Loyola Hands Panthers Fifth-Straight Setback, 77-66

In a match-up of teams seeking their first Missouri Valley Conference win this season, Loyola came away with a 77-66 triumph over the UNI Panthers at Gentile Arena in Chicago Wednesday night (Jan. 4, 2016).

UNI falls to 0-3 in MVC play for the first time since the 2000-2001 season. The Panthers have dropped five straight games and are 5-9 overall on the season. Loyola moved to 11-5 overall and 1-2 in league play.

The Panthers led 8-7 on a three-pointer from Jordan Ashton with 15:13 left in the first half. However, the Ramblers went on a 15-3 run to open up a 22-11 lead with 9:03 remaining in the opening half. Following Ashton's three-pointer, UNI did not make another field goal until Isaiah Brown drilled a triple with 7:06 on the clock. Loyola would take a 39-26 lead into the intermission.

Loyola pushed the lead to 21 at 56-35 with 13:16 remaining in the game. The Ramblers were 21 points ahead, at 62-41, when Ben Richardson scored on a layup with 8:18 left to play.

The Panthers went on a 14-4 run that was capped by an Ashton three-pointer with 3:35 left on the clock. But the Ramblers would push the lead back to double-digits on a layup from Donte Ingram with 3:03 left in the game. Ingram scored a game-high 25 points and grabbed 10 rebounds.

Juwan McCloud scored a career-high 16 points to lead UNI, while Ashton followed with 11. Reserve players accounted for half of the Panthers' points, as UNI's bench outscored the Loyola bench, 33-14.

Redshirt freshman Lincoln Conrey scored the first points of his collegiate career in the game's final minute for UNI. Conrey played high school basketball at Waterloo West.

UP NEXT: The Panthers will be back in action at 3 p.m. on Sunday, hosting the Wichita State Shockers in a game that will be broadcast by ESPNU from the McLeod Center in Cedar Falls. Fans attending the game are asked to wear purple.

Story Courtesy of UNI Athletics