CHICAGO, Ill. - Chicago State men's basketball earned a historic victory Sunday afternoon, defeating Loyola Chicago 84–75 at Joseph J. Gentile Arena. The win marks the Cougars' first triumph over the Ramblers since the 2011-12 season.
Chicago State was led by sophomore guard
Doyel Cockrill III, who scored a game-high 22 points and converted 12 of 14 free throws, the Cougars showcased balanced scoring and resilience down the stretch.
CJ Ray added 19 points and nine rebounds, while
Marcus Tankersley contributed 15 points and six assists. Chicago State finished the game shooting 89.7 percent from the free-throw line, a decisive factor in securing the win.
Chicago State built a 17-point lead midway through the second half and held off Loyola's late rally with clutch free-throw shooting. The Cougars also dominated in transition, outscoring the Ramblers 14–6 on fast breaks and converting 19 points off turnovers.
Loyola was led by Xavier Amos with 18 points and four three-pointers, while Deywilk Tavarez added 17. Miles Rubin recorded a double-double with 10 points and 11 rebounds, but the Ramblers struggled with efficiency, shooting just 35.8 percent from the field and 63.6 percent from the line.
With the victory, Chicago State improves to 2-9 on the season, while Loyola falls to 3-8. The Cougars will look to build on the momentum as they continue non-conference play against Bowling Green on Tuesday, December 16
th at 6:00 p.m.
