Box Score Myles Burns and Zach Wrightsil outscore the Falcons by seven in the second period
NEW ORLEANS – Despite trailing by 15 points at the halftime break, the Loyola University New Orleans men's basketball team put together one of their best second-half performances of the season to claim a 96-89 win over Florida College on Thursday night in The Den.
The Falcons (11-9, 5-7) scored first with on inside basket, with Zach Wrightsil getting the Wolf Pack (12-7, 7-5) on the scoreboard with a free throw. Florida College controlled the tempo for most of the first half, shooting 49% en route to a 48-33 halftime lead, holding Loyola to just 32% from the field.
The second half was a much different story, as the home squad gained momentum behind strong team defensive play and a flurry of points from the freshman duo of Myles Burns and Zach Wrightsil, who scored 48 in just the second half. Over the first six minutes of the second half, the Wolf Pack went on a 22-6 run, tying the game at 56-apiece after a putback dunk from Wrightsil.
The Pack took their first lead at 64-62 as Wrightsil went coast-to-coast after grabbing a steal, but the teams would keep the game close, tying for the ninth time with five minutes remaining in the contest as Tre'Von Jasmine found Burns for an alley-oop slam. Accompanying that dime were three huge makes by Ethan Turner from long range, completing an 11-2 run for Loyola as the home team took an 84-78 lead with three minutes to go.
The Pack would hold at least a three point advantage for the rest of the game, closing out the final three minutes making 10 of 11 shots from the foul line to seal the victory.
Loyola closes out the homestand with a 4 p.m. matchup against Brewton-Parker for the Wolf Pack Hall of Fame Game on Saturday, January 26. The inductees will be honored at halftime of the game.
Wolf Pack Head Coach Stacy Hollowell
"We were embarrassed by the performance we put on the floor during the first 20 minutes, we settled for floaters, had difficulty hitting free throws, and did not finish with toughness. Defensively, we didn't get back in transition. However, at halftime our guys were embarrassed as well by their performance and doubled down defensively. The effort that we put out in the second half was the best 20 minutes of defense we've played this year, and that intensity sparked us for the rest of the game. Cameron Dumas got us going with fantastic on ball defense, Myles Burns was unbelievable defensively and on the glass, and we had some big threes in key moments from Ethan Turner and Eric Brown."
Pack Facts
Loyola's 63 points in the second period were the most by the Pack in a half this year, with Myles Burns and Zach Wrightsil outscoring Florida College alone in the final 20 minutes by seven.
Burns recorded his seventh double-double of the year with 25 points and a career-high 17 rebounds, including eight offensive boards.
The freshman added a career-best five blocks and four steals on the defensive end.
Burns jumped from tied for 10th to fourth on the school's top-10 list for steals in a season, now with 48 on the year.
Wrightsil set a new career-mark for most points in a game with 34, adding eight rebounds, a block and two steals.
Ethan Turner connected on five three-pointers and added two steals, setting a new career-mark for steals in a season.
You can keep up with the Pack this season by following Wolf Pack Athletics on Facebook at Facebook.com/LoyolaWolfPack, Twitter and Instagram @LoyolaWolfPack, and by checking out our website at LoyolaWolfPack.com.
