WASHINGTON, D.C. – Loyola University Maryland guard Dylon Cormier scored a career-high 26 points, and Erik Etherly had 12 while matching his career-high with 15 rebounds, as the Greyhounds defeated George Washington University, 65-55, Wednesday night at the Colonials’ Smith Center.
Down two, 19-17, with 6:49 to play in the first half, the Greyhounds (7-1 overall) went on a 17-0 run to go up 34-19 on a Justin Drummond 3-pointer with 2:30 to go before halftime. Although the Colonials (4-4) scored the half’s last five points, Loyola led 34-24 at halftime.
Drummond scored seven of his eight points during the run, and Cormier added five, while R.J. Williams had four.
The Greyhounds scored the first five of the first half on a Robert Olson three and two Cormier free throws, and George Washington was able to cut its deficit to single-digits just once from that point.
“We measure things by having smooth trips, and this was one,” Head Coach Jimmy Patsos said. “We stayed in a great hotel, had a great meal as a team, and then we went to see some of the monuments in Washington, D.C. We were in the rain at the Vietnam Veterans’ Memorial, and I think that helped bond us together.
“Then, tonight, we had a great all-around team effort. Different guys hit some big shots, and we rebounded well. We enjoy playing on TV, and the guys are proud to represent the school on their chests.”
Loyola went up by seven in the game’s first 5:07, but the Colonials rallied to go ahead 19-17 on a Lasan Kromah 3-pointer with 6:49 on the first-half clock.
Williams tied the game on the next possession with two free throws, starting the 17-0 run. Cormier pulled up in the paint for a jumper, and Williams knocked down one of his own on consecutive possessions.
An offensive foul by George Washington gave possession back to Loyola, and Cormier made 1-of-2 at the line. Drummond sliced into the lane and grabbed the rebound on Cormier’s miss and laid it in.
Another Colonials’ turnover, their third in as many possessions, led to another Drummond layup, and after Williams pulled down a defensive rebound, he found Cormier for a 3-pointer in transition, making it 31-19 Loyola.
Drummond then capped the run with a three of his own. During the stretch, the Greyhounds went 5-of-5 from the field, they caused three turnovers and did not allow a George Washington offensive rebound.
In the second half, Tony Taylor made a driving layup to pull the Colonials within 10, 39-29, with 16:36 to go, but Cormier knocked down a three 15 seconds later to spark a 10-0 Loyola run to stretch its advantage to a game-high 20 with 13:35 left.
George Washington was good for another comeback attempt, scoring nine in a row, cutting the Greyhounds’ advantage to 49-38 on a John Kopriva jumper with 8:44 on the clock.
The teams traded missed baskets on their next possessions, but Etherly pulled down two offensive boards on the next one for Loyola, scoring on the second to stop the Colonials’ run.
A Drummond free throw at 7:33 made the Greyhounds’ lead 14, but David Pellom wrapped a pair of baskets around an Aaron Ware bucket to cut it to eight, 52-44, with 5:18 remaining.
Momentum seemed to have swung to the Colonials, but on the next possession Shane Walker grabbed an offensive board and scored his first points of the game for Loyola, making it a 10-point game.
Cormier scored on a fast break for Loyola, and after a Ware field goal, Williams split a trap near half-court and kicked a pass to Robert Olson who floated just above the right corner. Olson sank a three in front of the Loyola bench to put Loyola up 13.
Olson and Drummond both finished with eight, while Williams scored seven. Shane Walker scored just four points, but he had nine rebounds as Loyola controlled a 42-29 rebounding advantage.
David Pellom scored 19 for the Colonials, and Lasan Kromah added 11. The Greyhounds held George Washington’s leading scorer Tony Taylor, who before the game was honored for recently scoring his 1,000thpoint, to just six points. Taylor entered the game averaging more than 15 per game.
The Greyhounds continue action on the road Saturday when they make the trip to Emmitsburg, Md., for the 167th all-time meeting with Mount St. Mary’s. The teams will tip-off at 2 p.m. in another televised game on MASN.
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