BALTIMORE – Milos Ilic's lone field goal of the game Saturday came at a pivotal moment, giving Loyola University Maryland a two-point lead with 2:01 left in regulation, and the Greyhounds would hang on to the advantage for a 61-55 victory over visiting Mount St. Mary's University in the 176^th all-time meeting between the schools.
 
Cam Spencer, who led all players with 26 points, kicked a pass into the deep, right corner to Ilic, and he buried the three to give Loyola a 55-53 lead after the Mountaineers had briefly taken the lead on two Mezie Offurum free throws.
 
Mount St. Mary's got back within one just over a half-minute later as Nana Opoku made one of two at the free-throw line, but Jaylin Andrews scored on a second-chance opportunity for the Greyhounds with 50 seconds on the clock, and the lead was back to three.
 
Loyola's defense held the Mountaineers to a less-than-desirable shot at the end of the shot clock on the ensuing possession, and Opoku's attempt rimmed off, and Spencer grabbed the board and called a timeout. He was fouled bringing the ball up the court, and he converted two free throws to stretch the margin to two possessions.
 
Ilic then blocked a Jalen Benjamin attempt from behind, and Spencer picked up the rebound only to be fouled again. He sunk both shot, and Loyola led 61-54.
 
Spencer finished with the fifth-best free-throw shooting performance in Loyola history, making all 12 of his attempts from the charity stripe.
 
He also had four rebounds, two steals, an assist and a blocked shot.
 
Jaylin Andrews added 19 points for the Greyhounds, all coming after the under-four timeout in the first half.
 
The lead changed hands multiple times in the first half with Mount St. Mary's going up by as many as five.
 
Veljko Ilic scored four in a row, making two free throws at 6:36 and then a hook shot in the paint on the next possession to tie the game at 26-26 with 5:30 to go before the break.
 
Neither The Mount, nor the Greyhound scored for almost two minutes, before Andrews tallied his first of the game on a driving layup down the right side at 3:35, putting Loyola up a pair. The points were his first of the game, and he converted at the line for an and-one, but Benjamin hit a three shortly thereafter for Mount St. Mary's.
 
Spencer hit two at the line, and then Andrews the Greyhounds' next four as they led 37-34 at the break.
 
Golden Dike led Loyola with eight rebounds while managing foul trouble, and Milos Ilic grabbed seven and Veljko Ilic had six.
 
The Greyhounds take their final pre-Christmas road trip to St. Bonaventure University on Wednesday, December 8, before returning home to host Hampton University on Sunday, December 12.