SPRINGFIELD, Mo.

Final Score (OT): Missouri State 82, Loyola 81
Records: Missouri State (15-9, 6-5 MVC); Loyola (16-8, 6-5 MVC)
Location: JQH Arena -- Springfield, Mo.
Stats: Box Score  | Season Stats 

In Short
Alize Johnson hit a pair of free throws with 5 seconds left in overtime to put Missouri State (15-9, 6-5) ahead and Milton Doyle's three-pointer rimmed out at the buzzer as Loyola University Chicago dropped an 82-81 heartbreaker in overtime tonight at JQH Arena. The loss snaps the Ramblers' three-game win streak and moves them to 16-8 overall and 6-5 in the Missouri Valley Conference.

How It Happened
Missouri State rode the hot shooting of Austin Ruder, who hit all four of his three-point attempts in the first half, to open up a 20-15 lead. A basket by Johnson with 5:06 left in the period put the Bears on top, 30-25, but Loyola closed the period on a 12-4 run to claim a 37-34 lead at the break. A three by Clayton Custer touched off a string of 10 unanswered points for the Ramblers, and Custer punctuated that spurt with another triple as Loyola surged ahead, 35-30.

Loyola pushed its lead to double digits early in the second half with a 9-2 half-opening run that was capped by a Donte Ingram layup that made it 46-36. The Ramblers experienced a cold spell, going nearly 10 minutes without a point as the Bears grabbed a 57-50 lead.

Once again, the Ramblers worked their late-game magic, rallying from a second-half deficit in the waning minutes. Loyola trailed 63-55 with 2:45 remaining and it forced overtime on Custer's layup that tied the game at 71 with one second remaining.

Aundre Jackson's three-point play with 51 seconds left in overtime gave Loyola an 81-78 lead and a basket by Jarred Dixon cut the Ramblers' lead to one. Tyson Smith's had a layup blocked with eight seconds left and Johnson was fouled with five seconds showing on the clock to set up the game-winning free throws.

A Look At The Numbers
- Doyle scored 21 points to lead Loyola as he moved past the 1,500-point mark for his career.
- Custer added 15 points as he scored in double digits for the second straight contest.
- Jackson added 17 points and matched a season high with seven boards off the bench.
- Ruder led Missouri State with 22 points.
- MSU held a 38-17 edge in free throw attempts.

Up Next
Loyola returns home Saturday (Feb. 4) when it will face Southern Illinois at 1 p.m.