentine into another tough shot, that missed, Ingram cleared the rebound and Thomas ended up converting just before the final horn to give the Ramblers the victory.

Thomas was terrific, finishing 7-of-9 from the floor and posting a team-high 16 points. He was joined in double figures by Doyle (13 points, four rebounds, five assists) and Ingram (13 points, four boards). Peterson finished with nine points as Loyola enjoyed a 29-4 edge in bench scoring and all nine Ramblers who saw action made at least one basket.

Loyola heads back to the Windy City to prepare for Sunday's game with No. 15 Wichita State. The game is set to tip at 4 p.m. and will be televised on ESPNU.