MONTGOMERY, Ala. – The Loyola University New Orleans men's basketball team is headed back to the title game at the Southern States Athletic Conference Championship, as the Wolf Pack defeated Stillman College 70-63 in Friday's semifinal in Montgomery, Ala.
Loyola will try to capture its second consecutive tournament championship at 6:30 on Saturday at the Multiplex at Cramton Bowl, where the team awaits the winner of the nightcap game between No. 2 seed Faulkner and No. 6 seed Blue Mountain.
To begin the game, Stillman took a lead, 2-0. Alex Hammond put up the first Wolf Pack points to tie things up, 2-2. Stillman hit a triple, but the Pack responded with a layup and a three-point play by Matthew Mondesir to give Loyola a lead, 7-5. Layups by Hammond and Michael Harden gave the Pack a 9-0 scoring run, 11-5, four minutes into the contest. Mondesir continued to be the Wolf Pack's highest scorer, earning 10 points in the first period. The Tigers fought back, but the Pack refused to give up their lead for the greater duration of the half.
Loyola continued to hold on, but a Stillman three gave them the lead, 28-26, with just over three minutes until halftime. Jalen Galloway tied things up with a layup but Stillman's momentum continued, scoring nine points in the last three minutes, leading 37-32 at halftime.
Stillman began the second half with a quick triple, but Loyola would soon go on a huge run to take their first lead since the 4-minute mark of the first half. After their opponents made a layup at the 17:56 mark of the half, the Pack outscored the Tigers 13-0 over the next four minutes, going ahead 48-42.
As the clock ticked, the Pack kept their lead together. Galloway's 11 second-half points made it tough for the Tigers to come back. A Mondesir steal and dunk gave Loyola a 13-point lead with under nine minutes left, 59-46. Stillman slowly got themselves in position to take the lead, but the Pack kept sinking free throws, scoring nine in the last two minutes to advance to the conference championship.
Tournament Schedule
Wednesday, Feb. 22 at the Multiplex
Game 2: #8 Middle Georgia def. #9 Talladega def. , 64-51
Game 4: #7 Life def. #10 Brewton-Parker, 86-77
Thursday, Feb. 23 at the Multiplex
Game 6: #5 Stillman def. #4 Dalton State, 66-61
Game 8: #1 Loyola def. #8 Middle Georgia, 69-54
Game 10: #2 Faulkner def. #7 Life, 83-81
Game 12: #6 Blue Mountain def. #3 Mobile, 62-61
Friday, Feb. 24 at the Multiplex
Game 14: #1 Loyola def. #5 Stillman, 70-63
Game 16: #2 Faulkner def. #6 Blue Mountain, 82-70
Saturday, Feb. 25 at the Multiplex:
Championship: #1 Loyola vs. #2 Faulkner - 6:30 pm
Pack Facts
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This will be Loyola's second-straight appearance in the SSAC title game.
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Matthew Mondesir filled up the stat sheet again, leading all scorers with 19 points while adding seven rebounds, three steals, and an assist.
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Jalen Galloway was second in the game with 17 points, three rebounds, two assists, a steal, and a block. Galloway was 7-of-10 from the field.
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Michael Harden was a rebound away from a double-double with 14 points and nine rebounds, plus team highs of three assists and three steals.
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Harden is now tied for eighth place in Loyola's record book in single-season steals with 57.
You can keep up with the Pack by following Wolf Pack Athletics on Facebook at Facebook.com/LoyolaWolfPack, Twitter and Instagram @LoyolaWolfPack, and by checking out our website at LoyolaWolfPack.com.
