NEW ORLEANS, La. - The University of Mobile Men's Basketball team dropped a hard-fought road contest to Loyola University (La.) on Thursday night, Feb. 13, falling 87-81 at The Den in downtown New Orleans. Despite an efficient offensive performance that saw the Rams score above 80 points, Loyola managed a better offensive night and came away with the big win over Mobile.
The Rams saw the overall record drop to 18-6 following Thursday's result, while the SSAC record dipped to 11-4. However, Mobile still sits atop the current SSAC Men's Basketball West standings with just two regular season meetings remaining.
Game Summary
The Rams started strong and led by as many as four points in the first half, but Loyola took a 42-37 lead into halftime. The Wolf Pack extended their advantage to 13 points midway through the second half, and though Mobile cut the deficit to four in the final minutes, Loyola's late free throws and key defensive stops sealed the upset victory.
Ezra McKenna led Mobile with 21 points, shooting 8-of-11 from the field, including two three-pointers, while also grabbing six rebounds. Treylan Smith had a perfect shooting night, going 8-for-8 from the floor and finishing with 18 points and six rebounds. Trent Moye contributed 15 points, five rebounds, and three assists, while Jarvis Moss added eight points off the bench.
Mobile shot 53.7% from the field and 44.4% from beyond the arc, but turnovers proved costly, as Loyola scored 17 points off turnovers compared to Mobile's nine.
On the defensive end, Loyola won the rebounding battle 41-33, including 16 offensive rebounds that led to 15 second-chance points. The Wolf Pack also had 10 steals and limited their own turnovers to just six. Loyola's Kameron Johnson led all scorers with 24 points and seven assists, while Kosta Bjelicic recorded a double-double with 16 points and 11 rebounds.
Battle for the West Ahead
Sitting just one game up in the SSAC West standings, Mobile is scheduled to face second-place William Carey University (Miss.) next on the schedule, with the winner likely earning the division crown at year's end. Mobile versus William Carey is scheduled for Thursday, Feb. 20 in Hattiesburg, Miss., set for a 7:30 p.m. CT tip-off.
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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 information about the University of Mobile, areas of study, admissions, and more, visit umobile.edu, connect with UM on social media @univofmobile, or call Enrollment Services at 1.800.WIN.RAMS or 251.442.2222.
