MONTGOMERY, Ala. – The Loyola Wolf Pack men's basketball saw their season come to an end on Wednesday, falling to Thomas, 76-61, in the first round of the Southern States Athletic Conference Men's Basketball Championship. Loyola finished the campaign 12-16 overall with an 8-9 mark in SSAC play.
Thomas started the contest with a lead, then Milan Mejia hit a corner triple to tie the game, 3-3. In the next possession, Kameron Johnson added a layup to take the lead, 5-3. Thomas went back ahead, taking a four-point edge, 13-9. Braelee Albert connected on a triple, then made a shot at the foul line to tie things up, 13-13. Loyola's run continued with scores from Mejia, Kosta Bjelicic, and Troy Thomas to complete the 9-0 stretch.
The Night Hawks got back in front, however, managing a two-point advantage with nine minutes until halftime, 22-20. Thomas extended the lead from there with Reece Seicshnaydre getting on the board with a layup, 27-22. Jaylen Peters got on the scoresheet with a jumper to cut the Night Hawk lead to five, 30-25. Thomas closed out the half well to go up nine at the break, 37-28.
Thomas started off the second half as well as it closed the first, taking a double-digit lead in the opening minutes, 49-33. The Night Hawks built a 21-point lead, 64-43, with eight minutes to go, but the Wolf Pack scored 10 straight to cut it to an 11-point game, 64-53, with 5:30 left on the clock.
Thomas, however, maintained a double-digit lead the rest of the way en route to its win over the Pack.
Pack Facts
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In his final collegiate game, Braelee Albert led the Wolf Pack with 19 points and six rebounds.
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Kameron Johnson was second in scoring with 11 points, adding a team-high six assists and four rebounds.
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Milan Mejia hit a pair of threes to put up nine points, six rebounds, and two steals.
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Mejia will finish his Wolf Pack career first in career threes with 259 and third in career steals with 176. He ranks just outside of the top 20 in points scored at Loyola with 1,238.
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