CHICAGO – Missouri State got 40 points from Isiaih Mosley and shot 61 percent in the second half to take down No. 22-ranked Loyola Chicago, 79-69, here Saturday and halting the Ramblers’ 30-game home win streak.
The Bears’ victory also stopped Loyola’s 23-game MVC home win streak and lifted MoState to its first victory over a ranked opponent since it took down No. 21 Creighton on Dec. 28, 2011 in Omaha.
Mosley’s output was just the fifth 40-point scoring game in school history, but his second in five games. It was also his fourth scoring effort of 30 points or more in that same five-game span.
After leading by two points at the half, the Bears (15-6, 6-2 MVC) used lock-down defense to hold Loyola to one field goal in the first 11 minutes of the second stanza. Meanwhile, Mosley and company turned up the heat, going on a 14-3 run over a key five-minute stretch to extend their lead from 48-39 to 62-42 with 7:14 to go. Mosley had 11 points in that key stretch.
After LUC got a pair of free throws from Marquese Kennedy to stop a two-minute scoring drought, Mosley dumped the ball off to a cutting Dawson Carper on MSU’s next possession for a huge dunk to make it 64-44. LUC then got layups by Braden Norris and Jacob Hutson to trim its deficit to 16 before Gaige Prim’s layup pushed the visitors’ advantage to 18 heading into the game’s final four minutes.
But just like most games at Gentile Arena, the home side did not go down without a fight, capitalizing on a controversial flagrant one foul on Prim at the 4:15 mark that resulted in two free throws by Norris and possession of the ball. That momentum swing led to a 3-pointer from Lucas Williamson to make it a 13-point contest.
Missouri State then faced a physical full-court pressure from the Ramblers down the stretch, but converted 13-of-14 free throws in the game’s final three-and-a-half minutes with Lu’Cye Patterson, Mosley and Donovan Clay coming up big from the stripe. That same composure led to MSU making all six of its free throw attempts in the final minute – along with two clutch defensive rebounds in that span — to complete the road win against a rugged “quad-one” foe.
Joining Mosley in double figures for Missouri State was Clay with 16 points and Prim with 11 points and a game-high 10 rebounds. It was Prim’s eighth double-double of the season and Clay’s best offensive output since scoring 20 in the season opener.
Coach Dana Ford‘s Bears finished 28-of-52 (.538) from the field, 8-of-19 (.421) from long range and 15-for-18 (.833) at the line with a 33-31 rebounding advantage and just seven turnovers.
The Bears scored 34 points in the paint and outscored Loyola by a 27-9 margin in the first 13 minutes of the second half.
Loyola (14-3, 5-1 MVC) was led by Norris’ 16 points and Williamson’s 11. The Ramblers made 12 field goals in the second half but 10 makes came in the final six-and-a-half minutes, including three triples, as the home side made a valiant effort down the stretch, ultimately trimming MSU’s lead to 73-67 with 1:22 to go.
The Ramblers finished 25-of-62 (.403) overall from the field, 9-for-34 (.265) from 3-point range and 10-of-12 (.833) at the line with 6 turnovers.
In the opening half, the Bears shot 48.3 percent and got 16 points from Mosley to lead 35-33 at the midway point. Missouri State survived an early 9-2 lead by Loyola out of the gates with a Mosley-led 17-7 run over a six-and-a-half minute stretch.
There were five ties and five lead changes in the first 20 minutes. The last deadlock at 33-33, was broken on a driving baseline dunk by Clay with 16 seconds left in the period to give MSU a two-point advantage at the break and a lead it would never relinquish.
The Bears will close out their two-game Valley road swing on Tuesday at Indiana State at 6 p.m. (ESPN+) before returning to JQH Arena on Saturday, Jan. 29 for a matchup against Evansville to end the month. Tickets for the Evansville game are available at MissouriStateBears.com or by visiting the Old Missouri Bank Box Office at JQH Arena, (417) 836-7678, during regular box office hours.
