Boxscore (PDF)

PHILADELPHIA (December 22, 2018)
 
In Short
Lamarr Kimble's three-pointer with 0.5 seconds remaining lifted Saint Joseph's (6-5) to a 45-42 victory over visiting Loyola University Chicago (7-6) this evening at The Palestra in a battle of Jesuit rivals. The loss snaps the Ramblers' two-game winning streak.
 
How It Happened
The first half was a defensive battle with both teams holding the opposition to less than 30 percent shooting from the field. Saint Joseph's built a five-point lead early before Loyola cut into the deficit and got within a point, at 11-10, on a Cooper Kaifes layup. Four straight Hawks points put the Ramblers back in a five-point hole, but back-to-back jumpers from Clayton Custer and a Marques Townes layup comprised a 6-0 spurt that gave the Ramblers their first lead since scoring the first basket of the game.
 
That was all the scoring Loyola would manage in the first period however, as Saint Joseph's closed the half with five unanswered tallies to take a 20-16 advantage into the locker room.
 
Loyola came out of the break with a quick burst of five consecutive points on a three from Townes and a hoop from Cameron Krutwig to surge ahead, 21-20 at the outset of the second half. That lead was short-lived, though, since the Hawks responded with five unanswered tallies of their own to reclaim the lead, at 25-21.
 
Saint Joseph's would add to its advantage, leading by as many as seven points on a few occasions, the last coming at 34-27 with 9:54 remaining in the contest. Loyola refused to go away and a Kaifes three from the left corner whittled the deficit to 34-32.
 
After seeing the deficit creep back to five (40-35), Loyola mounted one final charge, netting four straight points on a hoop from Custer and a pair of Townes free throws, to close within 40-39 with 45 seconds left. Following a Lamarr Kimble layup, Townes knocked down a clutch three-pointer from the left wing with 12.7 seconds remaining to even the proceedings at 42.
 
But Kimble drained a three from the top of the key with 0.5 seconds remaining to end Loyola's hopes of a come-from-behind victory.
 
A Look At The Numbers

• Loyola's defense limited the Hawks to 32.8 percent (19-for-58) shooting from the field.
• Custer scored a team-high 12 points to lead the Ramblers, who also got 10 points from Townes and nine points and 12 boards from Krutwig.
• Kimble paced Saint Joseph's with 15 points.

 
Up Next
Loyola takes a break for the holidays and is next in action January 2 when it opens Missouri Valley Conference play by hosting Indiana State at 8 p.m.