Jan. 23, 2013
Contact: Greg Murphy
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CLEVELAND, Ohio - Bryn Forbes scored a career-high 22 points, but Loyola used a strong run to close the game and defeated Cleveland State, 67-55, in Horizon League action on Wednesday night in the Wolstein Center.
CSU fell to 10-11 overall and 2-5 in the Horizon League, losing for just the second time at home all season. Loyola improved to 12-7 overall and 2-4 in league play. The Ramblers also snapped a nine-game skid against the Vikings.
Forbes, who bested his old career-high of 21 points against Detroit earlier this season, hit 7-of-13 from the field, including three of his four three-pointers. He also made all five of his free throws and added a team-best five rebounds.
Marlin Mason scored 10 points with four rebounds, while Tim Kamczyc and Charlie Lee scored eight points each.
Christian Thomas led Loyola with 21 points, while Ben Averkamp scored 18.
"I feel bad about what happened today," head coach Gary Waters said. "I thought our kids played hard enough and at times well enough to win this game. There was a four minute span where the game got away from us and the nemesis hit us again when we couldn't score."
Playing at home for the first time in almost two weeks, the Vikings jumped out to a 12-4 lead six minutes in as Forbes and Mason combined for eight of the points.
A Jordan Hicks layup brought Loyola back within six, but Mason hit his second three-pointer of the half and Forbes added two free throws to push CSU's lead to its largest of the half, 17-6, with 12:26 left.
CSU was 7-of-10 from the field at that point, but would struggle over the final 12 minutes, making just two field goals and two free throws the rest of the half as the Ramblers came back to tie the game at intermission, 25-25.
Forbes and Mason combined for 19 of CSU's 25 first half points. Forbes scored 11 and Mason added eight in just six minutes of limited action due to foul trouble.
A Thomas dunk opened the second half scoring, but Forbes answered with a layup that started a 21-6 run, giving CSU its largest lead of the game (46-33) with 13:39 left.
However, the Ramblers answered with a 15-2 run over the next seven minutes to claw all the way back and tie the contest at 48-48 on an Averkamp dunk at the 6:44 mark. The teams traded three-pointers, but a Lee jumper and Mason dunk after a Sebastian Douglas steal put the Vikings back on top, 55-51, with just under five minutes to play.
Thomas answered with a layup and Devon Turk hit a three-pointer as the Ramblers ended the game by scoring the final 16 points.
CSU shot .396 (21-53) from the field, while the Ramblers hit 22-of-41 (.538). Loyola was 18-of-22 at the free throw line and out-rebounded the Vikings, 33-21.
CSU was just 7-of-8 at the free throw line and committed a season-low tying 10 turnovers.
The Vikings return to action on Thursday (Jan. 26) when CSU travels to Youngstown State for a 2:00 p.m. contest. It will be the Horizon League Game of the Week and can be seen live on SportsTime Ohio.
• With the win, Loyola increased its lead in the overall series, to 23-19.
• Loyola's win also snapped a nine game losing streak to CSU. The Vikings have won 10 of the last 12 meetings.
• Tonight's loss dropped the Vikings to 7-2 at home this year.
• The game was tied at 25-25 at halftime, marking the second time this year that CSU has been tied at the half. The Vikings were tied with Bowling Green, 33-33, in a first round NIT Season Tip-Off game on Nov. 12.
• Bryn Forbes scored a career-high 22 points, his 12th straight game of double-digit scoring. He has reached double-figures in 13 of the last 14 games.
• CSU tied a season-low with 10 turnovers.
• Loyola won the rebounding battle, 33-21.
• CSU finishes the first half of Horizon League play when the Vikings travel to Youngstown State on Saturday (Jan. 26) for a 7:00 p.m. contest.
