Written by Adrian Beecher
ATLANTA, GA-- After getting out to an early lead on a fast start, Loyola controlled the game throughout in a 78-62 win over Kansas State in the Elite Eight to earn a trip to San Antonio and the Final Four. Ben Richardson led the way for the Ramblers in scoring with 23 points, hitting 6 of 7 from beyond the three-point line.
Here's how it all went down in the West Regional Championship game at Phillips Arena.
Loyola got things going fast, hitting the first basket of the game and then going on a 10-2 run to take a 12-5 lead just five minutes into the game. K-State head coach Bruce Webber took a timeout to try and regroup. However, out of the timeout, another empty trip down the court by the Wildcats and a triple from Ben Richardson for Loyola made it a 10 point deficit for K-State with just 14:12 left in the first half.
The lead for Loyola would push to 12 with 12:16 left in the first half as Aundre Jackson put in a layup. Then things evened out for both teams as the lead for the Ramblers fluctuated between 11 and eight over the next four minutes.
K-State was able to cut into the lead as the half started to wind down, and with 5:55 left to play, the Wildcats trailed by just five. However, that would be as close as they would get in the first half. Loyola finished the 1st half on a 9-2 run to take a 36-24 lead into the locker room.
To start the second half, Donte Ingram hit a triple to get Loyola going and extending the lead to 15. Kansas State would answer with a triple from Cartier Diarra to cut the deficit to 11 as they tried to cut into the lead.
However, shortly after a triple from Richardson sank for Loyola and he was fouled. He sank the free throw to again put the Ramblers up 16 with 16:54 left to play. Just three minutes later that lead had been pushed to a nearly insurmountable 21 points with just 13:36 left to play as the Ramblers faithful raised the room at Phillips Arena.
A 5-0 spurt run for the Wildcats would cut the deficit to just 16 before Loyola poured salt in their wounds. It came in the form of a triple from Richardson along with a steal, then a layup from Marques Townes to put the deficit back to 21. They followed that up with a layup from Lucas Williamson to take a 23 point lead with just 9:40 left to play.
Though the odds were stacked against them, the Wildcats did what they could to fight back into this one. With 5:09 left to play, Kamu Stokes put in a basket for K-State to add to a 10-0 run that cut the deficit to just 13.
Richardson would end the run for the Ramblers with a triple at the other end to push the lead back to 16. As the Wildcats tried their hardest to claw their way back into it, Loyola just had too much of a lead and control over the game.
K-State was able to cut it to 11 with just 1:03 left to play, but it was not nearly enough. The final buzzer sounded, and the Loyola Ramblers were filled with elation as they punched their ticket to San Antonio and the Final Four.
Loyola now turns their focus to capturing a 2nd National Title, with their 1st and only coming in 1963 in a win over Cincinnati. The Ramblers will have to get past 3rd seeded Michigan first though. Their Final Four matchup will be Saturday, April 31st.
Here's how it all went down in the West Regional Championship game at Phillips Arena.
Loyola got things going fast, hitting the first basket of the game and then going on a 10-2 run to take a 12-5 lead just five minutes into the game. K-State head coach Bruce Webber took a timeout to try and regroup. However, out of the timeout, another empty trip down the court by the Wildcats and a triple from Ben Richardson for Loyola made it a 10 point deficit for K-State with just 14:12 left in the first half.
The lead for Loyola would push to 12 with 12:16 left in the first half as Aundre Jackson put in a layup. Then things evened out for both teams as the lead for the Ramblers fluctuated between 11 and eight over the next four minutes.
K-State was able to cut into the lead as the half started to wind down, and with 5:55 left to play, the Wildcats trailed by just five. However, that would be as close as they would get in the first half. Loyola finished the 1st half on a 9-2 run to take a 36-24 lead into the locker room.
To start the second half, Donte Ingram hit a triple to get Loyola going and extending the lead to 15. Kansas State would answer with a triple from Cartier Diarra to cut the deficit to 11 as they tried to cut into the lead.
However, shortly after a triple from Richardson sank for Loyola and he was fouled. He sank the free throw to again put the Ramblers up 16 with 16:54 left to play. Just three minutes later that lead had been pushed to a nearly insurmountable 21 points with just 13:36 left to play as the Ramblers faithful raised the room at Phillips Arena.
A 5-0 spurt run for the Wildcats would cut the deficit to just 16 before Loyola poured salt in their wounds. It came in the form of a triple from Richardson along with a steal, then a layup from Marques Townes to put the deficit back to 21. They followed that up with a layup from Lucas Williamson to take a 23 point lead with just 9:40 left to play.
Though the odds were stacked against them, the Wildcats did what they could to fight back into this one. With 5:09 left to play, Kamu Stokes put in a basket for K-State to add to a 10-0 run that cut the deficit to just 13.
Richardson would end the run for the Ramblers with a triple at the other end to push the lead back to 16. As the Wildcats tried their hardest to claw their way back into it, Loyola just had too much of a lead and control over the game.
K-State was able to cut it to 11 with just 1:03 left to play, but it was not nearly enough. The final buzzer sounded, and the Loyola Ramblers were filled with elation as they punched their ticket to San Antonio and the Final Four.
Loyola now turns their focus to capturing a 2nd National Title, with their 1st and only coming in 1963 in a win over Cincinnati. The Ramblers will have to get past 3rd seeded Michigan first though. Their Final Four matchup will be Saturday, April 31st.