Jan. 29, 2008

Box Score

NEWARK, NJ - Senior forward Michael Tuck had 23 points and 8 rebounds, leading visiting Loyola of Maryland to a 72-54 win over New Jersey Institute of Technology in non-conference men's college basketball Tuesday night.

Tuck, who established a new personal single-game scoring high (previously scored 22 two times), picked up 11 of his points in the first half and 12 in the second for Loyola (12-10), which won its fifth straight and has won seven of its last nine.

Tuck was the top scorer and rebounder for the Greyhounds, who got 16 points from senior guard Gerald Brown and 13 from junior guard Marquis Sullivan. Brown, who came in averaging 18 points per game, did not appear in the first half, but played all 20 minutes of the second half.

NJIT had three double-figure scorers, led by freshman Jheryl Wilson's 12 points. Senior Kraig Peters added 11 points. Sophomore center Dan Stonkus recorded his first career double-double, with 10 points and a game-high 10 rebounds. Stonkus also blocked four shots.

Loyola jumped to a 24-7 lead 9:39 into the contest, fueled by an 18-0 spurt from the 18:24 mark of the first half to 11:55. NJIT responded with a 13-0 run of its own, closing to within four, 24-20, on two free throws by Stonkus with 5:19 left in the half.

The lead see-sawed from as few as three points (after Tyler Epps' triple that made it 28-25 with 3:08 left) to as many as six the rest of the way, leaving the Greyhounds on top at the break, 31-25, paced by Tuck's 11 points.

Loyola quickly pushed its lead to 12--37-25 in the first 1:08 of the half. Tuck produced a traditional three-point play nine seconds into the half and Brown made a three-point basket with 18:52 left.

The Highlanders cut the deficit back down to nine points on a three-pointer by Peters with 16:30 left, but Tuck answered with a layup 14 seconds later and Loyola's lead did not slip under 11 points the rest of the way.

Next up for the Highlanders is a visit from Utah Valley State in the first of two meetings scheduled this season. NJIT will host the Wolverines on Saturday at 2 pm in the Estelle and Zoom Fleisher Athletic Center.