FAIRFIELD, Conn. –
Jacob Theodosiou had steals on three-straight possessions in the second half, scoring fast-break layups on the other end, helping spur Loyola University Maryland men's basketball to a 74-63 non-conference win over Stonehill College at the Mahoney Classic presented by Nivea Men.
Hermann Koffi knocked down a three for the Skyhawks with 17:11 to play in regulation, tying the score at 44-44, but Theodosiou had three of his career-high tying five steals on as many Stonehill possessions.
Theodosiou converted on the other end with layups, six of his season-best 21 points.
He tied backcourt mate
Braeden Speed for team-high honors with 21 points apiece, a total that Koffi matched for the Skyhawks.
Speed's 21 points were a career-high. He scored 15 of his total in the first half, while Theodosiou scored 17 in the second.
Troy Cicero Jr. and
Sam Springer gave the Greyhounds four players in double figures, both finishing with 10.
Stonehill had a 38-37 halftime lead that it extended to four, 41-37, on a Rex Sunderland layup, but Springer knocked won a three at 18:28, and Loyola was within one.
Theodosiou scored his first points of the second half with a second-chance layup 24 seconds later, and he then had his first of four second-half steals and flipped a behind-the-back pass to Speed for two in transition.
That basket gave Loyola three-point lead, but Koffi would tie it with his 3-pointer.
After Theodosiou's three-straight steals and layups gave Loyola a six-point lead, Stonehill twice brought the deficit back to two.
Two
Jonas Sirtautas gave Loyola a 64-57 lead with a free throw at 7:22, but just over a minute later, Chas Stinson's two got the Skyhawks within three.
Theodosiou came back with a three 22 ticks of the clock later, stretching the advantage to 67-61 with 5:46 on the clock.
The three were the first points of a 7-0 Loyola run, during which the Greyhounds held the Skyhawks scoreless for five-minutes, 22 seconds. During the run, Stonehill was 0 for 6 with a turnover.
Saturday's lead changed hands eight times in the first half. Speed made 6 of 9 shots from the field, including 3 of 4 from 3-pointer, before the break to score 15, and Cicero hit a pair of threes and scored on a putback to finish the period with eight.
Overall, Stonehill had 17 turnovers, forced by nine Loyola steals. The Greyhounds had only seven turnovers in the game.
Loyola will be back in action in the Classic on Sunday with a 2 p.m. game against host Fairfield University.
