Loyola Beats Cold-Shooting UNI At McLeod Center

The UNI Panthers had their 14-game home-court win streak against Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) opponents snapped by Loyola on Saturday (Jan. 16, 2015).

The Ramblers (8-10 overall, 1-5 MVC) rallied from three-point halftime deficit and left the McLeod Center with a 51-41 victory. Loyola outscored UNI, 32-19, in the second half.

The visitors's bench outscored UNI's bench, 26-2. Montel James came off the pine to record a double-double with 14 points and 12 rebounds. Milton Doyle also came off the bench to score 12 points.

UNI (10-9 overall, 2-4 MVC) was led in scoring by junior Jeremy Morgan with 15 points. Seniors Paul Jesperson and Wes Washpun each collected a team-high seven rebounds.

The Panthers trailed by seven points early as Loyola jumped out to a 10-3 advantage with 13:46 left in the first half. UNI responded with a 10-3 run to knot the contest at 13-13 with 9:37 before half.

Loyola took a 19-18 lead with 3:30 left on a driving layup from Ben Richardson. Then, UNI rallied to score the four four points of the half on consecutive layups from Wyatt Lohaus and Washpun. The Panthers led 22-19 at intermission.

The Ramblers began the final 20 minutes with a 9-2 and gained a 28-24 advantage. Loyola stymied the Panthers early in the second half and did not allow UNI to make a field goal until Jesperson knocked down a triple with 13:31 left in the game.

The Panthers tied the game for the final time at 38-38 on a pair of free throws from Morgan, who fell to the floor hard on an attempted dunk.

Richardson sank back-to-back late shot clock three-pointers to move the margin to 44-38 with 4:15 left in the game. The Panthers would get no closer than four the rest of the way.

UNI shot a season-low 27.1 percent from the floor. The 41 points scored by the Panthers are the fewest by UNI at the McLeod Center. The previous low of 46 was set in a one-point loss to Drake on Feb. 18, 2009.

UP NEXT: UNI hosts the Wichita State Shockers on Wednesday. The game is set to tip at 7 p.m. in the McLeod Center in Cedar Falls.