NASHVILLE (December 10, 2021)
 
In Short
Braden Norris scored 18 points and handed out nine assists and Loyola University Chicago (9-2) knocked down 17 three-point field goals, six of which came from Norris, in a 69-58 victory over Vanderbilt (5-4) tonight at Memorial Gymnasium. The win is Loyola's 10^thversus Power 5 conference opponents since the start of the 2016-17 season and this marks the first time since 1991-92 that the Ramblers have taken down two Power 5 foes, not counting postseason play, in the same season.
 
How It Happened
A triple from Lucas Williamson opened up both the scoring and the evening's three-point barrage and moved the guard past the 1,000-point mark in his career. Two more treys, from Aher Uguak and Norris, highlighted a game-opening 11-5 run, but Vanderbilt responded with a 12-5 spurt to claim a short-lived 17-16 advantage.
 
A Ryan Schwieger three was followed by a Commodore basket that knotted the score at 19-19, and back-to-back long balls courtesy of Saint Thomas and Norris moved the Ramblers back ahead for good, at 25-19, to match the largest lead of the half.
 
Sixteen of Loyola's 22 field goal attempts in the opening period came from beyond the arc, and it sank eight of those tries in the opening 20 minutes to take a 30-27 edge into the break.
 
Triples from Marquise Kennedy and Norris keyed a half-opening 6-2 spurt that pushed the Ramblers' lead to 36-29. Each time Vanderbilt made it a one-possession game, Loyola had an answer and when the Commodores cut the gap to 42-40, Chris Knight's layup ignited a string of 11 consecutive tallies that featured two more threes from Norris and another from Schwieger to bump the advantage to 53-40 and all but seal the outcome.
 
Vandy made one last push and got within 56-49, but the Ramblers administered the knockout blow, with Williamson and Norris burying treys ahead of Jacob Hutson's dunk that capped an 8-0 surge as the lead swelled to 64-49.
 
A Look at the Numbers

• Loyola's 17 three-pointers are the second-most in a single game in program history, behind only the 20 it drained in this year's season opener versus Coppin State.
• Williamson became the 45^thplayer in program history to score 1,000 points and the first since Cameron Krutwig two seasons ago.
• Norris connected on 6 of 8 tries from beyond the arc and turned the ball over just one time, while handing out nine assists.
• Schwieger provided another lift off the bench, dropping in 14 points, and Williamson narrowly missed out on a double-double, totaling 11 points and nine rebounds to go with three assists and a steal.
• Scotty Pippen Jr. led all scorers with 23 points for Vanderbilt, but Loyola held the Commodores in check, limiting them to 35.1 percent (20-for-57) shooting overall and just 3-for-19 (.158) accuracy from three-point land.
• Loyola has won six of its last eight contests versus teams from the Southeastern Conference.

 
Up Next
Loyola is off next week for final exams and returns to action December 19 when it hosts Norfolk State at 1 p.m.