January 21, 2007 - Loyola 78 Rider 73
January 21, 2007
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Men's College Basketball
Loyola College 78, Rider University 73
LAWRENCEVILLE—Despite a career-high 20 points by sophomore Lamar Johnson (Scranton, PA/Scranton), and another ‘double-double’ from junior Jason Thompson (Mt. Laurel/Lenape), the Broncs lost a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference game to first-place Loyola Sunday. “Loyola is in first place for a reason,” said Rider head coach Tommy Dempsey. “They defend well and they’re good. Right now they’re better than us.”
For the Greyhounds, junior guard Gerald Brown scored 31 points to lead Loyola to its seventh consecutive conference win. It was the fifth 30-point game this year for Brown, a transfer from Providence College who is the leading the MAAC in scoring (22.9). “Brown is terrific,” Dempsey said.
With the score tied at 60-60, Loyola (11-7, 7-1 MAAC) went on a 12-2 run, seven points by Brown, to take a 72-62 lead with 1:30 left to play.
Rider (10-9, 4-5 MAAC) made three three-pointers in its next three possessions to cut the lead to 74-71, and Jason Thompson made two foul shots with :33 remaining to cut the lead 75-73, but that was as close as the Broncs could get. “We were lucky to win,” said Loyola head coach Jimmy Patsos.
Jason Thompson finished with 21 points and 13 rebounds, his tenth ‘double-double’ of the season and the 23rd of his career. “Jason is an NBA player,” Patsos said. “Not an NBA prospect, an NBA player. I coached Jason in China a few summers ago and I know what he can do. If continues to work hard he’ll be in the NBA.”
Johnson made his second start of the season for Rider and scored Rider’s first six points on a pair of three-pointers, and made a career-high six three-point field goals for the game. His sixth three-pointer cut the lead to 74-71 with :55 remaining. “Making those first two was a confidence lifter,” said Johnson. “It wasn’t about the three-pointers I made. I just have to keep working because I’ve been inconsistent this year. I just have to keep on working in the gym, keep on shooting.”
Brown, the leading scorer in the MAAC (22.9), scored 10 points in the first 5:30 of the game, as Loyola jumped out to as 14-6 lead.
Trailing 19-11, Rider went on a 14-6 run, six points by freshman Ryan Thompson (Mt. Laurel/Lenape), to tie the score at 25-25. Ryan Thompson finished with 11 points, making all six of his foul shots.
Rider is the second best free throw shooting team in the MAAC (.725) and made 21 of 26 on Sunday to stay in the game, while shooting just 35 percent from the field. “We fought hard today, we just didn’t shoot the ball well,” said Dempsey.
Loyola led 38-32 at the half, and holding a 38-35 lead went on a 9-0 run, six points by senior forward Michael Tuck, to build a 47-35 lead. Tuck finished with 14 points and six rebounds. Tuck leads the MAAC in field goal percentage (.623) and made six of 10 Sunday.
Trailing 58-49, Rider went on a 9-0 run, four points by Jason Thompson, to tie the score at 58-58 with 7:05 left to play. That was the first tie since 25-25 with 5:00 left in the first half.
Rider senior Terrance Mouton (Lafayette, LA/Acadiana) scored four points but contributed seven assists and six rebounds, while sophomore Harris Mansell (Cheltenham, PA) added 15 points for the Broncs. Mouton now needs just six points for 1,000.
Loyola has the highest three-point field goal percentage in the MAAC (.372) and made 11 of 21 from beyond the arc on Sunday.
Rider hosts Siena at the Sovereign Bank Arena Saturday. “We’ll feel bad about this loss tonight, but tomorrow we’ll start thinking about Siena,” Jason Thompson said.
-RU-
