Loyola-Chicago Ramblers vs Drake Bulldogs Match Player Stats On Feb 13, 2021

Aher Uguak had 20 points and Cameron Krutwig added 10 with 10 rebounds as visiting No. 22 Loyola Chicago used a strong second half to record its 11th straight victory, beating Drake 81-54 on Saturday in the first of back-to-back key Missouri Valley Conference contests in Des Moines, Iowa.

Braden Norris scored 11 for league-leading Loyola (18-3, 13-1 MVC), which made 19-of-27 shots in the second half and shot 63.8 percent for the game to overcome a three-point halftime deficit and hand second-place Drake (19-2, 10-2) its first home loss this season.

These teams will play again Sunday afternoon in Des Moines.

Darnell Brodie had a team-high 12 points for Drake, which shot 30.4 percent in the second half and was held to its fewest points of the season while losing for the second time in three games. The Bulldogs are without leading scorer ShanQuan Hemphill (14.1 points per game), who is out at least four weeks after breaking his foot in Wednesday's 80-59 win over Northern Iowa.

Loyola scored the first nine points of the second half. After Brodie scored Drake's first second-half points with a basket at the 17:12 mark, Loyola's Keith Clemons knocked down a 3-pointer and Uguak scored six straight to give the visitors a 49-36 lead.

With 11 points from Uguak, the Ramblers scored 20 of the first 24 points in the second half. A 3-pointer from Tate Hall and consecutive layups from Norris, Tom Welch and Marquise Kennedy put Loyola up 62-42 with 8:26 remaining.

The Bulldogs, meanwhile, missed six of their first eight shots of the second half after shooting 48.3 percent over the first 20 minutes. Drake led 34-31 at the end of a first half that showcased two of the best teams in the Valley.

The Ramblers made 11 of their first 20 field-goal attempts on the day, but also turned the ball over eight times in the first half. With the Bulldogs trailing 30-29 with 3:27 left in the opening half, Issa Samake scored five straight points to put the hosts back on top before Hall's free throw made it a three-point game at the break.

Loyola outscored Drake 50 to 20 in the second half.

--Field Level Media