Courtesy of LoyolaGreyhounds.com
BALTIMORE — Eric Laster made a go-ahead 3-pointer with 8.4 seconds left in regulation, and Loyola University Maryland defeated visiting Colgate University, 68-65, Monday night in Patriot League action.
Moments earlier, Laster gave Loyola a 63-62 lead with he knocked down a three from the left corner with the shot clock expiring at 2:10, but the Raiders (10-12 overall, 6-5 Patriot League) pushed back in front with a Jordan Swopshire three 45 seconds later.
Swopshire’s three gave Colgate a 65-63 advantage, and Loyola (7-14, 6-4) missed a pair of shots on its offensive end.
The Raiders got the offensive matchup they wanted when Cam Gregory switched to defend Austin Tillotson, but the Loyola post player stayed in front of Tillotson who misfired from close range. Gregory got the offensive rebound, and Loyola called a timeout with 26.5 seconds remaining.
Andre Walker tested the right side before flipping a pass back to Laster at the top of the right wing. Laster hit the three, his third of the game to put Loyola on top in a game that saw 13 lead changes and 11 ties.
Colgate had plenty of time to score, but Tillotson had a layup blocked by Jarred Jones. Chancellor Barnard grabbed the rebound for Loyola, was fouled and made two free throws with 1.2 ticks left.
Barnard then picked off the Raiders’ long inbound pass, sealing the Greyhounds’ third-straight victory.
Laster finished with a team-high 18 points, and Walker had 17 to go with five assists and three steals. Jones scored 11, and Gregory led all players with 10 rebounds.
Loyola led by as many as five, 46-41, in the second half when Walker converted a layup and free throw at 15:06, but an Alex Ramon layup and Swopshire three quickly tied the score 38 seconds later.
Colgate managed a five-point lead of its own on four-straight Ramon points; his layup with 8:38 left put the Raiders in front, 58-53.
That basket, however, was the last either team would score until Franz Rassman scored down low for Loyola with 4:27 left breaking a scoreless stretch of five minutes, 45 seconds for Loyola.
Two Swopshire free throws that came nine seconds after Rassman’s layup stretched Colgate’s advantage back to five, but Jones scored in the paint for Loyola on its next trip down the court.
Laster came up big on Loyola’s next possession, grabbing an offensive rebound and putting in a layup while being fouled. He made the free throw at 3:09, tying the score at 60-60.
TIllotson gave Colgate a 62-60 lead at 2:41 before Laster’s first three put Loyola in front for the first time since it led, 51-50, with 11:01 remaining.
Tom Rivard led Coglate with 19 points and nine rebounds, while Swopshire added 16 points and TIllotson had 15 and seven assists.
The Greyhounds continue their stretch of four games in eight days on Wednesday, Feb. 3, when they travel to Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, to face Lehigh University in a 7 o’clock game.
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