DURHAM, N.H. – Dylon Cormier sank a pull-up jumper with 5-minutes, 59-seconds to play, giving Loyola University Maryland a seven-point lead, and University of New Hampshire would draw no closer than four on itshome floor in a 66-60 Greyhounds’ non-conference win on Sunday afternoon.
Cormier led all scorers with 16 points, while Shane Walker had 15, and Justin Drummond added 13. Erik Etherly tallied 11 and had a game-high nine rebounds.
The Greyhounds (3-1 overall) were down 35-31 at halftime but rallied to take the lead for good on a pair of Drummond free throws at 11:41.
“I was proud that we fought very hard today and didn’t give up at halftime,” Head Coach Jimmy Patsos said. “They hit a three right before the end of the half, and we could have put our heads down, but we came out hard and played well in the second half.”
New Hampshire’s Jeron Troutman tied the score and then gave the Wildcats (1-2 overall) a 32-31 lead with 70 first-half seconds remaining, and after two Greyhounds possessions came up with zero points, Patrick Konan beat the buzzer with a three from the left side to push New Hampshire’s advantage to four.
Loyola quickly tied the game in the second half on a Justin Drummond jumper with 17:28 to play, but the Wildcats built their lead back to three on three occasions.
Etherly, who had just two first-half points, made a layup to pull the Greyhounds within a point, 49-48. He was fouled by Konan on the play, and Etherly made the and-one to tie the score with 12:18 to play.
Ferg Myrick missed a three, and Drummond came up with a steal on New Hampshire’s next possession. Konan fouled him going to the basket, and Drummond made both free throws to put Loyola up for good.
Minutes later, Anthony Winbush sliced to the basket and laid in his second basket of the half to put Loyola in front, 58-51, with 7:35 on the clock, at the time it’s biggest lead of the game. Winbush’s basket capped a 10-2 Loyola run that covered just under five minutes.
Myrick scored on New Hampshire’s next possession, but Cormier’s pull-up jumper put the Greyhounds back up by seven.
The Wildcats cut the deficit to four on three occasions following Cormier’s basket, the last coming on a Chandler Rhoads layup with 56 ticks left.
R.J. Williams and Walker both hit 1-of-2 from the line in the final minute, however, to seal the Greyhounds’ victory.
Rhoads led four New Hampshire players in double figures with 14, but the Greyhounds held him to just four points and one field goal in the second half. No Wildcats’ player scored more than five after halftime.
Loyola outrebounded the Wildcats, 39-26, led by Etherly’s nine and Walker’s eight. Jordan Latham had five off the bench.
“This was a good trip for us, getting to a place where we have never played and spending some time together as a team,” Patsos said. “We got to spend the night in a historic town, Portsmouth, and we are coming home with a win.”
The Greyhounds will take a week off for Thanksgiving break in preparation for their next game. They host Florida Gulf Coast on Sunday,November 27, at 12 noon.
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