Northwestern Rallies To Beat Loyola Maryland, 74-59
EVANSTON, Ill. (AP) — Bryant McIntosh scored a career-high 33 points and Northwestern rallied without Alex Olah to beat Loyola Maryland, 74-59, on Sunday night for its ninth straight win.
Scottie Lindsey added 14 points for the Wildcats (12-1), who set a school record with 13 home wins in a row.
But the victory was overshadowed by the news that Olah would miss the game with a left foot injury.
More than an hour before the game, Northwestern announced the absence of the senior center, who sat on the Wildcats' bench wearing a walking boot on his left leg.
Olah is averaging 12.8 points, including a team-high 21 points in Northwestern's last game to go over 1,000 points for his career.
Loyola (1-10), which lost its eighth straight, was led by Andre Walker's 15 points and Franz Rassman's 11.
Without Olah, Loyola took a 9-0 lead to start the game before a Lindsey basket with 14:11 remaining gave Northwestern its first points. The Greyhounds led by as many as 14 during the first half.
Northwestern rallied in the second half and tied it at 42-all with 13:07 remaining on Aaron Falzon's 3-pointer. The Wildcats took their first lead on a McIntosh basket with 11:44 to play. A McIntosh layup with 7:12 to go pushed the Wildcats' advantage to 11.
Northwestern matched the school's best 13-game start, equaling the 1930-31 season. The Wildcats' 12th regular-season win against non-conference opponents also matched a school mark, tying the 2009-10 team.
Olah is expected to miss around two weeks, while Northwestern begins its Big Ten schedule Wednesday at Nebraska without two projected preseason starters. Vic Law hasn't played and will miss the entire season because of a torn labrum in his left shoulder.
TIP-INS
Loyola: Sunday was Loyola's second game against a team from a power conference this season, following its Dec. 1 loss at Kansas. . The Greyhounds were on the road for the fifth time in six games.
Northwestern: The Wildcats improved to 2-0 all-time against Loyola. The previous meeting was a 66-60 win on Dec. 27, 2006 at Northwestern. . With Olah out, Northwestern took the redshirt off freshman center Dererk Pardon, who scored six points in 23 minutes.
UP NEXT
Loyola Maryland plays Wednesday at home against American.
Northwestern plays at Nebraska on Wednesday.