Box Score Gray leads the Pack with 18 points and Eckholdt tallies a career-high 16 points in the victory.
Loyola came into Saturday's rematch with the Selma University Bulldogs with a two-game win streak on the line and the momentum of some late game heroics by Jalen Gray. The Bulldogs were looking to avenge themselves from a 77-54 loss at home to the Wolf Pack early in the year.
Six players scored in double figures in the 98-64 victory over the Bulldogs, Gray led the team with 18 points and three assists to help the Wolf Pack improve to 5-2 on the year.
The Bulldogs got the game underway with a three pointer from the wing by Devonte Brown, giving his team the early lead at 3-2. Loyola responded with a layup by Gray to put his squad on top by one (4-3). The Wolf Pack forced a turnover on the defensive end, leading to a layup by Nick Parker, putting Loyola up 6-3 in the first minute of the game.
With the game knotted at 12 with 15:28 remaining in the first half, a steal by Eric Brown and a pass to Nate Pierre for a layup on the break gave Loyola a 14-12 lead.
The momentum remained with the Wolf Pack, as the home team outscored the visitors 34 to 18 over the next 15 minutes in the first half. The run was capped off by a two handed slam by Johnny Griffin Jr. on the fastbreak to put Loyola up 52-30 heading into the locker room.
Loyola had another efficient game from the floor in the first half. The team shot 61.3 percent from the field (19-of-31). Gray scored 14 points in the first half.
The Wolf Pack opened the second 20 minutes of play with a layup by Gray off of a backdoor pass by Pierre to bring the lead to 24.
The lead grew to as many as 36 (72-36) at the 12:09 mark of the contest. Loyola went on to defeat Selma University 98-64 to earn a third straight win and improve to 5-2 on the season.
Loyola shot 34-of-60 from the floor (56.7%) and 27-of-42 from the charity stripe.
Six players scored in double figures for the Wolf Pack, led by Gray's 18 points and three assists on 8-of-9 shooting (88.9%) from the floor. Griffin Jr. bounced back from a quiet game against Spring Hill College to tally 14 points and 18 rebounds in the win. Pierre also managed a double-double with 16 points and 12 rebounds. Chase Echoldt poured in a career-high 16 points in the win.
Noah Patterson led the Bull Dogs with 18 points in the loss, while Derick Jolly and Brown chipped in with 14 points a piece.
Loyola returns home on Nov. 22 to host the Southern University of New Orleans Knights. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. on the First NBC Court.
