Jan. 17, 2018

Final Stats

BALTIMORE - Two Andrew Kostecka free throws with 4:51 left in regulation game Loyola University Maryland a 63-62 lead Wednesday night against Bucknell University, but the Bison scored the next six points and eventually pulled away for a 78-70 Patriot League victory in Reitz Arena.

Zach Thomas converted two free throws 25 seconds after Kostecka's pair, and Nana Foulland scored in the paint with 3:46 on the clock, staking the Patriot League Preseason Favorite Bison to a 66-63 lead. Stephen Brown then hit an off-balance jumper with 2:59 remaining, pushing the advantage to six.

Loyola did not score on its next trip down the court, but Andre Walker got a steal off the press for the Greyhounds, and Isaiah Hart slipped a pass to Cam Gregory inside for a layup at 1:59, cutting the Bison lead to 68-65.

Bruce Moore and Thomas each converted free throws for Bucknell (12-8 overall, 6-1 Patriot League) over the next 69 seconds before Hart made one of two at the line for Loyola with 44 seconds showing. Kostecka then took a Walker pass after another steal and scored in transition with 29 ticks on the clock, pulling Loyola within four, 72-68.

Kimbal Mackenzie made two at the line for the Bison with 25 seconds on the clock, and Walker converted a pair nine second slater for Loyola, once again getting the Greyhounds within four. Mackenzie and Thomas, however, sealed the Bucknell win with pairs from the charity stripe to end the game.

Walker finished with 21 points to lead Loyola, while three others scored in double-figured. Cam Gregory had 12 points and eight rebounds, while Isaiah Hart tallied 11 to go with six assists. Kostecka posted 11 points and a career-high six steals.

Loyola finished the game with a season-high 14 steals, the most by a Greyhounds team since they had 19 on December 3, 2011 win at Siena College. In addition to Kostecka's six, Walker had five, and Hart picked off three. The 14 Loyola steals led to a season-high 22 turnovers by Bucknell.

Thomas led all players with 25 points and 12 rebounds, while Foulland finished with 14 for the Bison.

After falling behind by as many as eight in the game's first five minutes, Loyola went on an 11-0 run that was part of a larger 17-3 stretch to lead by as many as nine in the first half. A Gregory layup with 4:16 to go in the stanza put Loyola (5-13, 3-4) in front, 31-22.

Bucknell, however, closed the gap to 33-28 at halftime, and the Bison scored the second half's first six points to regain the lead. After that, the lead changed hands six times.

Loyola heads on the road for its next two games, starting with a 2 p.m. affair on Saturday, January 20, at Colgate University.