HAMILTON – Colgate never trailed and led by double digits for most of the second half, but needed 38 points from
Jalen Cox to hold off Loyola's late rally in a 101-98 overtime win Saturday at Cotterell Court in another Patriot League thriller.
Colgate led 80-70 with 2:46 remaining before Loyola answered with an 8-0 run, capped by Troy Cicero Jr.'s 3-pointer. After Cox scored on a layup with 1:10 to play, the Greyhounds added the final four points of regulation, including Jacob Theodosiou's tying layup in the final seconds to force overtime at 82-82.
COX TAKES OVER IN OT
Cox took over in the extra period, scoring 12 of Colgate's 19 overtime points. He fueled an 8-0 burst that gave the Raiders a 98-89 lead with 23 seconds left. Loyola's Emmett Adair, Cicero Jr., and Theodosiou hit late 3-pointers, but Cox and Kyle Carlesimo sealed the win at the line.
SCORING LEADERS
Cox's 38 points were the most by a Raider since Jordan Burns scored 40 at Green Bay in 2019. He added 11 rebounds for his fourth double-double of the season. Sam Wright finished with 18 points, including 14 in the first half and three 3-pointers.
Ben Tweedy added 16 points and a team-high six assists. Andrew Alekseyenko totaled 15 points and eight rebounds. On Senior Day, Carlesimo scored nine points and went 4-for-4 from the free-throw line in key late moments.
Colgate shot 47.7 percent from the field and offset 29.6 percent 3-point shooting by going 31-for-35 (88.6 percent) at the line. Loyola shot 41.3 percent, hitting 14-of-36 from deep and 18-of-23 at the stripe.
FIRST-HALF LEAD
Colgate opened hot from beyond the arc, with Cox, Wright, and Tweedy connecting to build a double-digit first-half lead. The Raiders led by as many as 14 and took a 46-34 advantage into halftime after Carlesimo's 3-pointer.
Loyola rallied behind its perimeter shooting, tying the game at 57-57 on Theodosiou's 3-pointer with 13:42 left. Colgate responded with eight straight points to regain control.
A fast-break layup by Alekseyenko off a Tweedy assist pushed the lead to 80-70, but Loyola closed regulation on a 15-3 run – including eight straight – to send the game to overtime.
NOTES
- Colgate's 101 points were its most at Cotterell Court since pouring in 105 in the 2020-21 Patriot League semifinal victory over Bucknell (105-75).
- The 199 combined points were the most in a Raider game since December 2, 2016, when The Citadel won a 108-101 shootout in Charleston, S.C.
- With his third 30-point game of the season, Jalen Cox is now tied with Jordan Burns (2018-19) for the most 30-point games in a campaign since at least since 2010.
- Colgate remains unbeaten against Loyola at home, improving to 14-0 all-time.
- The Raiders now have played five overtime games, tying the 2016-17 team for the most in a single season. They are 2-3 in such contests this season.
UP NEXT
Colgate (17-12, 11-5 Patriot) hosts Lafayette (9-19, 6-9 Patriot) at 7 p.m. on Wednesday for its final home game of the regular season. The Raiders visit Navy next Saturday for the regular-season finale at 4 p.m. in Annapolis, Md.
