BALTIMORE – Loyola University Maryland held Colgate University to just one field goal in overtime, and the Greyhounds pulled away for their third extra-time victory in the last four games, 79-72, over the Raiders in Reitz Arena on Saturday afternoon.
The lone Raiders' field goal in overtime came with less than five seconds left as Loyola had a pair of steals and forced four Colgate turnovers. The Greyhounds converted 9 of 11 at the free-throw line in overtime after connecting on just 4 of 10 in regulation.
Loyola has won four of its last five, three of those victories coming in overtime.
Colgate (13-8 overall, 4-4 Patriot League) took a nine-point lead with just over 10 minutes to play in regulation but scoring by its freshmen helped Loyola come back.
Chuck Champion led all players with a season-high 19 points for the Greyhounds, but three freshmen –
Kenneth Jones (16),
Jaylin Andrews (15) and
Casmir Ochiaka (6) – who combined for 37 points. Jones and Andrews' totals were both career-highs.
Jones knocked down three 3-pointers after Colgate took a 54-45 lead, his third making it a 58-56 game with 7:42 on the clock. After two Raiders free throws and a Champion 3-pointer,
KaVaughn Scott caught a Jones pass and scored in the paint to swing the lead back to Loyola's side, 61-60.
The lead changed five times over the next six-plus minutes with a Scott basket at 1:13 giving Loyola a 68-66 advantage. Will Rayman, however, scored just before the regulation buzzer to tie the game at 68-68 and send it to overtime.
Neither Loyola, nor Colgate made a field goal for more than four minutes of the extra period.
Andrew Kostecka and Rapolas Ivanauskas each made two free throws for their respective teams in the first minute of overtime, and the score was tied at 70-70.
Both teams came up empty over the next 3:32 before Andrews was fouled on a baseline in-bound play, and he converted a pair of free throws for the Greyhounds. Andrews then had a steal at the defensive end, was fouled and made another two, stretching the lead to 74-70.
After a Colgate offensive foul, Loyola broke the Raiders' press, and
Chuck Champion scored in transition to spread the gap to six points. Colgate misfired on three 3-pointers during its next possession, and Champion grabbed the defensive rebound, was fouled and made two foul shots.
In addition to the 19 from Champion and 37 combined by the freshmen, Kostecka scored 13, and
Isaiah Hart and Scott each tallied five. Hart, Kostecka and Champion all had four assists. Kostecka tied his season-high with five steals.
Ivanauskas led Colgate with a double-double, registering 16 points and 12 rebounds. Dana Batt tied his career-high with 18 points for the Raiders; Rayman and Malcolm Regisford each scored 12.
Loyola led for the majority of the first half, going up by seven on an Ochiaka dunk with 3:10 to play in the frame. Colgate, however, cut it to five twice in the last minute, and a Rayman dunk with under 10 to play in the stanza made it 33-31 at halftime.
The Greyhounds return to home action on Wednesday, January 30, at 7 p.m. when they host American University.