Loyola falls to SIU in MVC quarterfinals
Mike Rodriguez scored 16 points, Sean Lloyd had 14 and fourth- seeded Southern Illinois held off fifth- seeded Loyola 55- 50 in the quarterfinals of the Missouri Valley Conference tournament Friday in St. Louis.
SIU ( 17- 15) led 49- 41 on a Rodriguez layup with 1: 14 to play. But the Salukis missed 6 of 10 free throws in the last minute, including the front end of two one- and- ones.
The Ramblers made four free throws to make it 50- 45 before SIU’s Armon Fletcher got behind the press for a dunk. A three- pointer by Milton Doyle with 13 seconds to go cut the deficit to 52- 48 before Rodriguez made two free throws with 11 seconds left to seal it.
Both teams struggled in the first half — Loyola had 14 turnovers, SIU nine — with the Salukis leading 23- 20.
The Ramblers ( 18- 14) shot 27 percent in both halves but had six threes in the second. Ben Richardson knocked down his first five before missing his last six and scored 16 points.
SIU advances to play top seed Illinois State, a 80- 69 winner over Evansville. Deontae Hawkins scored 19 points and Keyshawn Evans 16 for the Redbirds ( 26- 5), who set a program record for wins. Paris Lee added 13 points with seven assists and DJ Clayton 12 points for Illinois State, which blocked a tournament- and school- record 14 shots.
Ball State 87, NIU 82
Marin Maric scored 16 points and grabbed 10 rebounds, but the visiting Huskies ( 15- 16, 7- 11) closed out the Mid- American Conference regular season with their third consecutive loss. Franko House scored 22 points for the Cardinals ( 20- 11, 11- 7).
West Virginia 87, Iowa State 76
Daxter Miles Jr. tied a career high with 23 points to lead the No. 10 Mountaineers ( 24- 7, 12- 6), who clinched the second seed in the Big 12 conference tournament. Naz Mitrou- Long led the visiting No. 24 Cyclones ( 20- 10, 12- 6) with 22 points.