MONTGOMERY, ALA.-The Loyola University New Orleans Wolf Pack traveled to Montgomery, Alabama to face off with the Faulkner University Eagles. The Wolf Pack were unable to erase an early deficit and dropped the road contest to Faulkner,81-70. With the loss, Loyola and Faulkner split their season meetings. The Wolf Pack fall to 7-7 overall and 3-4 in Southern States Athletic Conference play.
So. G Nick Parker (Port Allen, La./Port Allen) had a career-high 25 points and Jr. F Johnny Griffin (Chicago, Ill./Bloom Trail High) had another double-double for the Pack, but they could not overcome the early deficit.
After So. C Nate Pierre (Folsom, La./Covington) opened scoring with a basket nine seconds into the game, Faulkner scored the next 20 points en route to a 20-2 lead. The Wolf Pack didn't score again until there was 15:02 on the clock.
The run, however, continued until it reached its' peak at 31-8 with just over nine minutes remaining in the half. Loyola gained momentum heading into the locker room by going on a 12-5 run and cutting the deficit to 38-22.
Loyola came out of the locker room with a jolt of energy. They opened the half on a 12-2 run led by Parker with eight points. The score was 40-34 with just over 17 minutes to play, but that was as close as the Wolf Pack could get to erasing the early Faulkner lead.
Faulkner responded by going on a 15-4 run and extending their lead to 55-38. The Wolf Pack consistently cut the deficit throughout the half, getting back within nine, but the Eagles had an answer every time. In the end, the early deficit was too much to overcome and the Wolf Pack fell 81-70.
Loyola couldn't find their stroke in the first half, but improved in the second half. Overall, they shot 24-of-63 (38%) from the field. Loyola struggled from beyond the arc, going 4-of-20 (20%), compared to Faulkner who went 12-of-29 (41%) from three-point range.
Parker had a career night going 9-of-16 (56%) for 25 points. Griffin, who won SSAC Player of the Week last week, filled up the stats sheet with 11 points, 15 rebounds, two blocks, and three steals. Pierre pitched in 12 points and Jr. G Jalen Gray (New Orleans, La./Brother Martin), who scored 21 points in the previous meeting with Faulkner, had seven points.
For Faulkner, Lucas Luttrell had a career night, leading all scorers with 29 points on six-of-nine (66%) shooting from beyond the arc.Logan Jozwiak also contributed 12 points going four-of-eight (50%) from three-point range.
The Wolf Pack continue their road trip in Montgomery to face off with SSAC rival, Auburn University at Montgomery. They return to The Den on January 21 for a special Throwback Thursday game against Blue Mountain College at 7:00 PM.
