Men’s basketball fell victim to a three point barrage, coming up short on the road.
Men’s basketball fell victim to a three point barrage, coming up short on the road.
Men’s basketball fell victim to a three point barrage, coming up short on the road against the University of Tulsa 88-77 Dec. 5.
Second-year guard Jayden Dawson led the Ramblers with a career-high 26 points and seven rebounds, while graduate guard Braden Norris and fourth-year forward Philip Alston followed with 11 points each. Fourth-year guard Keaston Willis topped the stat sheet for the Golden Hurricanes with 15 points and five rebounds, and Tulsa finished the game with five players in double figures.
The Ramblers made the trip to Oklahoma after improving to 5-3 against Harvard University Dec. 2 while the Golden Hurricanes lined up across from the Ramblers, sitting at 4-2.
Redshirt first-year PJ Haggerty scored the game’s first points at the free throw line before third-year forward Jarden Garcia sank a three, helping propel Tulsa to a quick 7-0 lead. Graduate guard Greg Dolan got to the rim for Loyola’s first points but Haggerty ensured Tulsa’s 10-2 lead with a three in the corner.
Alston made a three of his own, cutting the deficit to five going into the first official timeout. The two squads traded buckets until first-year guard Tyshawn Archie lifted the Golden Hurricanes to a 20-9 lead after draining a step-back three.
The half resembled a three point shooting contest for a few minutes as, just seconds after Archie’s shot, Norris knocked in a deep three. Down the floor, first-year Tulsa forward Jarred Hall nailed another from beyond the arc keeping Tulsa ahead 23-12. Watson went right back to the long ball and made another three. Garcia responded with another three to keep the Golden Hurricanes up 26-17.
In the first half alone Tulsa attempted 15 threes and made eight, while the Ramblers made seven of their 17 attempts.
The Golden Hurricanes continued to add on to their lead at the line while Dolan created a spark finding first-year center Miles Rubin cutting to the rim making the score 28-19. Loyola took advantage of a missed Archie dunk and Norris scored five quick points, cutting the Rambler deficit to 32-27 with just under six minutes left in the half.
First-year Tulsa forward Matt Reed quelled the Loyola momentum after receiving a feed driving on the baseline. Willis then nailed a three, forcing the Ramblers into a timeout down 37-27.
Out of the timeout, Dawson made two threes. Then, after two Golden Hurricanes free throws, he made a third, making it a two point game at 39-37. Second-year Tulsa guard Isaiah Barnes responded with a shot from beyond the arc.
Dawson missed a three-pointer with five seconds left in the half, but second-year guard Jalen Quinn stole away the rebound and drew a foul driving to the rim. With two seconds left, Quinn sank both, sending the teams to the locker rooms with just three points between them at 42-39.
Third-year forward Carlous Williams got the Golden Hurricanes rolling in the second with a three. Alston fought back and converted on an and-one which drew Loyola within five. Barnes jump-started a Tulsa run with two fast threes before Garcia forced the Ramblers into timeout suddenly down 55-42 with a forceful fast break slam.
Graduate forward Dame Adelekun finished a two-hand jam of his own on a fast break but Haggerty came right back and converted an and-one, halting the Loyola momentum before it could get rolling.
Norris and Watson tried their best to keep pace as the Golden Hurricanes drained three three-pointers to extend their 67-54 lead. With just under 12 minutes to play Dawson and Archie traded mid-range buckets, then Alston drove it home breaking down for the floor for a slam dunk to make it 71-58.
Quinn threw an attempted alley-oop intended for Alston too high and out of bounds, then Tulsa scored six quick points. Alston got around a defender and laid in on the block. Then, Dawson made a corner three which set the score at 78-63.
With five minutes left in the game, the Ramblers went into a full-court press which successfully disrupted the Golden Hurricane’s offensive rhythm at points. Tulsa extended their lead with four at the line then graduate forward Tom Welch made two of his own.
Loyola’s press forced a turnover which Dawson took advantage of with another triple making it 83-71. Alston drew a foul after grabbing an offensive rebound and made two, cutting the deficit to 10 with just over two minutes left.
Down the stretch, Haggerty and Willis both padded their score sheets with successful visits to the free-throw line. Dawson made one more three and Welch got Loyola to 77, scoring in the post. As the final seconds ticked away, Tulsa celebrated their 88-77 victory over the now 5-4 Ramblers.
Loyola was efficient offensively, shooting 46% from the field and 38% from three, but couldn’t keep pace with the scoring Golden Hurricanes who shot at a 51% clip while making 14 three-pointers. The teams were nearly even in rebounding with Tulsa gaining the slight edge with 34 while the Ramblers grabbed 33. Both teams struggled to hold onto the ball as Loyola finished with 20 turnovers and the Golden Hurricanes recorded 19.
Head coach Drew Valentine said he felt his team came out too flat in both halves and added they lacked the passion and intensity necessary to win on the road.
“In the second half, I thought our turnovers were ridiculous — really not pleased with the way that we kind of just went off and did our own thing,” Valentine said. “But we’ll be better. We had a bunch of different guys step up at times and make some plays that were necessary and needed.”
The Ramblers will look to get back on track as they return to Gentile Arena Saturday, Dec. 9 where they will take on the Goshen College Maple Leafs. Tip-off is scheduled for 5 p.m. and the game will be broadcast on NBC Sports Chicago+.
Featured image by Holden Green | The Phoenix
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