NEED TO KNOW:
Score: Life 73, Loyola 71
Records: Life 17-5 (9-3 SSAC), Loyola 8-13 (5-7 SSAC)

NEW ORLEANS, La. – The Life University men's basketball team picked up a much needed, bounce-back win against the Wolf Pack of Loyola on Saturday afternoon. The Running Eagles held nearly a double-digit lead in the final minute of action but saw the home squad claw within a single point with just seconds remaining. 

Life U and the Wolf Pack traded blows to start the contest before there was finally daylight between the two team midway through the first half. Despite a diverse offensive attack that included five different Running Eagles contributing, Loyola went on a 15-6 run to secure its biggest lead of the game, 27-18. 

The momentum was short lived as Life U responded in kind, going on a 17-7 run of its own and claiming a one-point lead heading into break. Elias Ramirez and Chaze Harris contributed a combined 15 points to the run as Harris led all scorers in the first half with 11. Ramirez finished the first half with nine points while Cortez Johnson added four points and five boards.

Life U pushed the lead to five directly out of half, but the Wolf Pack wasted no time evening the score line at 39-39. Both teams continued to struggle for control in the second half, with Life U once again going on a run to collect its largest lead of the game at 11. Loyola refused to go quietly into the night, cutting the lead to just four with 02:47 left to play.

After a dunk from Dara Olonade and a pair of free throws from Harris, another trip to the line for Olonade moved the Life U lead back to nine with just 00:44 to play. However, chaos ensued as three straight buckets and two turnovers from the Running Eagles left the lead at just two with 19 seconds left to play. After being fouled and heading to the line, Harris went 1/2 from the charity stripe to bump the lead back to three. 

Despite fouling on the next possession and seeing the lead diminished to just one with five seconds to play, Harris once again knocked down a singular free throw as Life U closed out the contest with a 73-71 win.

Harris led all scorers with 24 points and 11 assists, shooting an efficient 8-11 from the floor. Four other Running Eagles reached double figures, including Johnson, who finished with a double-double.

The Running Eagles remain on the road, traveling to Montgomery, Ala. for a midweek conference bout with the Eagles of Faulkner on Thursday, February 6.