HAMILTON, N.Y. – Colgate used a 13-2 run midway through the second half to take the lead and then pull away from Loyola for a 65-52 victory on Monday night at Cotterell Court.
The Raiders trailed 28-27 at the half but outscored Loyola 38-24 in the final 20 minutes. Colgate shot 54% (13-of-24) in the second half and finished at 44% (23-of-52) after connecting on 36% (10-of-28) in the opening stanza.
Tucker Richardson (12) and
Nelly Cummings (10) were Colgate's two double-figure scorers. The Raiders got plenty of production from top to bottom, including
Keegan Records,
Jeff Woodward, and
Jack Ferguson, who each had nine points. All eight players who entered the game finished with at least five points for the Raiders.
Richardson also added six rebounds, five assists, two blocks, and a steal.
It was a back-and-forth start with Loyola jumping out to an early lead after Colgate started 0-for-5 from the field. Veljko Ilic drained a pair of 3-pointers to push Loyola in front 13-9 midway through the opening stanza. Cummings sank two free throws to halt the cold spell.
The Raiders found their footing after Cummings connected on his first 3-pointer and sparked an 8-0 run to give Colgate a 17-13 lead.
Sam Thomson converted a three-point play but three turnovers in a two-minute span turned the tide back in favor of the Greyhounds.
A hustle play by Ferguson ended Colgate's 3:46 scoring drought. Ferguson forced a loose ball near the sideline and finished with a right-handed layup before knocking down a 3-pointer. Richardson followed suit with a trey and Colgate held a brief 27-26 lead, but two free throws from Ilic capped the half with Loyola in front, 28-27.
Colgate flipped in the script in the second half, outscoring Loyola 24-12 over the first seven minutes. It was tied 34-34 when the Raiders raced to a 13-2 run to push the lead to double digits. Richardson scored the last five points in the streak and gave Colgate a 46-36 edge.
Loyola didn't have a basket during that time, only two free throws, and hard work down low from Woodward opened things up outside. Richardson rattled home a pair, and Lynch-Daniels and Ferguson swished one apiece to suddenly put Colgate in front 56-44 at 6:33.
The Raiders sustained a hot second half from Cam Spencer who led Loyola and scored a game-high 19 points. Colgate tallied seven blocks as a team, with two each from Records, Ferguson, and Richardson. Free throws in the end sealed the Raiders' fourth consecutive win and second straight 13-point win over Loyola, 65-52.
FROM THE SOURCE
Head Coach Matt Langel
"We talk about this game as two different teams and two new seasons, but players are players and they're not naïve to the fact that this was a Patriot League championship rematch. The identity of this game was deliberate and we clearly had some frustrations that we weren't making shots that we wanted to.
"We had to deal with that after being off for a few days. I credit our guys and our coaching staff for staying focused. Loyola played a defense that they hadn't played against anybody else so we had to adjust to that. Eventually we broke through and found a way to get some good looks, and that resulted in some quality shots that we stepped up and made down the stretch.
"In recognition of Coaches vs. Cancer, we hope that our fans will rally together with us and Coaches vs. Cancer to make a meaningful difference for everyone facing this disease. Whether you're a coach, player, or fan, you can join us in the fight against cancer."
UP NEXT
Colgate (8-10, 4-1 Patriot) opens a tough stretch of three games in five days this weekend when the Raiders visit Boston University on Saturday at 1 p.m. The game can be streamed live on ESPN+.
