Loyola upsets No. 17 Dalton State at home

NEW ORLEANS – The Wolf Pack hosted the 17th-ranked Dalton State Roadrunners on Saturday for the third game of the Maroon and Gold's homestand. Loyola outperformed the visitors on Saturday, defeating the top-ranked SSAC team, 88-79.
 

The Wolf Pack will be back in The Den on Thursday, Feb. 20, with a matchup against the Dillard Bleu Devils. Thursday's home matchup against the crosstown rivals will tip off at 7 p.m.
 

The Pack started Saturday's contest with three straight scores from Kosta Bjelicic and Cameron Williams, 6-0. After a score by the Roadrunners, Williams made two shots at the foul line, then Loyola's all-time three-point record holder, Milan Mejia, made the 250th triple of his career to extend the early lead, 11-2. Dalton State quickly cut down the Pack's advantage to get within two, 11-9. Shortly after, Loyola went on another scoring run beginning with a Bjelcic layup and scores by Leonard Jackson, Mejia and Williams, 18-9.
 

After the midway point of the first half, the visitors sliced Loyola's lead, tying the game with eight minutes until halftime, 18-18. After a quick lead by the Roadrunners, Kameron Johnson scored to tie things up, then Jarvis Brown drained a triple from downtown to put the Pack back in the driver's seat, 23-20. Mejia made a free throw, Williams made a bucket, then Brown sank a step-back triple to put Loyola up, 29-20. After two scores by Dalton State, Brown added his third 3-pointer of the day, with Mejia and Bjelcic hitting baskets to give Loyola its first double-digit edge of the day, 36-25. The visitors managed to slightly reduce Loyola's lead, but Johnson had the last word, hitting a jumper to give the Pack an eight-point lead before the break, 40-32.
 

Troy Thomas got on the board to start the second half, 42-32. Bjelicic and Johnson combined to score the next 11 points for the Pack over the next five minutes, 53-43. Two scores by the Roadrunners brought Loyola's advantage back down to six, 53-47, but Williams hit a jumper, then free throws and another 3-pointer by Brown put the Wolf Pack up 12, 60-48. 
 

After Bjelicic scored, Braelee Albert got on the board with a layup of his own, 64-48. After Troy Thomas assisted Bjelicic on a basket, the senior hit his first ever triple at home to go up 69-51. Bjelicic scored his 20th point on a tip-in to put the Pack ahead by 20, 71-51. With both teams in foul trouble, Dalton State took advantage of its opportunities at the free throw line, reducing Loyola's edge, 74-61. 
 

With four minutes to go, the Roadrunners managed to bring Loyola's lead to eight, 76-68. After the visiting team sliced the Maroon and Gold's advantage to four, a slam by Williams, then free throws by Johnson increased the lead, 81-73. WIth a minute to go, Williams hit two shots at the foul line with Albert doing the same soon after, 85-79. After Thomas blocked a three for his first-career block, Bjelicic collected another two points at the charity stripe to secure Loyola's win over the top SSAC team, 88-79,
 

Pack Facts

• Kosta Bjelicic posted a new career high with 22 points and two blocks, shooting 10-of-16 from the field with six rebounds. 

• Cameron Williams recorded his second double-double in the last four games, pouring in a career-high 16 points to go along with 10 rebounds, two steals, and two blocks. 

• Jarvis Brown knocked down 4-of-7 from long range to contribute 17 points, his most since joining the Wolf Pack in January. Brown also had a game-high three steals, all of which came in the second half. 

• Kameron Johnson followed up his career night on Thursday with 13 points and a game-high six assists. 

• In his second start of the season, Troy Thomas put up five points, five assists, and three rebounds, while his clutch block late in the game was the first of his collegiate career. 

• Loyola combined to block seven shots on Saturday, the most blocks in a game for the team this season. 

• Milan Mejia neared a double-double with nine points and nine rebounds, plus four assists and two steals. Mejia is now up over 1,200 points in his collegiate career with 1,204.

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