WASHINGTON, D.C. – American University scored the game's first seven points and then used a 19-10 run to build a 14-point lead with just over six minutes to play in the first half, and the Eagles went on to a 71-55 win over Loyola University Maryland on Monday afternoon in Patriot League action.
Kenneth Jones knocked down a three from the top-right of the perimeter at 15:50, and Loyola trailed 11-9. Connor Nelson responded with a three for the Eagles, however, kicking off the Eagles' run.
After a
Deon Perry jumper for the Greyhounds at 10:28 cut it to 19-13, Matt Rogers made a layup for American, Johnny O'Neil hit a three, and Colin Smalls converted a traditional 3-point play, and the lead was 12, 27-15 at the 8:00 mark.
Elijah Stephens scored in the paint for American, pushing the lead to 37-20 with just over 30 ticks left in regulation, but Jones hit a fading baseline jumper from 18 feet at the buzzer to send Loyola to the locker room down 15.
Loyola got a spark in the second half from
Jaylin Andrews, starting at 13:30 when he made a free-throw line jumper. He then grabbed a steal and converted an and-one moments later. At 12:09, he made two more at the line, and after an O'Neil jumper stopped the 7-0 run, Andrews had another jumper fall to cut the deficit to nine, 48-39, at 11:33.
Geoff Sprouse, however, made a three for the Eagles at 10:47 to start a 14-2 run that would move the lead to 62-41 at 6:49.
Chris Kuzemka made a three at 3:09 to pull the Greyhounds within 12, and
Isaiah Alexander came up with a steal on the next defensive possession, but Loyola would not draw closer than a dozen.
Andrews finished with 13 points and three steals for the Greyhounds, while
Golden Dike added nine and team highs of seven rebounds and three assists. Kuzemka and
Alonso Faure each scored eight. O'Neil led all players with 21 points.
Loyola returns to Reitz Arena on Thursday, January 5, for a 7 p.m. game against the U.S. Military Academy.
