Box Score The Wolf Pack traveled to Montgomery for an SSAC matchup with Faulkner University, and they'll take on Middle Georgia State Saturday.
MONTGOMERY, Ala. – The eighth-ranked Loyola Wolf Pack fell for only the third time this season Thursday in Montgomery, losing to Faulkner University 75-73. With the game tied in the final seconds, the Eagles got a lay-in for the go-ahead bucket with 2 seconds left on the clock.
The loss drops Loyola to 11-3 overall and 2-1 in Southern States Athletic Conference play.
The first half stayed even for much of the early going, as the two shared the score five times with four lead changes. Loyola's largest lead of three came early in the half, while Faulkner pushed ahead by as many as eight late.
Terry Smith Jr., Myles Burns and Zach Wrightsil paced the Wolf Pack offense with eight, eight and nine points, respectively, in the first half, combining for 25 of Loyola's 33 first-half points.
Loyola took its first lead at 8-6 after three minutes, then made it a 12-9 game two minutes later. The two teams would trade the lead a couple of times before the Eagles grabbed the 19-17 advantage. They made it a 22-17 game with seven minutes to play, then extended it to 37-29 with less than a minute to go.
Faulkner University would go into the break up 37-33.
Within two and a half minutes of the second half, Loyola tied the game at 39-all, as the Wolf Pack and Eagles would go back and forth in the opening minutes. Faulkner, however, would regain the lead at 49-47 and push it to an eight-point margin.
Loyola again tied Faulkner at 59-59 with nine minutes to play, but the home team again pushed ahead by seven points. After a Smith made basket with less than four minutes to play, Loyola took its fourth lead of the half, 70-69.
With the game tied at 73 and less than a minute to go, each team recorded a turnover on offense before Faulkner converted a field goal with less than 3 seconds to play. A last-second heave by Loyola was missed to end the game.
Loyola is back in action Saturday at Middle Georgia State. That SSAC contest is set for 1 p.m.
Pack Facts
Myles Burns led the Wolf Pack with 19 points and a season-high 13 rebounds Thursday, and that marks the third double-double of the season for the sophomore.
Zach Wrightsil finished with 11 rebounds, which is the ninth time this season he's reached double-figures. The sophomore is averaging nearly 10 rebounds per game through 14 games.
Terry Smith Jr. added 19 points and eight rebounds, and it's the first time since Nov. 15 against Huston-Tillotson that he's had at least eight boards.
