Boxscore (PDF)

CHICAGO (January 28, 2018)
 
In Short
Host Loyola University Chicago (18-4, 8-2 MVC) shot 58 percent from the field in the second half and used a lockdown defensive effort to pull away from UNI (11-11, 3-7 MVC) for a 70-47 victory at Gentile Arena this afternoon. The win is the Ramblers' seventh in a row, matching their longest stretch of the season, and Loyola now owns a two-game lead atop the Missouri Valley Conference standings.
 
Porter Moser's Thoughts
"We knew this would be a tough, physical game. I loved how we settled down after the first few minutes. Earlier in the year, if we weren't hitting shots, we let our offense dictate our defense. I thought it was a great sign of maturity that we didn't let our offensive struggles early on affect our effort on defense."
 
How It Happened
Both teams struggled out of the gate and Loyola hit just 2 of its first 10 shots from the field, but found the deficit manageable, at 7-4. After the Panthers pushed their lead to 11-6, the Ramblers went on a 12-2 run that included nine unanswered points at one stretch, to grab an 18-13 lead. Clayton Custer had the hot hand in the opening 20 minutes and was lethal from mid-range, scoring Loyola's final eight points of the period as it went into the break on top, 26-19.
 
Custer scored 13 points in the first half to spur the Loyola offense, which also received six points from Cameron Krutwig.
 
Loyola added to its lead at the outset of the second half as Donte Ingram bookended a 9-5 spurt with a dunk and a three-pointer in transition that extended the Ramblers' advantage to 35-24, its largest to that point, and forced a UNI timeout.
 
The Ramblers went on to extend their lead to 17 points on three occasions, the last coming on Lucas Williamson's three-pointer from the corner that made it 53-36, but UNI tried to mount a final charge and sliced the lead down to 53-41. However, a three-pointer by Ingram, his second of the afternoon, ignited a game-closing 17-6 spurt that provided the final margin of victory.
 
A Look At The Numbers

• Loyola matched its win total from all of last season with today's victory.
• Custer's 21 points surpassed his previous season-high of 20, set at UMKC on November 16, and fell just one point shy of equaling his career high. He finished the day 9-for-12 from the field, including 3-of-4 from three-point range.
• Custer has now scored in double figures in each of his seven appearances since returning from an ankle injury on January 7. Loyola is 16-1 when Custer is in the lineup this season.
• Ingram contributed 16 points, all of which came in the second half, and added eight rebounds. He has scored in double digits in four of the last five contests.
• Krutwig tallied 14 points and eight rebounds as he scored in double figures for the fifth consecutive game.
• Loyola's stifling defense held UNI to 37 percent shooting (19-for-52), including just 19 percent (4-for-21) from three-point range.
• Klint Carlson and Tywhon Pickford tallied 14 points apiece to lead the Panthers.

Up Next
The Ramblers get back on the road Wednesday (Jan. 31), when they visit Bradley for a 7 p.m. game. That contest will be televised live on NBC Sports Chicago.