Jacob Hutson scored a career-high 26 points and grabbed five rebounds as Loyola Chicago drubbed Arizona State 77-59 in the seventh-place game of the Battle 4 Atlantis tournament in Paradise Island, Bahamas.
The Ramblers (5-2) led almost the entire game and got back in the win column after dropping their first two games against Michigan State and Auburn by a combined 11 points.
Hutson finished 9-for-13 from the field, including all three long-ball attempts, and made all but one of his six free throws in 25 minutes of play.
Ryan Schwieger chipped in 11 points, was 3-of-6 from beyond the arc and collected five boards. Braden Norris dished out a game-high seven assists.
Loyola Chicago connected on 50 percent from the field and 12-of-26 from long range.
Jay Heath scored 16 points and DJ Horne had 11 for Arizona State (2-5), which lost its fourth straight game.
The final game of the eight-team tournament wasn’t being played for any trophies, but the winner would avoid being the only squad to go winless at the Bahamian resort.
Loyola Chicago built an 20-13 lead behind a pair of threes by Lucas Williamson and Chris Knight’s four points, while the Sun Devils hung in with 50 percent shooting for much of the half, including Heath’s 3-pointer.
With 7:58 remaining in the half, Knight connected on a hook shot for a 29-19 lead after the Ramblers’ earlier 11-point advantage at 27-16.
Good efforts by Horne (nine points) and Marreon Jackson and Luther Muhammad (six each) kept the Sun Devils close after 20 minutes, as they trailed 39-33.
Hutson topped the Ramblers with nine points and Williamson had eight in the half.
Loyola Chicago shot 50 percent from both the field and the deep ball (6-of-12 from 3-point range). It also held a 20-10 rebounding advantage and led for 17:43 of the frame.
Arizona State drained 46.2 percent of its shots and made half of its six 3-pointers.
Schwieger’s trey at 15:31 of the second half pushed the Ramblers’ lead to 51-37, but Arizona State trimmed the lead to seven at 12:59.
Hot-shooting Loyola Chicago outscored the Sun Devils 38-26 in the second half and cruised to the easy win.
–Field Level Media
