EVANSVILLE, Ind. (February 12, 2020)
 
In Short
Lucas Williamson scored a team-high 20 points to help Loyola University Chicago (17-9, 9-4 MVC) earn a hard-fought, 73-66 victory over Evansville (9-17, 0-13 MVC) tonight at Ford Center. The win snaps a three-game road losing skid and moves the Ramblers one win away from their third straight season of 10 or more victories in Missouri Valley Conference play.
 
How It Happened
Using its defense to help set up its offense, Loyola jumped out to a 23-7 lead, hitting 10 of its first 12 shots from the field and forcing six Purple Aces turnovers in the opening eight minutes. The Ramblers pounded the ball inside early, with Cameron Krutwig scoring eight points during that game-opening stretch, while Tate Hall, Keith Clemons and Marquise Kennedy knocked down threes.
 
Loyola would push its lead to as many as 22 points (31-9) in the first half, when Hall knocked down his third trey of the period. After shooting 70.5 percent (31-for-44) from the field in the previous meeting with the Aces this season, the Ramblers converted 62.1 percent (18-for-29) of their field goal tries in the opening 20 minutes tonight.
 
Evansville got back into the contest late in the first half, closing the period on a 15-4 run to shrink the gap to 45-34 at halftime.
 
The Aces cut into the Loyola advantage even further early in the second half, getting within 47-41 before back-to-back buckets from Krutwig and Williamson bumped the lead back to double digits. However, Evansville then put together a 16-6 run capped by an Artur Labinowicz layup that tied the game at 57-57 with 7:34 remaining.
 
A K.J. Riley free throw with 5:26 remaining put Evansville on top for the first time since a 7-6 advantage early in the game, but Williamson knocked down a pair of free throws then hit two more in a 9-2 run that put the Ramblers back on top, 68-62, and they held on for the victory.
 
A Look At The Numbers

• Williamson added five rebounds and two steals, while Krutwig chipped in 14 points and eight rebounds.
• Clemons added 12 points and Hall contributed 11 points and four steals.
• Riley scored a game-high 28 points to lead Evansville.

 
Up Next
Loyola is back at home Saturday night at 7 p.m. CT for a showdown with Valley leader Northern Iowa.