NEW ORLEANS, La. - The University of Mobile Men's Basketball program returned to the court on Monday, Jan. 3 for a conference matchup against the current top-ranked NAIA team, the Loyola University Wolf Pack. Monday's game against No. 1 Loyola is the first game played since Dec. 16 for Mobile as the Rams hoped to earn their first conference victory of the season. After a valiant effort and leading for much of the game against the undefeated Wolf Pack, Mobile's upset bid fell short following a missed three-point shot by Sage McKenna with just three seconds remaining in the game. Loyola managed to survive defeat and claim victory over the Rams, 77-75.
Following the first 20 minutes of the game, the Rams did not trail Loyola and held a 40-29 lead over the Wolf Pack at halftime. At one point in the first half, the deficit sat at 17 points in favor of Mobile with eight minutes remaining in the half. If not for a late Loyola offensive surge in the closing minutes of the half, the headlines might have read differently. Loyola scored 19 points in the final eight minutes of the half.
In the second half, Mobile continued to shoot the ball well, but Loyola's offense came alive and eventually out-scored the Rams 48-35 in the final 20 minutes to earn the victory. Loyola's first lead in the game came with just under eight minutes left to be played. Mobile did manage to reclaim the lead with just over five minutes left as the game remained close for the closing minutes, but the top-ranked Wolf Pack managed to escape with the two-point victory in the end.
Mobile shot the ball well in Monday's loss to Loyola as the Rams shot just over 50% from the floor and just under 50% from the three-point line. Mobile recorded a 66% free-throw percentage and mixed in 32 rebounds compared to Loyola's 37 boards. Loyola did manage to secure 16 offensive rebounds, a number that eventually haunted Mobile as the Wolf Pack recorded 13 second-chance points. Loyola also scored 24 points off Mobile's 22 turnovers on Monday. Loyola turned the ball over just 11 times.Â
The Rams were led offensively by Gary Jefferson and Joshua Williams. Jefferson recorded a season-high 25 points for the Rams, shooting 10-15 from the floor. He made three three-pointers in the loss while recording five rebounds. Following Monday's loss, Jefferson sits second on the team averaging 13.8 points per game.Â
Joshua Williams recorded 19 points in Monday's loss and was one rebound and one assist shy of a triple-double. Williams managed to lead Mobile on Monday with nine, rebounds, nine assists and four steals. In just his sixth start of the season, Williams currently leads the team in points per game (15.4), rebounds per game (4.9), assists per game (3.9) and steals per game (1.4).
With the loss on Monday to No. 1 Loyola, Mobile has now fallen in three-straight games and seven out of their last eight played. The Rams' overall record sits at 5-10 on the season and 0-4 in SSAC action. Mobile will return to their home court in Pharr Gymnasium on Thursday, Jan. 6 when they play host to conference foe Stillman College for a 7:30 p.m. CT tip.
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About the University of Mobile
The University of Mobile is a Christ-centered liberal arts and sciences institution with a vision of higher education for a higher purpose, founded to honor God by equipping students for their future professions through rigorous academic preparation and spiritual transformation. Core values are: Christ-Centered, Academically-Focused, Student-Devoted and Distinctively-Driven. The university offers on-campus and online bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees in over 75 academic programs. Founded in 1961, the University of Mobile is affiliated with the Alabama Baptist State Convention and is located 10 miles north of Mobile, Alabama on a campus of over 880 acres.
For more information about the University of Mobile, visit the website at www.umobile.edu or call Enrollment Services at 1.800.WIN.RAMS or 251.442.2222.
