BALTIMORE – Towson University used a 20-6 run midway through the second half to take an 18-point lead and pull away for a 67-56 victory over Loyola University Maryland at CFG Bank Arena in the Wellpoint Hall of Fame Series Baltimore.
Braeden Speed broke a 28-28 halftime tie with a basket 45 seconds into the second half Monday night to give the Greyhounds a two-point edge, but then Towson scored the next six.
Jonas Sirtautas got the Greyhounds back within a pair, 34-32, with a basket at 16:40, but Chike Ndefo scored to start the run that would cover more than nine minutes of second-half play.
Jordan Stiemke scored four-straight Loyola points, and
Sebastien Emenalo had a steal and transition dunk for his first collegiate points at 5:42, getting Loyola back within 14, 58-44. The Greyhounds cut their deficit to 11 on three occasions but did not draw closer.
Loyola led by as many as six in the first half, going up by that margin a second time with 3:53 to play in the frame on a traditional 3-point play by
Jacob Theodosiou, but the Tigers scored eight of the half's last 10 points to tie the score at the break.
Theodosiou finished with a team-high 13 for Loyola, while Speed, Stiemke and
Sam Springer all had nine. Sirtautas grabbed a team-best eight rebounds and blocked three shots.
Loyola will make its Reitz Arena home debut on Thursday, November 6, with an 11:30 a.m. game against Penn State Abington.
