CHICAGO  – The Illinois State Redbirds rallied from a 12-point second-half deficit on Saturday afternoon against the Loyola Chicago Ramblers, tying the game with 3:37 to play in the contest; however, Loyola Chicago made six free throws in the final minute and a half of the game to secure the 67-64 MVC victory.
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How It Happened
The two teams traded points back and forth for the first three minutes, as a Milik Yarbrough three-pointer put ISU ahead 5-4 early in the game. Loyola Chicago responded by scoring the next eight points, and the Redbirds would not lead again in the contest. The Rambler advantage was held between three and nine points for the rest of the half, as Loyola Chicago took a 40-34 lead into the locker room at halftime.
Illinois State struck first in the second half on a lay-in by Yarbrough; however, the Ramblers responded with a 10-2 run to push ahead to their largest lead of the game at 12 with 15:06 to play in the contest. The Redbirds mounted an immediate comeback attempt, scoring nine consecutive points, which was started with a Keyshawn Evans lay-in, and capped by a Phil Fayne three-point play with 11:04 remaining in the game. Loyola Chicago countered, and pushed back up to a six-point lead with 6:16 to play, but a Josh Jefferson jumper, a Fayne lay-in, and a Matt Chastain tip-dunk pushed the game to a contest knotted at 61 points apiece. The teams' offenses went cold, as neither team could find the bottom of the net over the next two minutes, before the Ramblers rattled off six free throws in the final minute and a half to secure the three-point win.
Key Moment
ISU's 6-0 run, capped by Chastain's tip-dunk, helped finish off a run that erased a 12-point Loyola lead just over 10 minutes earlier.
Inside the Box Score
- Yarbrough recorded his second double-double over the last three games by scoring 19 points and pulling down 10 rebounds. He also added a team-high-tying three assists in the loss.
- Evans scored a season-high 16 points, making 6-of-10 shots from the field, while also dishing out three assists.
- Chastain pulled down eight rebounds and scored five points.
- Jefferson scored eight points off of the bench while adding a steal and a rebound.
- Illinois State out-rebounded Loyola 30-24.
Stat of the Game
Illinois State held Loyola without a made field goal for the final 6:16 of the contest.
What's Next
Illinois State returns to Redbird Arena on Tuesday, Jan. 15, as the team hosts the SIU Salukis in a 6 p.m. tip-off.
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