Loyola loses SSAC contest at Faulkner

MONTGOMERY, Ala. – The Loyola Wolf Pack men's basketball team saw their six-game winning streak against Faulkner end on Thursday, as the Eagles won their first matchup in more than two years, 70-52. Loyola (8-12, 6-6 in SSAC) will have a week off before its next game, hosting Stillman College next Thursday at 7:30 p.m. in The Den. 
 

Loyola got a 3-pointer and a field goal by Milan Mejia and Zachary Lee, but Faulkner got the same production from two of its starters as well to make it an early 5-5 tie. Lee then scored the next eight points for Loyola, but it trailed by four, 17-13, at the halfway point of the first half. Four points by Braelee Albert tied it moments later, and Bradley Alcime kept it tied, 19-19, at the seven-minute mark. 
 

Leonard Jackson scored his first points, but two 3-pointers by the Eagles gave them a 25-21 lead at the under-six-minute media timeout. Lee would end up getting to 12 points in the first half, but the Eagles went into the break up by nine, 35-26. 
 

The Eagles got a 10-2 run in the first four-plus minutes of the second half to take a 45-28 lead, then the Wolf Pack countered with a combined five points from Julian Baldwin and Lee. Mejia hit a 3-pointer and Lee scored again to cut it to 10, 48-38, but Faulkner pushed back ahead, 53-38, with more than eight minutes left in the game. Alex Hammond scored Loyola's next six points, however, that only maintained the 10-point deficit, 54-44, at the 6:30 mark. From there, Faulkner never relinquished the double-digit lead on its way to the SSAC win. 
 

Pack Facts

• It wasn't enough to get the win, but Zachary Lee turned in another all-around game with 20 points, 10 rebounds, and two steals.

• It was Lee's second double-double of the season. 

• Alex Hammond finished with 10 points, marking his 15th game in double figures this season. 

Subscribe to Pack Tracks, a Loyola Athletics Newsletter, for all of the latest information >> https://loyolawolfpack.com/subscribe.aspx. You can also 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.