Ramblers clinch share of MVC title
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Marques Townes scored 22 points and Clayton Custer added four threepointers and 17 points as Loyola claimed at least a share of its first Missouri Valley Conference regularseason championship Sunday with a 76- 66 victory over host Evansville.
Donte Ingram added 14 points and Aundre Jackson 11 for the Ramblers ( 23- 5, 13- 3), who have won five in a row and 12 of their last 13. Loyola claimed its first league title since 1986- 87, when it shared the crown in the Midwestern City Conference — now the Horizon League— with Evansville.
The Ramblers shot 58 percent and went 9- for- 19 from beyond the arc.
“We’ve got more work to do, but I’m so proud of our guys to come in here and get a tough road win,” Ramblers coach Porter Moser said. “We made a lot of intangible plays that you need to have in order to win championships.”
Ryan Taylor had 27 points for the Purple Aces ( 16- 13, 6- 10).
Illinois 72, Nebraska 66
Leron Black scored a career- high 28 points and snagged seven rebounds to help the Illini ( 13- 15, 3- 12 Big Ten) upset the visiting Cornhuskers ( 20- 9, 11- 5).
There were six ties and nine lead changes during the game, but the deciding basket came from Black. He nailed a jumper with two minutes left that put Illinois up by three. On the Illini’s final two possessions, Trent Frazier and Mark Smith knocked down four free throws to secure the win.
Seton Hall 82, DePaul 77
Desi Rodriguez scored a career- high 33 points and grabbed eight rebounds as the host Pirates ( 18- 9, 7- 7 Big East) snapped a four- game skid with a victory over the Blue Demons ( 10- 16, 3- 11).
A three by Max Strus had cut Seton Hall’s lead to 7977 with 28 seconds left. But after Eli Cain missed on a drive, Rodriguez grabbed the rebound, was fouled and made the clinching free throws with 8.6 seconds left.