Kent State 70, Loyola-Chicago 63
Kent State had four players who scored in double figures in holding off host Loyola-Chicago 70-63 Saturday afternoon in a BracketBusters matchup of Mid-American Conference and Horizon League teams.
The Golden Flashes (15-12) overcame a 21-9 first-half deficit, scoring the last nine points of the period, to assume a 38-33 lead at the break and led the rest of the way.
The Ramblers (14-14) closed to within five points, 68-63, with just 10.2 seconds left and had the ball back following a Kent State turnover, but Devon Turk missed a 3-pointer and the ball went out-of-bounds to the Flashes with 5.7 seconds remaining.
Kent State's Randal Holt hit two free throws to close out the scoring.
Loyola sophomore Christian Thomas led all scorers with a career-high 31 points, but Turk's 10 points was the only other Rambler in double figures. Thomas was 11 of 19 from the field and also had a game-high 11 rebounds.
Kent State, meanwhile, got 16 points from Chris Evans, 14 from Kris Brewer, 13 from Holt, and 12 from Darren Goodson.
The Ramblers once again were without Ben Averkamp (14.5 points per game), who missed his fifth straight game because of a concussion.
