Dons Hand Men’s Basketball First Loss of the Season

The Loyola men’s basketball team suffered their first loss of the season against the University of San Francisco Dec. 15 at the MKE Tip-Off hosted at Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee. Fourth-year guard Des Watson led the Ramblers with 14 points, while San Francisco’s fourth-year guard Malik Thomas took charge with 35 points. 

The game began with offensive struggles on both sides, with the first basket coming two minutes in by graduate Dons center Carlton Linguard Jr. On the next possession, fourth-year forward Francis Nwaokorie shot a successful three to take the lead for Loyola.  

Third-year guard Kymany Houinsou snatched the ball from the Dons’ offense and drove down the court for a layup, giving the Ramblers a short-lived three-point advantage. Thomas sent in a three for San Francisco on the next possession to tie the game at five. 

Shortly after, Watson got control of the ball and put the Ramblers ahead with a 3-pointer before a media timeout. Fourth-year forward Jalen DeLoach added one at the line to keep the advantage. 

Both teams suffered a four-minute scoring drought, broken after Thomas finished a reverse layup just in time for another media timeout. 

Out of the break, Houinsou made a jumper before Nwaokorie was called for two fouls within 15 seconds. Another brief drought followed for both teams before Houinsou put back second-year center Miles Rubin’s missed layup. Third-year guard Justin Moore added another point at the line for a 14-7 Rambler lead. 

Rubin started a hot streak after blocking San Francisco’s fourth-year guard Marcus Williams and slamming a dunk on the next possession. Graduate guard Sheldon Edwards Jr. drew a foul during a missed layup attempt and made both at the line, but the second shot was called back after a lane violation. 

Williams sparked a run for the Dons with a layup to close the gap to single digits. Thomas converted two at the line and first-year guard and forward Veniamin Abosi added a 3-pointer, making it 17-14. 

Houinsou responded with a three-point play, and DeLoach dropped in a reverse layup to keep the Ramblers ahead. First-year guard Daniil Glazkov added one at the line before Thomas made a jumper with just over three minutes left to play. 

After a layup by Abosi, Loyola called a timeout with a 23-18 advantage and two and a half minutes remaining. Second-year Dons guard Ryan Beasley made a mid-range jumper before Nwaokorie and Williams traded successful trips at the free-throw line. 

With 30 seconds left, Edwards Jr. drained a 3-pointer and Williams hit a successful midrange jumper. A last-second layup by Watson was called off, sending the Ramblers into the break with a 28-24 advantage. 

Williams opened the half for the Dons with one at the line after being fouled by Rubin. Watson and Nwaokorie each made a 3-pointer before Williams completed a four-point play after a foul was called on Moore. 

Thomas sent in a dunk after driving down the court, tying the game at 36 and leading head coach Drew Valentine to call a timeout. 

Moore added one at the line before going down with an injury. Valentine said he was initially hopeful for a quick return, but later confirmed Moore was out for the remainder of the season with a knee injury. 

“Obviously it doesn’t look good,” Valentine said after the game. “He was just starting to get going tonight, too. I think tonight was gonna be one of those games.” 

Rubin made two at the line, in place of Moore, before Beasley tied the game at 39 with a 3-pointer. Third-year guard Jalen Quinn and Watson added four to retake the Rambler lead. 

Thomas made a jumper and reverse layup on consecutive San Francisco possessions to bring it within a point, and Beasley took the lead for the Dons with a three-point play. A dunk by Nwaokorie tied it again at 46. 

Thomas’ hot streak continued after making two layups, a 3-pointer and two free throws before the Ramblers could score. Watson ended his run with a stepback jumper, and Quinn made a layup to bring it within five with the Dons ahead 55-50. 

Edwards Jr. and DeLoach both missed free throws before Beasley drained a deep 3-pointer to keep the lead. Watson and Houinsou both fumbled trips to the line, and Thomas added one to keep the Dons ahead 59-53. 

Misses plagued both teams until second-year San Francisco forward Junjie Wang capitalized on a three. Nwaokorie had a successful three-point play, and Quinn and Watson both made jumpers in hopes of bringing the Ramblers back, but a three from Wang and a jumper from Thomas kept the Dons ahead 68-62 at the final media timeout. 

Watson struggled at the line again while Thomas turned in successful trips on the next two possessions.Quinn also fumbled at the line and made none of his attempts with a minute remaining. 

Edwards Jr. managed to add a 3-pointer to the board, but it wasn’t enough as Thomas added two more at the line to secure the 76-66 San Francisco victory. 

Valentine said the loss will be a learning experience for a “highly talented team,” and their ability to sustain injuries is a testament to the team’s depth. 

“For us to be in this game the way that we were with shooting bad free throws, you gotta be positive because that is a tournament-caliber team,” Valentine said. “If we’re without two of our best players, and we go 15-32 from the free-throw line, and that was a one or two possession game on a neutral floor, I feel pretty good about what this group could accomplish this year.” 

The Ramblers return home to face Canisius University Dec. 18 before making the trip to Hawaii for the Hawaiian Airlines Diamond Head Classic. The game is scheduled to tip off at 7 p.m. and can be streamed on Marquee Sports Network or ESPN+.