For the first half Tuesday, Loyola played about as listlessly as one could imagine.
Then, like mischievous kids reminded that Christmas is approaching, the Ramblers did a 180-degree turn. They played crisp team ball, rallied and avoided a fourth straight loss, defeating Central Michigan 90-83 at Gentile Center.
In one four-minute second-half stretch, Loyola outscored the Chippewas 14-0 to surge from a four-point deficit to a 63-53 lead.
The unit of freshmen Blake Schilb and Majak Kou paired with seniors Paul McMillan, Demetrius Williams and Jason Telford provided coach Larry Farmer with the style he wants for Horizon League play.
Schilb celebrated his 20th birthday with a game-high 24 points to become the school’s first true freshman since Alfredrick Hughes in 1982 to score 20 or more in back-to-back games.
“We’ve been struggling in first halves,” said Schilb, a 6-foot-7-inch forward from downstate Rantoul. “We set our minds to improve. It’s a matter of mindset. It was a great way to celebrate my birthday.”
Every Rambler on the floor took part in the critical surge. Kou hit one of his three three-pointers and scored five of his 13 points. McMillan at 6-6 and Williams at 6-9 provided muscle in the paint. Telford added stability at the point.
“A lot of it had to do with energy,” Telford said. “Our zone defense helped. For those four or five minutes we were really clicking. Everybody was contributing to the scoring too. That’s when we’re at our best.”
Farmer explained the role defense played during the momentum-turning 14-0 run.
“We made some stops,” Farmer said. “Our defense was active. We rebounded. That got us into our transition game.”
Loyola (3-4) made 35-of-73 shots and repeatedly had second and third chances because it had 21 offensive rebounds.
Central Michigan (2-7), which hit 12-of-25 three-point shots, tied the game 77-77 and took an 83-82 lead with 1:39 to play.
Then the Ramblers found their foul-shooting touch. They made 15-of-28 for 53.6 percent, but they sank their last seven, four by Schilb.
Farmer scrambled his lineup, starting freshmen Andre Knox and Schilb, sophomore Terrance Whiters, junior Anthony Smith and senior Louis Smith. Usual starters McMillan, Telford and DaJuan Gouard opened the game on the bench.
“We practiced hard the past two days,” Farmer said. “I decided to start the five who worked the hardest in practice.”
