Loyola-Chicago Pulls Away from Alcorn in Season Opener

CHICAGO – Senior Marquis Vance registered a double-double for the Alcorn State University men's basketball program, but Loyola-Chicago used a big run in the second half to take a 69-44 decision Friday at Gentile Arena.
 
The Braves (0-1) led 35-33 at the 14:19 mark in the second half when the Ramblers (1-0) went on a decisive 17-0 spurt to take control. The teams played a back-and-forth first half with Alcorn trailing by just two at the intermission.
 
Vance, a Preseason All-Conference Second-Team selection, finished with team-highs of 12 points and 11 rebounds. Senior Denzel Dulin also ended in double-figures with 11 points.
 
Off the bench, junior Reginal Johnson tallied eight points on four-of-six shooting from the field and also pulled down five rebounds.
 
The Ramblers were led by Milton Doyle's 21 points, while Aundre Jackson recorded 14 points. Donte Ingram notched 11 points and seven rebounds, and Clayton Custer also reached double-digits with 10 points.
 
Alcorn trailed 11-6 early when Vance made a lay-up and Dulin drilled a three-pointer to tie it with 11:56 remaining. After Loyola went back ahead 17-14, it used a 6-0 run to push its lead up to 23-14 with 4:09 to go.
 
The Braves ended the half strong as three-pointers by Vance and junior A.J. Mosby cut the deficit to 25-21 at the 2:13 mark. A three-pointer by sophomore TyQuaylon Smith on an ally-oop attempt got Alcorn within 29-27 going into the break.
 
Alcorn took its first lead of the game, 33-31, after a jumper by Dulin at the 15:03 mark of the second half. After the Ramblers scored the next basket, Johnson converted a lay-up to keep the Braves ahead 35-33.
 
Loyola got hot from the field and scored the next 17 points to take a big 52-37 edge with 8:06 left. The Ramblers never looked back from there and got their lead up to 20 with 3:33 to go. The Braves went cold, shooting 0-for-8 from long-range in the second half compared to 5-for-12 (.417) in the first.

"We have to continue to get better, learn from our mistakes and play a full 40 minutes," said head coach Montez Robinson.
 
Up next, Alcorn will conclude its two-game Midwest trip when it heads to Evansville for an 8 p.m. tip on ESPN3. It marks the first time the two programs have squared off since Jan. 3, 1989 when the Purple Aces came out on top, 81-44.
 
Alcorn will play its home opener Friday, Nov. 18 when it hosts Selma University at 7 p.m. inside the Davey L. Whitney Complex.
 
NOTES
- Vance is now just 35 points away from 1,000 with 965 in his career.
 
- Vance etched his seventh career double-double and his first since he posted 10 points and 10 rebounds at Florida A&M on Nov. 28, 2015.
 
- Vance reached double-figures in scoring for the 51st time in his career, and double-digits in rebounding for the 11th time.
 
- Senior DeAndre Davis swatted a career-high three blocks in the contest. He had previously rejected two shots in seven different games last year.
 
- The game was a homecoming for sophomore Rahamanh Katumbusi who is from Chicago and went to Kenwood Academy High School. Katumbusi finished with four points.
 
- It marked the first-ever meeting between the Braves and the Ramblers. The teams were even on the glass with 32 rebounds apiece.
 
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