Loyola surges to win in Cayman Islands Classic
Loyola Maryland used an 11-2 run spanning more than three minutes to take control and pull away for an 81-77 victory over IUPUI in the first round of The Mainland Tournament at Omaha of the Cayman Islands Classic.
Loyola will play in the title game Tuesday, facing either Southern University or host Nebraska-Omaha.
Marcus Burk, who had a game-high 32 points gave the Panthers a one-point lead for their first advantage since the sixminute mark of the first half. Andrew Kostecka was fouled taking a three on Loyola’s next possession, but he hit just one of three at the line, tying the game at 63-63.
Kostecka then had a steal and fast-break layup with 6:46 to play, giving the Greyhounds the lead for good.
He finished with six steals to go with as many rebounds and 15 points. Kostecka’s performance moved him into fourth alltime at Loyola in steals with181, four back of tying Dylon Cormier (2010-14) for third. At 181, he is also tied for 15th in career steals in the Patriot League.
KaVaughn Scott had a season-high 13 point and completed an and-one with a basket and free throw at 6:17. Loyola then forced an IUPUI turnover, and Kostecka fed Cam Spencer for an 18-foot jumper to make it a 70-63 Greyhounds lead.
Spencer, a freshman from Boys’ Latin, finished with 13 points, one off his careerhigh, to go with five assists without a turnover.
Livingstone 70, Bowie State 68: Martel Handley scored with two seconds remaining to send Livingstone to victory. Juwan Smith led Bowie (2-4, 0-2 CIAA) with 20 points.
Women
Bowie State 70, Livingstone 60: Baltimore native Kyaja Williams (Western) had 15 points, 10 rebounds and four assists to lead the Bulldogs (3-0, 2-0 CIAA). Talanya Hutton added 14 points and Shawnkia McCallum (St. Frances), Amel Duggins and Chyna Butler all had 10 points for Bowie.
Maryland accolades: Freshman Ashley Owusu and sophomore Shakira Austin of ninth-ranked Maryland (5-1) earned conference weekly honors Monday.
Owusu earned her second straight Big Ten Freshman of the Week nod and Austin was named to the Big Ten Player of the Week Honor Roll for her seventh career weekly honor.
Owusu averaged13.5 points, 6.5 rebounds and 7.5 assists with just four total turnovers in the Terps’ two dominant wins this week. Against 2019 NCAA Tournament Team Quinnipiac, Owusu led the Terrapins in scoring with 19 points off 8-for-12 shooting from the field, with six boards and six assists. Over the Terps’ four-game win streak, she is averaging 13.3 points, 5.0 rebounds, 6.0 assists.
Austin led the Terrapins in scoring and rebounding this week with 15.5 points and 7.5 rebounds in two victories. She shot 80 percent from the field (12-for-15) with 3.5 assists, 3.5 steals and 2.5 blocks. Against George Washington, she scored 15 points with eight boards.
In the Terps’ matchup with Quinnipiac, Austin was 7-for-8 from the floor with 16 points, all in the first half, with seven boards. Maryland led 45-24 at half, with Austin accounting for more than a third of the Terps’ points.