10th-ranked Mustangs slip past Wolf Pack

SANTA CLARITA, Calif. – The Loyola University New Orleans men's basketball team made the trip to Southern California this week for two games against teams either ranked in the NAIA Top 25 or receiving votes. On Thursday, the Wolf Pack battled The Master's tough but fell to the No. 10 Mustangs, 68-65. 
 

Both teams had trouble finding the bottom of the net through the first 10-plus minutes, as the Mustangs led 10-7 with nine minutes until halftime. The Wolf Pack shot 2-for-17 from the floor during that stretch while the hosts were 3-of-16. Reece Seicshnaydre and Alex Hammond combined for three free throws and Kosta Bjelicic made two field goals to help Loyola stay close. 
 

The Master's made two 3s on back-to-back possessions to jump ahead 18-9, but Zachary Lee scored seven of his first-half nine points during the next two minutes of game time to cut the deficit to 20-18 with less than five minutes until halftime. Cameron Williams made one from beyond the arc in the final minutes and Lee scored again, but the hosts would eventually take a 29-23 lead into the break. 
 

After Bjelicic scored the first points of the second half by either team, the Mustangs went on a 13-5 run in the first five minutes to extend the advantage to 12, 42-30. A put-back dunk by Jaylen Peters ignited an 8-1 Loyola run, 43-38, however, The Master's answered by pushing its lead back out to double figures, 53-43, with eight minutes to go. 
 

Braelee Albert and Peters wouldn't let the Wolf Pack go down quietly, though, as the Los Angeles native hit his second 3 of the game and the freshman had another put-back dunk to cut it to six, 56-50, with seven minutes remaining. Milan Mejia kept it a six-point game with a 3-pointer a minute later, then back-to-back tough buckets by Hammond and Bjelicic narrowed the deficit to two, 60-58, with four and a half to play. 
 

Two straight baskets by the Mustangs made it a six-point game again, but lay-ins by Hammand, Mejia and Lee, 66-65, gave the Pack a chance in the final seconds. After The Master's made two free throws with nine seconds on the clock, Loyola's potential game-tying 3-pointer rimmed out as the buzzer sounded. 
 

Pack Facts

• Kosta Bjelicic led the Pack in scoring with 15 points. He's scored in double figures in each game this season, and he's had at least 15 in his last two games. 

• Alex Hammond was second in scoring with 12 points off the bench. 

• Zachary Lee led the team with eight rebounds, plus 11 points. 

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