EASTON, Pa. – Loyola University Maryland took a 10-point lead with 10:09 left in regulation on a Golden Dike layup, and while the Greyhounds did not score a field goal for the rest of the game, Loyola held on for a 70-68 Patriot League win over Lafayette College at the Kirby Sports Center.
 
Both Spanish freshmen on the Loyola roster – Santi Aldama and Dike – had double-doubles in the game as three Greyhounds scored 14 or more points.
 
Dike scored 14 points and matched his career-high with 12 rebounds, while Aldama equaled Dike's point total and also grabbed 10 rebounds.
 
Andrew Kostecka scored a team-high 16 points and had seven rebounds.
 
Up 50-49 after Myles Cherry scored a pair in transition for the Leopards (17-10 overall, 9-7 Patriot League), Loyola scored the next nine points. Cam Spencer hit his third 3-pointer of the afternoon with 11:11 on the clock, and Loyola led 59-49.
 
A long E.J. Stephens jumper got Lafayette back within single-digits, but Dike's driving layup at 10:09 pushed the lead back to 10. Just over a minute later, Kostecka made two free throws to put Loyola (15-14, 7-9)  in front, 63-51, its largest lead of the game.
 
Dike made a pair from the charity stripe with 4:59 left, but a Stephens three made it an eight-point differential, 65-57, with 2:25 left in regulation. Dike was then fouled on the next time down the court, and he made one of two to push the lead back to nine.
 
Neal Quinn, however, scored in the paint and was fouled for Lafayette with 1:44 on the clock, converting he traditional 3-point play to trim the Leopards' deficit to 66-60.
 
The Greyhounds missed two free throws at 1:09, but the Greyhounds got a defensive stop on Lafayette's next possession. Dike got the rebound on a missed Stephens three and was fouled. He made both foul shots to take the lead to eight.
 
Kyle Stout hit a three with 44.1 seconds left for Lafayette, and it was a five-point game, and Loyola again came up empty at the free-throw line.
 
The Leopards' Leo O'Boyle hit a three with 27 seconds left, and Loyola was clinging to a 68-66 advantage. Kostecka made one of two at the line, and the Greyhounds then held Lafayette without a basket as it missed two contested 3-pointers before Kostecka grabbed the rebound and was fouled.
 
He again made one of two, but it was enough to seal the win.
 
Loyola took a 38-34 lead at halftime, but Lafayette scored six of the first seven points to lead 40-39 with 18:01 to go. The Leopards then went up four, 45-41, on two Lukas Jarrett free throws with 16:36 left, but Loyola scored nine in a row, backed by 3-pointers from Kostecka and Spencer to regain the lead and hold it for the rest of the game.
 
In addition to the combined 44 points from Aldama, Dike and Kostecka, Spencer had nine and Jaylin Andrews scored eight for Loyola. O'Boyle led all players with 21 for Lafayette, and Quinn had 17.
 
Loyola continues its road swing with its penultimate regular-season game of the year on Wednesday, February 26, at the U.S. Naval Academy.