BALTIMORE – Loyola University Maryland held the visiting U.S. Military Academy to 38.1 percent from the field and a season-low-tying six 3-pointers on Saturday afternoon, and four players scored in double figures as the Greyhounds posted a 66-64 Patriot League victory in Reitz Arena.
 
Loyola (5-12 overall, 1-3 Patriot League) built an 11-point halftime lead, 39-28, holding Army West Point (7-10, 2-2) to 10 of 28 from the field (35.7 percent) before the break.
 
A Matt Wilson basket for Army West Point with 5:34 to go in the first half pulled the Black Knights within a point, 27-26, but Loyola reeled off the next 12 points, the final four coming on a pair of Chuck Champion baskets.
 
Wilson's layup was Army West Point's final field goal of the first half, and his two free throws with just over 15 seconds left in the frame were its only points after the basket.
 
KaVaughn Scott scored in the paint for Loyola 1:35 into the second, giving Loyola a 13-point lead, its largest of the game before Army West Point scored the next five points to get within eight on a Jordan Fox three at 17:24.
 
The Greyhounds pushed the lead to 10 or more six times over the next nine minutes, the last time coming on a Scott layup with 8:28 to go in regulation.
 
After that, Army scored nine in a row, capped by a Tucker Blackwell three in transition after a Fox steal. That drew the Black Knights within a point, 54-53, with 4:39 on the clock. The teams traded missed baskets on their next two possessions before Isaiah Hart knocked down a 15-foot jumper in the lane to push the lead back to three.
 
Blackwell, however, got behind the Loyola defense and scored off a long Tommy Funk pass seven seconds later, and it was a one-point game again.
 
Hart would have the next four points for Loyola, hitting two free throws at 2:49 and scoring on a fast-break after a Champion steal and outlet pass with 2:24 left. That layup gave Loyola a 60-55 lead with 2:24 to play, but Fox converted two free throws at 2:06 for Army West Point.
 
The Greyhounds worked the ball around the perimeter on their next trip down the court, and Champion threw a bounce pass to Andrew Kostecka who was cutting to the basket, and he finished with a two-handed dunk at 1:49.
 
Fox committed an offensive foul on Army West Point's possession, but Loyola could not score on offense. Lonnie Grayson then tallied a driving layup with 63 ticks on the clock, closing the gap to three.
 
With the margin at 62-59 in Loyola's favor, Jacob Kessler had a steal for the Black Knights, and he sent an outlet pass to Josh Caldwell well in front of the Greyhounds' defense. Kostecka raced back and blocked the Caldwell layup against the glass, and Hart corralled the rebound for the Greyhounds. He was fouled and made two free throws with 33 seconds left to put the lead to five.
 
After a missed Fox three for the Black Knights, Champion converted one of two at the line. Fox then scored in the paint with 17 seconds left, and it was Hart's turn to go back to the line. He made the front-end of two to put the lead at 66-61, and all Army West Point could get on the next possession was a desperation three from Grayson at the buzzer.
 
Champion and Hart each scored 15 points to lead all players, while Kostecka was right behind with 14 points. Kostecka had a season-high five steals, and Champion tallied four assists, two blocked shots and two steals. Scott added 10 points and team-high seven rebounds. Jaylin Andrews scored six in his first collegiate start, and Kenneth Jones tallied six off the bench.
 
Wilson had a double-double for the Black Knights with 14 points and 10 rebounds, but his point-total came on 5 of 14 shooting after he entered the game third in the Patriot League with a 59.5 field-goal percentage.
 
The Greyhounds stay at home for their next game, a 7 p.m. contest against Boston University on Wednesday, January 16, in Reitz Arena.