Box Score OLEAN, N.Y. – St. Bonaventure University used a 9-2 run during the second half to take its first extended lead of the game, and the Bonnies pulled away late to beat visiting Loyola University Maryland, 84-71, on Wednesday night at the Reilly Center.
The Bonnies, who entered the game receiving votes to the equivalent of being ranked No. 28 in the Coaches Poll and No. 30 in the AP version, shot 72.4 percent from the field in the second half and 60 percent overall in the game.
Loyola, however, had one of its best shooting nights this season until late, making a season-high 12 3-pointers while shooting 50-percent overall.
Jaylin Andrews led Loyola with 13 points, while
Cam Spencer,
Milos Ilic and
Veljko Ilic all tallied 13. The point totals were career-highs for both Ilic brothers.
Loyola (5-5 overall) led by as many as six early and went up 31-26 when
Kenneth Jones had one of his seven assists feeding
Veljko Ilic for a layup with 5:13 to go in the first half. The Bonnies (8-1 overall) took a 36-35 lead on a Jaren Holmes layup at 1:28, but 25 seconds later Andrews hit a three for the Greyhounds to put them back on top.
St. Bonaventure tied it at 38-38 with a Karim Couilbaly bucket before Spencer drained a three with 31 seconds left in the half, and Loyola took a 41-38 lead into the locker room.
The Bonnies scored the second half's first two baskets, but
Milos Ilic hit one of his three 3-pointers at 18:30, and Loyola was back in front.
Jones made a three for the Greyhounds at 17:27 to make it 49-46 in Loyola's favor, but the Bonnies scored the next four points to go in front. Later in the half, Jones slipped a pass to
Milos Ilic coming down the lane, and he finished with a dunk to put Loyola up a point, 57-56, at 13:27, but Holmes was fouled on a 3-point attempt, and he made all of his foul shots to spark the 9-2 run that would put St. Bonaventure up for good.
The margin remained in the five- to nine-point range until the final two minutes when St. Bonaventure pushed it into double digits.
Holmes and Jalen Adaway each scored 22 to lead the Bonnies.
Jones was one off his career-high with seven assists for the Greyhounds, and Spencer had six,
Golden Dike grabbed a team-best six boards.
Loyola returns to Reitz Arena on Sunday, December 12, for a 2 p.m. home game against Hampton University.
