Loyola continued a frustrating early-season pattern last night. The Greyhounds stayed close but again faded in the final minutes, as Niagara escaped with a 60-53 victory in a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference game at Reitz Arena.
The youthful Greyhounds have just one senior on their roster but have battled into the final minutes in losses to UMBC, Manhattan, Fairleigh Dickinson and now Niagara. The Purple Eagles had better size, speed and athleticism and threatened several times to break the game open, but Loyola (1-4, 0-2) kept fighting back before losing its fourth straight.
Sparked by Juan Mendez (16 points) and Tremmell Darden (13 points), Niagara (1-3, 1-1) led by nine late in the first half and again with 12 minutes left in the game, but the Greyhounds twice cut the lead to one point. Loyola's Delonnie Southall made a layup with 6:26 left and sliced the Niagara lead to 48-47.
But Niagara then scored seven straight and slowly pulled away. The Purple Eagles made four of their last six shots and got three big offensive rebounds. The Greyhounds missed five of their final seven shots and had three turnovers.
"The difference is our opponents are making the plays and our offense hasn't done it yet," Loyola coach Scott Hicks said. "Our kids are trying, but we just can't get the ball to drop [late in games]."
Lucious Jordan led Loyola with 14 points, but he was the only Greyhound with more than three baskets. Bobby Bossman added 11 for Loyola, but no one else had more than seven points as the offense had trouble with Niagara's zone defenses.
The Purple Eagles often used a 2-3 zone and kept Loyola from getting good passes inside and finding high-percentage shots.
Loyola never got hot from the field. The Greyhounds shot just 33 percent for the game (16-for-49), while Niagara hit 48 percent in the second half to hold on for the victory.
Hicks and Jordan said Loyola has to find more offensive production to win games. The Greyhounds are in the games and have opportunities for victories, but they keep faltering in the second half.
"That's what [it's been] for us," Jordan said. "We play hard but the other team makes big plays, and we can't capitalize. We had a lot of chances."
NIAGARA-Howell 0-1 0-0 0, Darden 6-11 0-6 13, Carron 1-3 0-0 3, Cruz 2-9 1-1 6 , Mathis 1-2 0-0 3, Brooks 4-8 2-2 11, Mendez 7-10 2-2 16, de Wet 0-2 0-0 0, Reaves 3-10 1-2 8. Totals 24-56 5-13 60.
LOYOLA-Chatman 0-2 1-2 1, Jordan 6-14 2-2 17, Bell 1-6 4-4 7, Thomas 1-6 1-2 3, Allen 3-5 0-0 7, Bossman 2-8 6-8 11 , Dickey 0-0 0-0 0, Hinds 0-1 0-0 0, Nijaradze 1-4 1-2 3, Southall 2-2 0-0 4. Totals 16-49 15-20 53.
Halftime-Niagara, 30-25. 3-point goals-Niagara 7-17 (Cruz 2-6, Darden 1-1, Mathis 1-1, Brooks 1-2, Reaves 1-3, Carron 1-3, Howell 0-1), Loyola 6-19 (Jordan 3-6, Allen 1-1, Bell 1-4, Bossman 1-7, Chatman 0-1). Fouled out-None. Rebounds-Niagara 38 (Mendez, Darden 8), Loyola 33 (Allen 7). Assists-Niagara 17 (Cruz 7), Loyola 8 (Bossman 4). Totals fouls-Niagara 15, Loyola 16. A-265.