Men’s Basketball Opens A10 Play With Win Against Rhode Island

Loyola men’s basketball pulled off a 61-57 win against the University of Rhode Island Dec. 31 to open Atlantic 10 (A10) conference play. Redshirt third-year guard Justin Moore led the Ramblers with a 19-point performance, while Rhode Island’s redshirt third-year guard Jonah Hinton and graduate guard Tyler Cochran each scored 15 in the Rams’ loss. 

Second-year guard Kayde Dotson opened the game with a 3-pointer, which Cochran matched with a jumper the next possession. A steal from Cochran led to an unsuccessful layup. A forced turnover from fourth-year forward Xavier Amos allowed Rhode Island’s redshirt fourth-year forward Alex Crawford to hit a jumper and take the 4-3 lead for the Rams. 

Cochran and Amos each scored lone free throws before a five-point run from the Rams. Hinton sank a three, and Crawford hit a jumper to take a 10-4 lead. Third-year center Miles Rubin ended the run with a layup to bring the game within four. 

Just under a minute of scoreless play went by before Dotson hit two consecutive threes to return the lead to the Ramblers, but Rhode Island’s redshirt fourth-year forward Drissa Traore tied it at 12 with a layup. 

Moore broke the tie for the Ramblers with a layup, and Rubin added one of his own to the board. A 3-pointer from first-year Rams guard Jalen Harper brought it to a one-point game. A steal from Rhode Island’s graduate guard RJ Johnson led to a steal from Dotson, resulting in a failed possession. 

After a minute, Amos got the Ramblers back on the board with a layup, starting a 7-0 run for the Ramblers. First-year guard Nic Anderson and fourth-year center Alexander Richardson scored their first points of the night on a 3-pointer and a layup, respectively, giving Loyola a 23-15 lead over the Rams. 

Hinton and Moore traded 3-pointers and graduate Rams guard Myles Corey and Moore traded field goals to keep the eight-point advantage with the Ramblers. A three from third-year guard Deywilk Tavarez increased the lead before Corey hit a layup for a nine-point Rams deficit. 

Corey recorded a steal from Tavarez, resulting in a missed three from Hinton. Three misses spread across both teams rendered a minute-long drought, which Corey ended with a layup with just under two minutes left to play in the half. 

Following a Loyola timeout, Moore and Dotson each missed their attempts, while the Rams found an equal amount of success with Johnson missing an attempt as well. Rhode Island’s graduate forward Keeyan Itejere stole a possession from Moore, which Moore stole back for a missed layup. 

Hinton ended the first half with a 3-pointer, sending the teams into halftime with the Ramblers ahead 31-27. 

Moore got the Ramblers started in the second half with a 3-pointer. Rubin recorded a block and a steal, which set Moore up for a layup to reclaim a nine-point lead over the Rams. 

A successful trip to the line from Hinton was equalized with a layup from Rubin, who then went on to take a successful trip of his own to give the Ramblers a 40-29 lead. 

A minute and a half full of steals — two from the Rams and one from the Ramblers — ended with a layup from Dotson. Hinton successfully made two free throws before Amos and Cochran scored twice each — a dunk and a layup for Amos and a jumper and layup for Cochran. 

Moore hit another three, prompting five minutes of scoreless play. In the span, the Ramblers recorded six misses, two fouls and two turnovers, compared to Rhode Island’s nine misses, two fouls and no turnovers. Rubin got the action back in with a layup, which Cochran matched with one of his own to make it a 51-37 game. 

Cochran and fourth-year forward Joshua Ola-Joseph each took successful trips to the line and Crawford drained a 3-pointer to start closing in on the Ramblers. Two free throws from Johnson were met with traded field goals from Moore and Cochran for a nine-point Rams’ deficit. 

Johnson completed a three-point play to inch closer to the Ramblers, as Rubin and Cochran traded field goals. With just over a minute left to play, Dotson and Johnson each received a technical foul, giving the Rams an unsuccessful chance with the possession. 

Fourth-year guard Kymany Houinsou recorded his first points of the night with two at the line, which Hinton equalized with a successful trip of his own. With 20 seconds left, Cochran made a layup and Moore made two free throws for a 61-55 Loyola advantage. 

Johnson ended the game with a tip-in, which wasn’t good enough as the Ramblers exited the game with their first A10 conference win at 61-57. 

The Ramblers continue their A10 slate against the University of Dayton Jan. 3, returning to Gentile Arena. Tip off is scheduled for 1 p.m. and can be streamed on CBS Sports Network.