BALTIMORE – Chuck Champion, Andrew Kostecka and Brent Holcombe combined to shoot better than 77 percent from the field on Thursday night, as Loyola University Maryland jumped out to a 19-point lead in the game's first 12 minutes of an 88-69 exhibition victory over John Jay College.
 
Champion led all scorers with 22 points, making 8 of 12 shots from the field and 4 of 6 from 3-point range; he also had a team-high five assists to go with only one turnover.
 
Kostecka scored more points (18) than minutes played (17), and Holcombe nearly matched that with 16 points to go with a team-high eight rebounds in 18 minutes.
 
John Jay scored the game's first points, but Loyola reeled off 25 of the next 29 to lead 25-6 on two Champion free throws at 8:42 in the first half.
 
Less than three minutes later, Jan Dornik knocked down a three from the top of the left perimeter, and an Isaiah Hart transition layup stretched the advantage to 36-13. Kostecka scored in the paint at 2:53, making it a 28-point lead, 42-14, before John Jay got within 23, 48-25, at halftime.
 
Loyola had a 45-33 advantage in rebounds during the game as Kostecka and Jaylin Andrews each pulled down seven, and KaVaughn Scott grabbed six to go with seven points.
 
Essien Epps had a double-double for the Bloodhounds, scoring 19 with 11 rebounds, but his 19 points came on 6 of 24 shooting. Jerome Petty chipped in with 12, and Santiago Collado added 11.
 
The Greyhounds open their regular-season on Tuesday, November 6, with a 6:30 p.m. game at St. John's University.
 
Loyola then hosts its home-opener on Sunday, November 11, at 5 p.m. It will be a Whiteout In Reitz Arena when the Greyhounds host Dartmouth University. All fans should wear white to the game, and 1,000 will receive free Loyola t-shirts.