BALTIMORE – A game that saw Loyola University Maryland and Hampton University combined for just 39 points in the game's first 16 minutes picked up its pace in the final 24, and the Pirates held on for a 76-68 victory over the host Greyhounds on Saturday afternoon in Reitz Arena.
Loyola (5-5 overall) led by one, 17-16, after a
Tyson Commander layup with 7:51 left in the first half, and Hampton gained a 21-18 advantage on a Wayne Bristol Jr. bucket with 7:13 in the first half, but neither team scored for almost four minutes.
When scoring picked back up with 3:21 on the clock, the teams combined for 105 points over the game's final 23-plus minutes.
Loyola outshot the Pirates (7-5), 46.3 percent to 39.3, but Hampton had five fewer turnovers (14-9) and was the beneficiary of taking 14 more free throws (35-21).
Hampton got out to an 11-point advantage, 52-41, just under 10 minutes into the second half capped by four-straight points by Etienne Strothers. The Greyhounds got within five three times after that, but Hampton made six free throws in the final 80 seconds to seal the win.
Milos Ilic scored a game-high 22 points to lead Loyola, and
Jordan Stiemke had all 12 of his points in the second half.
Loyola will wrap-up non-conference play on Saturday, December 28, in Chicago with a game at DePaul University.
