Box Score The No. 21 Loyola Wolf Pack made a strong run at the end, but the Wildcats were able to hold on for the win
MCKENZIE, Tenn. – The 21st-ranked Loyola Wolf Pack dropped a road contest to Bethel Thursday, falling 106-93 in McKenzie, Tennessee. The Wolf Pack move to 20-9 overall and remain in third place in the Southern States Athletic Conference standings with a 10-7 record.
The contest stayed even through the first 12 minutes of play until Bethel scored 20 of the game's next 24 points. The first half featured seven ties and five lead changes, but when the Wildcats made their run, they led for the rest of the game.
Myles Burns had five quick points out of the gate to give Loyola a 7-5 lead, then Tim Cameron had eight points in a three-minute span that kept Loyola ahead, 17-16. Trailing by 12, Matt Maturah helped stop the Bethel run with a 3-pointer, then a basket by Terry Smith Jr. cut the Wildcats' lead to 40-33. Bethel, however, finished the final four minutes with another solid stretch, this time a 13-5 run, to take a 53-38 advantage into halftime.
Loyola was able to cut the score to 10 points multiple times in the early going of the second half, but the Wildcats were able to keep the double-digit lead until late in the game. Bethel led by as much as 16 points with four minutes left, however, a Maturah 3-point trimmed the lead to 88-81 with two and a half minutes to play.
Loyola got as close as six points when Cameron scored with a minute to go, but Bethel made seven free throws down the stretch to ice the game.
The Wolf Pack will close out the regular season with a road game at Blue Mountain College Saturday. Tip-off is set for 2 p.m. With a win, the Wolf Pack will lock up the No. 3 seed in the SSAC Tournament next week.
Pack Facts
Zach Wrightsil tallied three assists to move up to 4th in the Loyola record books for assists in a single season with 127. After his 143 last season, he now owns two of the Top 4 spots.
Wrightsil also had his 12th double-double of the season, notching 12 points and 10 rebounds.
Tim Cameron led the Wolf Pack with six assists, giving him 123 on the season. He's now seventh in the Loyola record books for assists in a single season.
Cameron also had a game-high five steals, and he now has 70 this season. He's third for steals in a single season behind Myles Burns' 85 last season and Burns' 75 this season.
Loyola had five players score in double figures, as Cameron led the way with 21. Terry Smith Jr. (17), Burns (17), Matt Maturah (12) and Wrightsil (12) all scored more than 10.
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