HATTIESBURG, Miss. – The WCU men's basketball team suffered their first loss of the season, falling to Loyola University 81-75 Saturday afternoon at Clinton Gym.
 
"I knew this would be a tough game," said Head Coach Steve Knight. "Loyola has a nice club and executed tremendously well in the second half. We just didn't have the energy that we normally have, looked very tired down the stretch. Playing the two D1 games earlier this week took a lot out of us. We will regroup and get better. A lot of new guys on our team."
 
The game began with a back-and-forth exchange, but Carey gradually built an early advantage. A three-pointer from Javeon Gordon put the Crusaders ahead 10-4. By the 15-minute mark, WCU expanded their lead to 17-8 after another three from Gordon.
 
However, the Wolfpack managed to slow down the WCU offense and overcame the deficit, taking a 22-21 lead over the next five minutes. The Crusaders quickly reclaimed the lead as Jamar Jenkins hit a three-pointer on their next possession, followed by back-to-back dunks from Makeem Roberts and Randarius Hughes, extending the lead to 28-22 with seven minutes left in the half.
 
In the final minutes of the first half, Loyola fought back and narrowed the gap to three points. The Crusaders, however, responded effectively, leading to a 40-34 halftime lead.
 
After the break, the Wolfpack continued to chip away at the WCU lead, ultimately tying the game at 46 with a three-pointer from Eain Mowat five minutes into the half. The teams then exchanged baskets for several minutes. A three-pointer from Malik Franklin, with just over 11 minutes remaining, gave the Crusaders a 58-51 advantage. On the defensive end, Anthony Robinson snagged a steal and assisted Hughes for an easy dunk, widening the lead to nine points.
 
Carey held onto that lead until their offense stalled for over four minutes, allowing the Wolfpack to go on a 10-0 run and tied the game at 69 with four minutes left. A pair of free throws from Robinson ended WCU's scoring drought, but the offense continued to struggle, managing only one field goal in the final minutes. Loyola closed the game on an 8-2 run to complete the comeback.
 
Anthony Robinson led the Crusaders with 15 points, followed by Jamar Jenkins with 14 points. Javeon Gordon contributed 11 points, and Randarius Hughes rounded out the double-digit scorers with 10 points.
 
The Crusaders will return to the court on Thursday, December 4, traveling to Pulaski, Tenn., to face UT-Southern. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:30 PM.