11/25/2019 basketball Edit

Bulls Use Second Half Rally to Down Loyola Chicago

Jay D'Abramo

USF Athletics

GEORGE TOWN, GRAND CAYMAN, NOV. 25, 2019 – USF held Loyola of Chicago without a basket for the last 10 minutes 27 seconds en route to a 66-56 come-from-behind victory in the quarterfinal round of the third annual Cayman Islands Classic tournament Monday at the John Gray Gymnasium.

USF (3-2) will face New Mexico State in a semifinal round game at 1:30 p.m. on Tuesday, while Loyola (3-3) will meet Colorado State in the consolation bracket at 11 a.m.

USF Bulls guard David Collins celebrates CBI Tournament win over Stony Brook in March 2019 in Yuengling Center. (Photo courtesy of: USF Athletics)

Guards David Collins (Youngstown, Ohio) and Laquincy Rideau (West Palm Beach, Fla.) scored 21 and 17 points, respectively, for USF while igniting the second-half rally.

Clinging to a 48-45 lead following a three-point basket from Tate Hall, Loyola closed out the game missing its final eight shots, while committing five turnovers.

The Bulls took advantage by going on a 16-2 run with Collins scoring six points and Rideau four during the surge.

Center Cameron Krutwig led Loyola of Chicago with 16 points, while Hall added 10 points.

Making eight of its first nine shots from the floor, Loyola raced to an 18-6 lead with Krutwig fueling the surge with eight points.

Relying on 61.9 percent shooting, the Ramblers enjoyed a 33-27 halftime lead. But Loyola only shot 35.7 percent in the second half, finishing the game hitting 51.4 percent.

The Bulls shot 50 percent for the game, making 22-of-44 shots. USF also outrebounded Loyola of Chicago, 24-21.

Quotable

Head coach Brian Gregory on the win:

“Our defense was tremendous, and it was just so active. We started pressuring the ball more, but we didn’t get stretched and give up the back cuts and the back-door plays. The guys on the ball made all the difference in the world. Now the guys off the ball, just by being active and being in the proper help position -- not gambling -- we were able to force the turnovers. And then the second thing that was clearly evident, as good as they are and as physical as they are, we wore them down. Shots that were going in the first half for Krutwig inside didn’t go in. Threes that were not as contested as I would like, they were speeded up a little bit and they didn’t go in, and the rotations defensively were a little slower as well.”