Dawson Stuns in Saint Louis Defeat

The Loyola men’s basketball team managed a comeback in a close 78-69 win over Saint Louis University. Third-year guard Jayden Dawson led the Ramblers and tied his career high of 26 points, while redshirt fourth-year guard Gibson Jimerson scored 20 points for the Billikens. 

Dawson said his team’s support during the game was key in his performance. 

“My teammates trusted me, coach trusted me, all of that,” Dawson said. “But, man, it feels good. I haven’t had 20 in a minute — I was in a little slump. So it definitely feels good.”

With the win, the Ramblers rose to fourth in the Atlantic 10 conference with a record of 7-5 in conference and 16-9 overall. 

Seconds after second-year center Miles Rubin grabbed the opening tipoff, third-year Billikens forward Kalu Anya fouled graduate guard Sheldon Edwards Jr. Fourth-year Saint Louis guard Kobe Johnson recorded the first points of the game with a layup. 

Dawson — who received the A10 Player of the Week accolade Feb. 17 — got the Ramblers on the board with a jumper, before fourth-year guard Des Watson increased the Rambler lead with a three. 

Jimerson added two at the line for the Billikens, and Dawson made a three to keep Loyola ahead 8-4. Rubin made a block and converted a pass from Dawson into a dunk on the other end. Anya scored a bucket to narrow the lead to four, but a Dawson 3-pointer maintained the Rambler momentum.

Jimerson drained back-to-back 3-pointers after a brief drought before stealing the ball to assist Anya on a layup, giving the Billikens the 14-13 lead. Third-year center Robbie Avila kept Saint Louis rolling with a 3-pointer, while the Ramblers were plagued with misses and blocked shots. 

Jimerson scored two at the line before a two-minute drought struck the court. A Watson three broke the ice, while third-year guard Jalen Quinn added two at the line to tie the game at 18. Watson drove in a layup to reclaim the lead at 20-18. 

Jimerson tied the game again before Watson faked a three and passed to Edwards Jr., who scored on his three-point attempt. A jumper from Watson was met by two Avila layups. 

The lead shifted back and forth from Loyola to Saint Louis, as fourth-year guard Isaiah Swope had it with a layup, followed by a jumper by Rubin and reclaimed by a three-point play by Avila. Less than a minute later, Johnson and Dawson traded threes, but the lead stayed with the Billikens as Johnson added a layup.

An alleyoop Rubin dunk decreased Saint Louis’ lead to two. Johnson and Dawson traded threes again as the halftime buzzer rang with the Billikens ahead 37-35. 

Dawson opened scoring in the second half with a layup and was quickly answered by a three from Jimerson. Third-year guard Kymany Houinsou made two at the line to bring the Ramblers within one. 

Following a two-minute drought, Dawson made a three. A responding three from Swopes triggered a brief Billiken run, with a dunk by Anya and another Swopes three. Dawson ended their run with another 3-pointer to decrease the Billikens lead to 48-45. 

Rubin added one at the line before Jimerson and Johnson made a 3-pointer and a jumper. Fourth-year forward Jalen DeLoach made a lone free throw before Quinn drew two fouls on consecutive possessions. 

Misses from both squads slowed play until Rubin exploded with a dunk and Edwards Jr. hit a three following a steal by Watson. Avila and Edwards Jr. traded jumpers to keep the Ramblers up by one. 

Avila gave the lead back to the Billikens with two at the line, but it was canceled out by two by Quinn. Saint Louis added five consecutive points to the board with a three by Jimerson and two more at the line by Avila for a 62-58 game. 

A Dawson jumper and two made free throws by Watson tied it at 62 until Avila drained a 3-pointer for the Saint Louis advantage. Edwards Jr. tied it up after making three at the line, having been fouled by Jimerson.

Back-to-back 3-pointers by Edwards Jr. were complimented by a Houinsou dunk, prompting a Billiken timeout with two minutes remaining and Loyola ahead 73-65. 

Swopes added four points with a jumper and a successful trip at the line. Dawson responded with a layup before Watson was fouled and added two free throws. Rubin scored the final point of the night at the line, solidifying the 78-69 Rambler. 

Head coach Drew Valentine said he tried a new defensive tactic in the team’s game plan to attack Saint Louis’ offensive style — primarily Avila’s strength in the paint. 

“Today it was different in the way that we were doing it,” Valentine said. “[Avila] does such a good job of backing you in. When you have an opportunity to do that — keep [Rubin] at the rim — and be a late contest guy. So that was the game plan, what we were trying to do, and I think it worked.” 

Next the Ramblers head on the road — the team’s main struggle this season, according to Valentine, with a 3-4 record — to face the Davidson College Wildcats. The game is scheduled for Tuesday, Feb. 18 at 6 p.m. and can be streamed on CBS Sports Network.