KALAMAZOO, Mich. - Western Michigan University's men's basketball team cut a 16-point halftime deficit to 10 early in the second half but was unable to complete the comeback, falling 82-64 to Loyola-Chicago in front of 3,026 fans at University Arena Saturday night.
The Ramblers used an 18-2 run over the last 7:24 of the first half to turn a 20-all tie into a 38-22 halftime advantage and never looked back. The Ramblers got scorching three-point shooting in the first half, hitting six of nine treys while shooting 53.6 percent overall from the field. For the game, Loyola shot 52.8 percent on 28-53 shooting.
WMU was paced by Flenard Whitfield with a team-high 17 points and Demetrius Ward, who tied a career-high with 14 points on 5-10 shooting. Nate Hutcheson added 12 points, seven rebounds and a block for the Broncos.
Overall, it was a tough offensive night for the Brown & Gold, who hit just 41.4 percent of their shots on 24-58 shooting. The Broncos also turned the ball over 16 times and were just 2-14 from three-point range.
After falling behind by as much as 18 points, the Broncos used a 10-2 run to cut the deficit to 42-32. Ward made three tough shots in traffic, twice drawing the foul and converting three-point plays. That was the closest WMU would get the rest of the night however, with the Ramblers responding to every threat mounted by the Brown & Gold.
The Ramblers got contributions from a number of different spots, with six players scoring eight or more points. They were led by Jordan Hicks, with 21 points on an efficient 9-13 shooting. Terrance Hill (13) and Geoff McCammon (11) also reached double figures for the Ramblers.
The night started with a bang for the Broncos on an alley-oop from from Hutcheson to Whitfield for a one-handed slam, but the Ramblers hot shooting was able to keep any momentum WMU had in check. The Broncos tied the game five times before the Ramblers pulled away late in the first half.
WMU will look to rebound and earn its first win of the season when it travels to Wisconsin-Milwaukee Nov. 23 for an 8 p.m. tip-off at the Klotsche Center.
