Loyola Struggles to Victory Over Wisconsin Green Bay

Corey Gaines made two free throws with 20 seconds remaining Monday night to help give Loyola Marymount a 70-67 nonconference victory over the University of Wisconsin at Green Bay.

Green Bay’s Frank Nardi, who led all scorers with 29 points, missed a three-point shot with two seconds left that would have sent the game into overtime.

Loyola (8-3), which was averaging 110 points per game, second best in the nation, shot only 43.3% from the floor, a season low. Green Bay (8-2) took advantage of the Lions’ poor shooting to build a 23-9 lead after 10 minutes.

Green Bay led by 14 points, 30-16, with 7:09 left in the first half, but the Lions scored 13 unanswered points. Gaines scored 9 of his 11 points during the run.

Hank Gathers, who had a team-high 20 points, and Bo Kimble, who had 17, helped Loyola control most of the second half. The Lions took the lead for good at 48-44 with 12:56 remaining.

Paul Westhead, Loyola coach, wasn’t optimistic when the Lions fell behind early.

“I was thinking of leaving,” he said. “They had the crowd (on their side) and the flow of the game . . . but our defense really impressed me. It got us back into the game.”