CHICAGO  – Loyola Chicago flexed early muscle to down Indiana State, 75-55 in front of 2,661 fans inside the Gentile Center.
 
The Sycamores fell to 10-8, 3-4 MVC on the season while the league-leading Ramblers improved to 14-6, 6-1 MVC and won for the fourth straight game.
 
Jordan Barnes paced the Sycamores with 18 points. Indiana State hit 21-of-49 from the field in the game (42.9 percent) while Loyola tallied a mark of 67.4 percent. The Ramblers hit 15-fo-21 from the field in the final 20 minutes (71.4 percent). The Sycamores were guilty of 15 turnovers which turned into 15 Rambler points.
 
Each team came up empty of their first four offensive possessions, including two offensive fouls whistled against the Ramblers. Cooper Neese opened the scoring with a jumper which banked its way home almost three minutes into the game for the early 2-0 lead. Loyola broke through on their next three possessions before Tyreke Key entered the scoring column a 3-pointer as the clock ticked down past the 15 minute mark to trim the Loyola lead down to two. Five unanswered for the Ramblers was countered with a baseline drive by Jordan Barnes just north of 12 minutes remaining which trimmed the LUC advantage down to 13-7.
 
The Ramblers scored on consecutive possessions to run their lead out to 17-8 before Tre Williams stemmed the tied with a reverse lay-up to trim the deficit down to seven. Tate Hall countered with a 3-pointer off the feed from Cameron Krutwig with 7:48 on the clock to stake the Ramblers out to a 20-10 advantage. That trey began a 10-0 Loyola run which ended with a Cobie Barnes second-chance bucket with just under five minutes remaining but the Ramblers held a 27-12 lead.
 
A personal 4-0 run by senior Bronson Kessinger included a pair of free throws and a lay-up which trimmed the Loyola cushion down to 33-16 with just over two minutes to go before the break. Loyola posted three points on their next two possessions before Kessinger made it seven points in the game as he rattled home his third 3-pointer of the season to get within 17 points. Christian Williams posted a steal and converted a pair of free throws to make it 36-21 with just over a minute to go. Loyola entered the locker room with a 40-23 lead as Kessinger led the way with seven points.
 
Jordan Barnes would score first for the Sycamores in the second half with a driving lay-up before Tate Hall connected on his second 3-pointer of the contest to run the Ramblers lead out to 43-25. Cooper Neese buried his first 3-pointer of the game with 16:30 remaining to get the Sycamores within 43-28.
 
Barnes was the first Sycamore to reach double figures scoring after Christian Williams recorded a steal via the halfcourt trap and Barnes went all the way to the bucket. After a Loyola timeout, Williams got another pilfer and Barnes went to the rim again to cut the Loyola lead down to 57-37 with 11 minutes remaining.
 
Loyola was led by 23 points from Tate Hall in the contest. Junior Cameron Krutwig posted 13 points, 12 rebounds and nine assists in the contest.
 
Indiana State begins a two-game homestretch against the upper half of the Valley when they host Bradley on Saturday, January 25 at 2 p.m. (ET). The Sycamores will don black jerseys for the first time in many years as they help to raise funds for St. Jude Children's Hospital and Black Out Cancer. Fans may make monetary donations at the game and there will be an online auction in the coming week where those interested may purchase the jerseys worn in the game by the team. Stay tuned to GoSycamores.com for additional details. All donations will be delivered in the month of February to St. Jude Children's Hospital via Hi-99, our local broadcasting partner.