BALTIMORE – Kenneth Jones, Jaylin Andrews and Cam Spencer all made key 3-pointers in the final nine minutes of Saturday's Patriot League basketball game, helping Loyola University Maryland get past American University, 78-73, during a game in which the teams combined to shoot 63.2 percent from the field.
 
The teams made 60 of their combined 95 field goals in a game that saw only 38 total rebounds, 19 for each team.
 
Loyola (12-7 overall, 6-2 Patriot League) took a 51-44 lead off a Spencer steal and fast-break assist on a Jones basket with 12:51 left in regulation, forcing an American timeout. Out of the stoppage, however, American's Connor Nelson made one of his seven 3-pointers, sparking a 10-0 Eagles run that put them in front 54-51 on another Nelson three at 9:29.
 
On the Greyhounds' next possession, Veljko Ilic drew a foul, and on the ensuing baseline out-of-bounds play, Jones hit Spencer for a three from the top-right,a nd Loyola tied the game.
 
Over a minute later, Jones and Nelson traded threes with the latter's tying the game at 57-57 with 7L41 on the clock.
 
Andrews hit a three off an Ilic kick-out pass to put Loyola in front by three with 7:22 on the clock only to see American's Matt Rogers score in the paint to draw the Eagles back within one.
 
Another baseline out-of-bounds play was successful for the Greyhounds, however, as Milos Ilic cut down the middle and caught a pass from Jones for a dunk at 6:35. The Eagles (5-12, 1-4) pulled level, though, on a Nelson three 26 seconds later at 62-62.
 
Loyola turned it over with an offensive foul on its next possession, and American's Stacy Beckton, Jr., appeared to have an angle on a layup to put American back in front, but Golden Dike blocked the shot and grabbed the rebound for the Greyhounds.
 
Dike quickly outleted the ball to Jones who got the ball to Spencer on the left side for a transition three at 5:11.
 
Colin Smalls scored in the paint for the Eagles on their next possession, but then Andrews hit a jumper in the lane at 4:21 to push the lead back to three, 67-64.
 
Two Elijah free throws with 2:50 on the clock brought the American deficit to a pair, but at 1:24, Spencer drilled a three to stretch the advantage back to five.
 
Rogers scored in the paint at 58.1, and Loyola had possession up three. The Greyhounds ran the shot clock to under 15 seconds, and Spencer had the ball in his hands at the top of the perimeter. Beckton backed off, playing the drive, but Spencer pulled up to swish a deep three with 33 ticks on the clock.
 
Beckton answered on offense, making a three with 10 seconds later, and American called its last timeout down 74-71. The Eagles committed three fouls before sending Spencer to the free-throw line with 18 seconds to go. He made both ends of 1-and-1, and Loyola led by five.
 
Rogers took a Beckton feed and scored on a layup, drawing a foul with 10 on the clock, but he missed the free throw, and Milos Ilic grabbed the defensive rebound for Loyola.
 
He was fouled and made both free throws with nine seconds left to secure the win.
 
In addition to Spencer's 25 points, Andrews scored 17 and both Jones and Milos Ilic had 10 points. Veljko Ilic added eight points, and Dike scored six.
 
The Greyhounds had 23 assists on its 31 made shots, led by seven from Jones. Spencer had five, while Dike and Andrews each had four.
 
Loyola will make a quick turnaround for its next game as it heads to Hamilton, New York, for a Monday night game at Colgate University on January 24. The 7 p.m. contest will air live, nationally on CBS Sports Network.