Boxscore (PDF)

CHICAGO (January 12, 2019)
 
In Short
Marques Townes scored a game-high 21 points and Loyola University Chicago (10-7, 3-1 MVC) hit all six of its free throw attempts in the final 98 seconds, including a pair of go-ahead ones from Clayton Custer, to pick up a 67-64 victory over Illinois State (9-8, 2-2 MVC) this afternoon at Gentile Arena. The win is the Ramblers' fourth in a row at home overall and ninth straight MVC victory at Gentile Arena.
 
How It Happened
Loyola played a nearly flawless first half, committing zero turnovers, while connecting on 59.3 percent (16-for-27) of its field goal attempts, in building a 40-34 halftime advantage.
 
Back-to-back three-point field goals from Townes and Cooper Kaifes increased Loyola's lead to 27-18 but Illinois State stormed back, scoring six unanswered points to trim the Ramblers' advantage to 27-24.
 
Townes then accounted for five points as part of a 7-1 burst, capping it with a three-pointer, to expand the Ramblers' lead to 38-29, matching its largest of the half.
 
A Milik Yarbrough layup opened the second-half scoring and got the Redbirds within four, at 40-36, but five straight tallies courtesy of Cameron Krutwig touched off a 10-2 run that was punctuated with a three-point play from Townes, as the Ramblers padded their lead (50-38).
 
ISU chipped away and eventually was able to draw even at 61-61 on Matt Chastain's dunk with 3:37 remaining, and after a two-minute scoreless stretch, Custer put Loyola ahead to stay with a pair of foul shots with 1:38 left to play. Following a Redbirds turnover, it was Lucas Williamson's turn to calmly drain a pair of free throws to bump the lead to four before a long Zach Copeland three with 15 seconds remaining trimmed the Ramblers' lead to one (65-64). 
 
Custer sank two more charity tosses with 12 seconds left, giving Loyola a 67-64 lead, and with Illinois State still with a chance to tie the game, the Ramblers came up with a big defensive stop on the final possession as Copeland misfired on a desperation three at the buzzer.
 
A Look At The Numbers

• Townes dropped in 21 points and added two rebounds and three assists for a Loyola offense that shot 50 percent (25-for-50) from the field and turned the ball over just seven times.
• Krutwig pitched in 13 points, eight boards and three assists, and Custer finished with 13 points, four rebounds and four assists.
• Yarbrough netted a team-best 19 points and hauled in 10 caroms for Illinois State, which shot just 7-for-22 (.318) from three-point territory.

 
Up Next
League leader Valparaiso pays a visit to Gentile Arena Tuesday night (Jan. 15) for a 7 p.m. tilt. The game will be televised live on NBC Sports Chicago.