Box Score Turner powers the Wolf Pack with a career-high 19 points in the victory.
Head Coach Stacy Hollowell and the Loyola University New Orleans men's basketball team kicked off the 2017-18 season on Saturday with a matchup against crosstown rival Southern University at New Orleans inside The Castle.
Powered by a career night by Ethan Turner (JR/Covington, La.), the Wolf Pack was able to defeat the Knights on the road 90-83 to give coach Hollowell his first victory at SUNO as the head coach of the Loyola men's team – dating back to 2010.
With the victory, Loyola starts the season at 1-0 while the Knights begin the 2017-18 campaign at 0-1 following the loss.
SUNO raced out to a 6-1 advantage to start the game before a 6-0 run by the Wolf Pack – capped by a layup by Robert White (SR/Los Angeles, Ca.) - would hand the visitors the lead at 7-6 with just over 16 minutes to play in the opening half. The Knights retook the advantage and held it for the next nine minutes until a jumper by Turner paired with a three-pointer by Josh Leaney (FR/Brisbane, Australia) put the visitors on top 24-20 at the 7:57 mark. A layup from Trey LaForge (SO/New Orleans, La.) moved the visitors up seven (41-34) with 34 seconds to play before a two from SUNO's George Brock and back-to-back Marcel Daniels free throws put the home team within streaking distance at 41-37. Up four, Chase Eckholdt (SR/Mandeville, La.) drained a jumper as time expired to give the Wolf Pack the 43-38 cushion heading into halftime. The first 20 minutes were nearly identical for both teams as each squad connected on 15 field goals, however, Loyola outrebounded the Knights 25-17, which helped the visitors grab the lead heading into the third.
The Wolf Pack was able to maintain a lead anywhere between four and eight points for the first seven minutes of the second half until a jumper by the Knights' George Brock would bring the home team within one (52-51) with just under 14 minutes remaining in regulation. SUNO took the lead with a triple at the 11:06 mark but the Wolf Pack's Tre'Von Jasmine (JR/Edgard, La.) quickly answered with a three of his own to knot the game at 60-60 with under ten to go. Loyola used the next minute and a half to score nine-unanswered points and take the 69-60 advantage with 7:55 to play. Despite some scares down the stretch, the Wolf Pack managed to hold a lead for the duration of the second half. Up five, Eckholdt would ice the game with two late free throws to give Loyola the big 90-83 victory on the road.
Turner led Loyola with a career-high 19 points to go along with six rebounds from the guard position. Jasmine chipped in 15 points and eight boards off the bench while Josh Leaney tacked on 12 points and four boards in his collegiate debut.
Brock paced SUNO with 17 points in 37 minutes while D'Ante Russell-Hall added 16 points and six boards in the loss.
The Wolf Pack will make the short trip across the street on Thursday, Nov. 2, to battle Tulane University in the annual Battle of Freret Street.
