CHICAGO (AP) — Khristian Smith scored 18 points as Indiana State edged Loyola of Chicago 65-61 on Wednesday.
Indiana State (15-4, 6-1 Missouri Valley) got 14 points from Jake Odum and Brandon Burnett added 10. The Sycamores out-rebounded Loyola 41-28 and made nine more three throws than the Ramblers.
Milton Doyle led Loyola (7-12, 2-5) with 20 points, including four 3-pointers. Jeff White added 13 points and Christian Thomas had 11.
Loyola led throughout the first half until a Burnett tip-in of a Dawon Cummings miss gave the Sycamores their first lead at 25-24 with 3:02 left before intermission. Indiana State led 28-27 at the half.
The game was tied at 48, 50 and 52 in the second half but Odum’s layup and free throw at 5:09 put the Sycamores ahead 55-52, a lead Indiana State never relinquished.
