MOBILE, Ala. – Spring Hill College rallied back from an early hole but was unable to fight back from a second-half run by Loyola University (La.), falling to the former NAIA Southern States Athletic Conference foe, 97-79, on Wednesday night, Dec. 19 in the Outlaw Center.
The Badgers allowed a pair of 11-0 runs by the Wolfpack in the first 10 minutes as Loyola (7-4) blew open its lead, 22-3, midway through the first half. Spring Hill's only points came on an
Andrew Dotson jumper to pause the first 11-0 run and a
Ryan Littel free throw to stop the second.
It was 27-3 before Christian Brant hit the Badgers' first 3-pointer of the night with 7:44 to play. Brant scored eight points in the final eight minutes of the first half to help Spring Hill chip away at Loyola's lead. A
Gresyn Rogers 3 to close the first half, cut the Wolfpacks' once 24-point lead down to 12 points at the break, 47-35.
Jared Holland, who assisted Rogers' 3 before halftime, scored 11 points on the first five Spring Hill possessions in the second half to make it a four-point game, 52-48, with 18:08 to play. After a Loyola turnover,
Brandon Fischer hit a 3-pointer to make it a one-point game, 52-51. Fischer later grabbed an offensive rebound, which
Quinn Sutton kicked out to Rogers' for another 3 that gave Spring Hill its first lead of the night, 54-52, with 16:46 remaining.
Spring Hill had out-scored Loyola 49-27 over the past 11 minutes to overcome its early slump and gain the lead.
The Badgers managed to keep a slim lead over the next two minutes, but Loyola used a 15-point run to regain its double-digit lead, 74-61, with 11:26. The closest Spring Hill was able to close the gap was 10 points, 79-69, on a pair of
Justin Allison free throws with 7:28 to play.
Holland finished the night with 20 points on 57.1 percent (8-of-14) shooting, while
Jordan McIlwain scored 12 and grabbed 11 rebounds for a double-double. Rogers finished with 11, and Fischer scored 10.
Zach Wright narrowly missed a triple-double for Loyloa with 27 points, 14 rebounds and nine assists. Myles Burns and Terry Smith, Jr. each scored 16 points, while Eric Brown finished with 12 points.
Spring Hill (5-6) concludes its pre-Christmas schedule and will return to action New Year's Eve at Clark-Atlanta University for a SIAC East game. Tip-off is 7:30 p.m. ET.
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