PARADISE ISLAND BAHAMAS (November 25, 2021)
 
In Short
Marquise Kennedy scored 13 points and Braden Norris added 10, but Loyola University Chicago (4-2) turned the ball over 17 times in a 62-53 loss to No. 19 Auburn (4-1) this afternoon in a consolation round game at the Bad Boy Mowers Battle 4 Atlantis. For the first time since last December, the Ramblers have dropped consecutive contests.
 
Coach Valentine's Thoughts
"It's tough in these tournament settings when you lose your first game, but I can't help but be proud of our fight. We have to change some things that we are doing offensively, but defensively I thought we were pretty solid today."
 
How It Happened
It took a few minutes for the Ramblers to settle in as they found themselves staring at a 7-0 deficit just 58 seconds into the contest. A Jacob Hutson layup got Loyola on the board and that hoop sparked a 10-2 spurt that was capped by a Tate Hall three-pointer to give the Ramblers their first lead of the day, at 10-9.
 
Following a 13-5 run that moved Auburn back on top, 22-15, Loyola chipped away at the deficit and put together a 9-2 spurt, highlighted by seven points from Lucas Williamson, to grab a 30-29 advantage. The Tigers finished the period by scoring five of the seven points and carried a 34-32 lead into halftime.
 
Back-to-back baskets from Hutson early in the second half gave the Ramblers a 38-36 advantage, but Wendell Green accounted for Auburn's next eight points, sinking a pair of long-range treys, to give the Tigers the lead for good.
 
A Ryan Schwieger layup cut that four-point deficit in half (44-42) but Auburn spun off seven of the game's next nine tallies to push its lead to 51-44 and never looked back.
 
A Look at the Numbers

• Kennedy hit 6 of 8 shots from the field and finished with a season-high 13 points.
• Braden Norris knocked down three triples and totaled 10 points.
• Loyola, which shot 61.9 percent (13-for-21) from the field in the first half, connected on only 8 of 26 tries from the field in the second period.
• Jabari Smith led Auburn with 14 points and Walker Kessler put up 13 points, 10 boards and four blocks.

 
Up Next
Loyola will face the loser of the Arizona State – Syracuse game tomorrow night (Nov. 26) at 7 p.m. ET.