WASHINGTON, D.C. ­– Santi Aldama scored a career-high 25 points and had his third career double-double with 10 rebounds, but Loyola University Maryland lost its third game of the season by two points or less as American University came away with a 71-70 Patriot League victory on Saturday afternoon.
 
The loss comes after a pair of two-point losses to Lafayette College last weekend. Loyola (0-3 overall, 0-1 Patriot League South Division) was again down its three top returning perimeter scorers from a season ago due to injury.
 
Jaylin Andrews also had a double-double for the Greyhounds, the second of his career, with 13 points and 10 rebounds. Luke Johnson added a career-high 10 points off the bench for the Greyhounds.
 
Loyola led for the opening minutes and was up 23-18 after a Casmir Ochiaka free throw with 8:04 left in the first half before a 12-2 American run over the next 2 minutes, 36 seconds gave the Eagles a 30-25 advantage.
 
American extended its advantage to 39-30 on a Jamir Harris 3-pointer with 63 ticks left before halftime, but Aldama scored on Loyola's next two possessions and blocked a Harris jumper just prior to the buzzer to get the Greyhounds within five at the break.
 
The Eagles' lead was six or less for the first 10 minutes of the second half, and two Golden Dike free throws with 10:04 on the clock pulled Loyola within a point, 52-51. American quickly scored the next five, and it was ahead 57-51 a minute later.
 
Brent Holcombe had two free throws and a layup over the next two-plus minutes, wrapped around a Johnson basket. Holcombe's field goal tied the game at 57-57 with 6:42 on the clock, but two Jamir Harris free throws 40 ticks later put the Eagles back in front with a lead they would not relinquish.
 
American led 68-61 with 1:55 remaining in regulation, but Jaylin Andrews converted a jumper just under a minute later to get the Greyhounds within four. The Eagles misfired on the offensive end, and Johnson grabbed the rebound before going coast-to-coast to score with 20 seconds left, making it a 68-66 game.
 
Harris, who had 23 points for American, was fouled and made 1 of 2 at the free-throw line. Aldama then scored in the paint with 9.5 seconds left, and it was a 69-68 Eagles lead.
 
The Greyhounds again fouled Harris in the backcourt, and this time he made both at the stripe. Out of a timeout, the Greyhounds had a 3-point look that rimmed out, and Aldama put in the final points at the buzzer.
 
Loyola and American meet again on Sunday evening when the Greyhounds host the Eagles at 6 p.m. in Reitz Arena.